Abstract: The chloroplast proteins of a male-sterile mutant Nongken 58S, namely “Hubei Photoperiod-sensitive Genic Male-sterile Rice”, which is male sterile under long day (LD) cycles and fertile under short day (SD) cycles, and its original cultivar Nongken 58 (Oryza sativa L. subsp, japonica, Nongken 58) at seedling stage and photoperiod sensitive stage of fertility transition could be resolved into at least 20 major and more than 70 minor protein components on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, with molecular weights ranging from 10kD to 67kD and isoelc points (pI) from 4.3 to 8.5. The mutant Nongken 58S had twospecific proteins with molecular weight of 45kD(pI6.7) and 61 kD (pI6.0) as compared with Nongken 58. Another 61 kD(pI6.2) protein was more in Nongken 58S than in Nongken 58. The existance of these proteins was not influenced by SD or LD treatment. The results showed difference in patterns of gene expression between Nongken 58S and Nongken 58. A possible function of these proteins in relation to regulation of sterility was discussed.

Key words: Photoperiod-Sensitive Genic Male-Sterile Rice, Chloroplast: Specific Proteins