Locating QTLs controlling several adult root traits in an elite Chinese hybrid rice

This study aimed to elucidate the genetics of the adult root system in elite Chinese hybrid rice. Several adult root traits in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Xieyou 9308 and two backcross F₁ (BCF₁) populations derived from the RILs were phenotyped under hydroponic culture at heading stage for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and other statistical analysis. There a total of eight QTLs detected for the root traits. Among of them, a pleiotropic QTL was repeatedly flanked by RM180 and RM5436 on the short arm of chromosome 7 for multiple traits across RILs and its BCF₁ populations, accounting for 6.88% to 25.26% of the phenotypic variances. Only additive/dominant QTLs were detected for the root traits. These results can serve as a foundation for facilitating future cloning and molecular breeding.     

水稻非生物胁迫相关QTL研究进展

培育优质高产水稻品种是水稻育种工作者的首要目标。近年来,不断恶化的环境条件使水稻生长面,临更多的逆境胁迫。其中,非生物胁迫严重影响水稻产量提高和品质改善。从QTL角度研究水稻对非生物胁迫的适应机理,对于提高水稻产量、品质和抗逆性等方面具有重要的意义。本文综述了近年来水稻非生物胁迫相关QTL的研究进展,以及通过分子辅助育种手段创制多目标性状聚合的优良水稻品种的主要策略,为实现水稻优质高产和广适性的综合改良提供思路。     

ZmGA3ox2, a candidate gene for a major QTL,qPH3.1, for plant height in maize

Maize plant height is closely associated with biomass, lodging resistance and grain yield. Determining the genetic basis of plant height by characterizing and cloning plant height genes will guide the genetic improvement of crops. In this study, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for plant height, qPH3.1, was identified on chromosome 3 using populations derived from a cross between Zong3 and its chromosome segment substitution line, SL15. The plant height of the two lines was obviously different, and application of exogenous gibberellin A₃ removed this difference. QTL mapping placed qPH3.1 within a 4.0 cM interval, explaining 32.3% of the phenotypic variance. Furthermore, eight homozygous segmental isolines (SILs) developed from two larger F₂ populations further narrowed down qPH3.1 to within a 12.6 kb interval. ZmGA3ox2, an ortholog of OsGA3ox2, which encodes a GA3 β‐hydroxylase, was positionally cloned. Association mapping identified two polymorphisms in ZmGA3ox2 that were significantly associated with plant height across two experiments. Quantitative RT‐PCR showed that SL15 had higher ZmGA3ox2 expression relative to Zong3. The resultant higher GA₁ accumulation led to longer internodes in SL15 because of increased cell lengths. Moreover, a large deletion in the coding region of ZmGA3ox2 is responsible for the dwarf mutant d1‐6016. The successfully isolated qPH3.1 enriches our knowledge on the genetic basis of plant height in maize, and provides an opportunity for improvement of plant architecture in maize breeding.     

Disentangling Two QTL on Porcine Chromosome 12 for Backfat Fatty Acid Composition

A previous study allowed the identification of two QTL regions at positions 11–34 cM (QTL1) and 68–76 cM (QTL2) on porcine chromosome SSC12 affecting several backfat fatty acids in an Iberian x Landrace F2 intercross. In the current study, different approaches were performed in order to better delimit the quoted QTL regions and analyze candidate genes. A new chromosome scan, using 81 SNPs selected from the Porcine 60KBeadChip and six previously genotyped microsatellites have refined the QTL positions. Three new functional candidate genes (ACOX1, ACLY, and SREBF1) have been characterized. Moreover, two putative promoters of porcine ACACA gene have also been investigated. New isoforms and 24 SNPs were detected in the four candidate genes, 19 of which were genotyped in the population. ACOX1 and ACLY SNPs failed to explain the effects of QTL1 on palmitic and gadoleic fatty acids. QTL2, affecting palmitoleic, stearic, and vaccenic fatty acids, maps close to the ACACA gene location. The most significant associations have been detected between one intronic (g.53840T > C) and one synonymous (c.5634T > C) ACACA SNPs and these fatty acids. Complementary analyses including ACACA gene expression quantification and association studies in other porcine genetic types do not support the expected causal effect of ACACA SNPs.     

