Deploying QTL-seq for rapid delineation of a potential candidate gene underlying major trait-associated QTL in chickpea

A rapid high-resolution genome-wide strategy for molecular mapping of major QTL(s)/gene(s) regulating important agronomic traits is vital for in-depth dissection of complex quantitative traits and genetic enhancement in chickpea. The present study for the first time employed a NGS-based whole-genome QTL-seq strategy to identify one major genomic region harbouring a robust 100-seed weight QTL using an intra-specific 221 chickpea mapping population (desi cv. ICC 7184 × desi cv. ICC 15061). The QTL-seq-derived major SW QTL (CaqSW1.1) was further validated by single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker-based traditional QTL mapping (47.6% R² at higher LOD >19). This reflects the reliability and efficacy of QTL-seq as a strategy for rapid genome-wide scanning and fine mapping of major trait regulatory QTLs in chickpea. The use of QTL-seq and classical QTL mapping in combination narrowed down the 1.37 Mb (comprising 177 genes) major SW QTL (CaqSW1.1) region into a 35 kb genomic interval on desi chickpea chromosome 1 containing six genes. One coding SNP (G/A)-carrying constitutive photomorphogenic9 (COP9) signalosome complex subunit 8 (CSN8) gene of these exhibited seed-specific expression, including pronounced differential up-/down-regulation in low and high seed weight mapping parents and homozygous individuals during seed development. The coding SNP mined in this potential seed weight-governing candidate CSN8 gene was found to be present exclusively in all cultivated species/genotypes, but not in any wild species/genotypes of primary, secondary and tertiary gene pools. This indicates the effect of strong artificial and/or natural selection pressure on target SW locus during chickpea domestication. The proposed QTL-seq-driven integrated genome-wide strategy has potential to delineate major candidate gene(s) harbouring a robust trait regulatory QTL rapidly with optimal use of resources. This will further assist us to extrapolate the molecular mechanism underlying complex quantitative traits at a genome-wide scale leading to fast-paced marker-assisted genetic improvement in diverse crop plants, including chickpea.     

Nanoantenna-Enhanced Radiative and Anisotropic Decay Rates in Monolayer-Quantum Dots

Plasmonics - Nanoantenna-enhanced ultrafast emission from colloidal quantum dots as quantum emitters is required for fast quantum communications. On-chip integration of such devices requires a...     

Transcriptional Repressor HIC1 Contributes to Suppressive Function of Human Induced Regulatory T Cells

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Synthesis and Hybridization Studies of Oligonucleotide Sequences with Modified Fluorescent Nucleoside Analogs

Abstract

Two complementary oligodeoxynucleotide hexamers CATGAA and TTCATG and a pentamer with a fluorescent nucleoside analog viz. 9-N-(2′-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl) carbazole (C*) incorporated into it, TTC*ATG were synthesized and characterised by spectroscopic and chromatographic studies. The comparative fluorescent studies of the two nucleoside analogs viz. 9-N-(2′-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl) acridone and its carbazole analog (C*) have been carried out under different experimental conditions. The effect on fluorescence by incorporation of (C*) into the sequence and its subsequent hybridization with the complementary sequence have been studied.