Hybrid_Decay_RNA-seq

We describe a phenomenon in maize and its nearest wild relative, teosinte, by which backcross progeny of a specific teosinte and maize exhibit a sickly whole-plant phenotype involving changes in morphology, vigor and viability. We characterized the sickly backcross plants and normal control plants by multiple assays including mRNA expression, sRNA expression, genome-wide methylation patterns, karyotype and changes in genome content. Diverse sequences (some with homology to transposable elements) are increased in copy number and expression and there is elevated abundance of sRNAs with homology to these sequences. We call the phenomenon hybrid decay and discuss potential underlying mechanisms.