SNP mapping of QTL affecting growth and fatness on chicken GGA1

An F2 chicken population was established from a crossbreeding between a Xinghua line and a White Recessive Rock line. A total of 502 F2 chickens in 17 full-sib families from six hatches was obtained, and phenotypic data of 488 individuals were available for analysis. A total of 46 SNP on GGA1 was initially selected based on the average physical distance using the dbSNP database of NCBI. After the polymorphism levels in all F0 individuals (26 individuals) and part of the F1 individuals (22 individuals) were verified, 30 informative SNP were potentially available to genotype all F2 individuals. The linkage map was constructed using Cri-Map. Interval mapping QTL analyses were carried out. QTL for body weight (BW) of 35 d and 42 d, 49 d and 70 d were identified on GGA1 at 351–353 cM and 360 cM, respectively. QTL for abdominal fat weight was on GGA1 at 205 cM, and for abdominal fat rate at 221 cM. Two novel QTL for fat thickness under skin and fat width were detected at 265 cM and 72 cM, respectively.     

QTL analysis of resistance to sharka disease in the apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) ‘Polonais’ × ‘Stark Early Orange’ F1 progeny

Different hypotheses on the genetic control of the resistance to the plum pox virus (PPV) have been reported in apricot, but there was a lack of agreement about the number of loci involved. In recent years, apricot genetic maps have been constructed from progenies derived from ‘Stark Early Orange’ or ‘Goldrich’, two main sources of resistance, three of these including the mapping of the PPV resistance loci. As the location of the locus was not precisely established, we mapped the PPV resistance loci using interval mapping (IM), composite interval mapping (CIM), and the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test in the F₁ progeny derived from a cross between the susceptible cv. ‘Polonais’ and ’Stark Early Orange’. Four genomic regions were identified as being involved in PPV resistance. One of these mapped to the upper region of linkage group 1 of ‘Stark Early Orange’, and accounted for 56% of the phenotypic variation. Its location was similar to the one previously identified in ‘Goldrich’ and Prunus davidiana. In addition, a gene strongly associated to these major quantitative trait loci (QTL) was found to be related to PPV infection. Two putative QTLs were detected on linkage groups 3 of ‘Polonais’ and 5 of both ‘Polonais’ and ‘Stark Early Orange’ with both parametric and non-parametric methods at logarithm of odds (LOD) scores slightly above the detection threshold. The last QTL was only detected in the early stage of the infection. PPV resistance is, thus, controlled by a major dominant factor located on linkage group 1. The hypothesis of recessive factors with lower effect is discussed.     

上位性和QTL×环境互作对水稻(Oryza sativa L.)抽穗期的影响

水稻抽穗期是重要的农艺性状之一,对水稻品种的地理分布和适应性起到关键性作用。适宜的抽穗期是获得高产的前提。因此确定水稻抽穗期的遗传基础在育种计划中具有重要的意义。本研究用一套来源于亲本IR64/Azucena的双单倍体(DH)群体在两个种植季节的试验资料,用基于混合线性模型的复合区间作图方法,对水稻抽穗期QTL的加性、上位性及其与环境互作效应进行了研究。结果表明共有14个QTL影响水稻抽穗期,它们分布在除第5和第9条染色体外的10条染色体上,有8个位点携带单位点效应,5对位点携带双位点互作效应,2个单位点和1对双位点存在与环境的互作,所有效应值介于1.179～2.549天之间,相应的贡献率为1.04%～4.84%。基于所估算的QTL效应值,本研究预测了两个亲本和两个极端型品系的遗传效应值,并讨论了影响遗传效应值与实际观测值偏差的可能原因,以及研究群体所具有的遗传潜力。对水稻抽穗期QTL的定位结果与前人研究基本一致,并进一步证实了上位性和QE互作效应是水稻抽穗期的重要遗传基础。     

控制水稻叶片叶绿素含量及其离体叶片叶绿素降解速度相关的QTL定位(简报)

许多研究认为,在一定范围内,叶绿素含量与光合速率成正相关关系、叶绿素含量高的水稻叶片能延缓衰老。理论上推算,水稻叶片如果推迟1天衰老,可使水稻增产2％左右,而实际实验结果表明可增产1％左右。叶片早衰往往也是造成有些水稻品种结实率偏低、空秕率较高及产量降低的主要原因。叶片衰老是水稻发育过程中的生命现象,它是水稻在长期进化过程中形成的适应性。叶片衰老的显著特征之一是叶绿素含量下降,叶色褪绿变黄。[第一段]     

干旱胁迫和正常灌溉条件下玉米产量性状的QTL分析

产量及其产量因子是衡量玉米耐旱能力的重要性状。本研究利用Lo1067×Y i72的F2∶3家系进行产量性状的数量性状位点(QTL)的分析。结果表明,在正常水分条件和开花期干旱胁迫条件下,分别有14个QTL与产量性状穗重、粒重、轴重、百粒重、穗数、穗粒数有关。此外,还检测到7个与抗旱指数(TI)相关的QTL。各QTL所解释的表型变异在1%~78%;这些QTL以部分显性和超显性为主。不同胁迫条件下检测到的QTL不一致,说明存在显著的QTL与环境互作。