Induction of chromosomal inversion by integration of T-DNA in the rice genome

Transfer DNA (T-DNA) of Agrobacterium tumefaciens integration in the plant genome may lead to rearrangements of host plant chromosomal fragments, including inversions. However, there is very little information concerning the inversion. The present study reports a transgenic rice line selected from a T-DNA tagged population, which displays a semi-dwarf phenotype. Molecular analysis of this mutant indicated an insertion of two tandem copies of T-DNA into a locus on the rice genome in a head to tail mode. This insertion of T-DNA resulted in the inversion of a 4.9 Mb chromosomal segment. Results of sequence analysis suggest that the chromosomal inversion resulted from the insertion of T-DNA with the help of sequence microhomology between insertion region of T-DNA and target sequence of the host plant.