Chloroplast capture is an evolutionary process through which inter-species hybridization and subsequent backcrosses yield a plant with new genetic combination of nuclear and chloroplast genomes. For instance: * 1) species A's (having chloroplast genome ''a'' and nuclear genome ''AA'')

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...

hybridizes to species B's (''b'' and ''BB'')

ovule In seed plants, the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells. It consists of three parts: the ''integument'', forming its outer layer, the ''nucellus'' (or remnant of the sporangium, megasporangium), ...

, yielding the 1st hybrid (F1) with chloroplast genome ''b'' and nuclear genome ''A'' (50%) and ''B'' (50%); * 2) species A's

hybridizes (

backcross Backcrossing is a crossing of a hybrid with one of its parents or an individual genetically similar to its parent, to achieve offspring with a genetic identity closer to that of the parent. It is used in horticulture, animal breeding, and produc ...

) to F1's

, yielding the 2nd hybrid (F2) with chloroplast genome ''b'' and nuclear genome ''A'' (75%) and ''B'' (25%); * 3) species A's

again backcrosses to F2's

, yielding the 3rd hybrid (F3) with chloroplast genome ''b'' and nuclear genome ''A'' (87.5%) and ''B'' (12.5%); * 4) after further backcross generations, a plant is obtained with the new genetic combination (chloroplast genome ''b'' and nuclear genome ''AA'').

Known cases of chloroplast capture

Gymnosperm

* ''

Juniperus Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' ( ) of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far south ...

'' (

Cupressaceae Cupressaceae or the cypress family is a family of conifers. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdioecious or (rarely) dioecio ...

) * ''

Pinus A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as c ...

'' (

Pinaceae The Pinaceae (), or pine family, are conifer trees or shrubs, including many of the well-known conifers of commercial importance such as Cedrus, cedars, firs, Tsuga, hemlocks, Pinyon_pine, piñons, larches, pines and spruces. The family is incl ...

)

Angiosperm

* ''

Quercus An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

'' (

Fagaceae The Fagaceae (; ) are a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, chestnuts and oaks, and comprises eight genera with around 1,000 or more species. Fagaceae in temperate regions are mostly deciduous, whereas in the tropics, many species ...

) * ''

Ruppia ''Ruppia'', also known as the widgeonweeds, ditch grasses or widgeon grass, is the only extant genus in the family Ruppiaceae, with 11 known species. These are aquatic plants widespread over much of the world. The genus name honours Heinrich Be ...

'' (

Ruppiaceae ''Ruppia'', also known as the widgeonweeds, ditch grasses or widgeon grass, is the only extant genus in the family Ruppiaceae, with 11 known species. These are aquatic plants widespread over much of the world. The genus name honours Heinrich Be ...

) * ''

Heuchera ''Heuchera'' ( or ) is a genus of largely evergreen perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae. All species are native to North America except for '' Heuchera sichotensis'', native to the Russian Far East. Common names include alumroot and co ...

'' (

Saxifragaceae Saxifragaceae is a family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous Perennial plant, perennial flowering plants, within the core eudicot Order (biology), order Saxifragales. The Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of the family has been greatly revised and the ...

)

Soltis, D. E. Douglas Soltis is a Distinguished Professor in the Laboratory of Molecular Systematics & Evolutionary Genetics (Soltis lab), Florida Museum of Natural History, and Department of Biology at the University of Florida. His research interests are in ...

, P. S. Soltis, T. G. Collier, and M. L. Edgerton. 1991. Chloroplast DNA variation within and among genera of the Heuchera group: evidence for extensive chloroplast capture and the paraphyly of Heuchera and Mitella. ''

American Journal of Botany The ''American Journal of Botany'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal which covers all aspects of plant biology. It has been published by the Botanical Society of America since 1914. The journal has an impact factor of 3.038, as of 20 ...

'' 78: 1091–1112.

References

{{Reflist Plant genetics Hybridisation (biology)