Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility in plants are described, with DNA molecule and amino acid sequences set forth. Promoter sequences and their essential regions are also identified. The nucleotide sequences are useful in mediating male fertility in plants. In one such method, the homozygous recessive condition of male sterility causing alleles is maintained after crossing with a second plant, where the second plant contains a restoring transgene construct having a nucleotide sequence which reverses the homozygous condition. The restoring sequence is linked with a hemizygous sequence encoding a product inhibiting formation or function of male gametes. The maintainer plant produces only viable male gametes which do not contain the restoring transgene construct. Increase of the maintainer plant is also provided by self-fertilization, and selection for seed or plants which contain the construct.