Genetic Analysis and Molecular Mapping of a Rolling Leaf Mutation Gene in Rice

A rice mutant with rolling leaf, namely y-rl, was obtained from M2 progenies of a native indica rice stable strain Qinghuazhan (QHZ) from mutagenesis of dry seeds by prays.Genetic analysis using the F2 population from a cross between this mutant and QHZ indicated the mutation was controlled by a single recessive gane.In order to map the locus for this mutation,another F2 population with 601 rolling leaf plants was constructed from a cross between y-rl and a japonica cultivar 02428.After primary mapping with SSR (simple sequence repeats) markers, the mutated locus was located at the short arm of chromosome 3, flanked by RM6829 and RM3126.A number of SSR, InDel (insertion/deletion) and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers within this region were further developed for fine mapping.Finally, two markers, SNP121679 and InDel422395, were identified to be flanked to this locus with genetic distances of 0.08 cM and 0.17 cM respectively, and two SNP markers, SNP75346 and SNP110263, were found to be co-segregated with this locus.These results suggested that this locus was distinguished from all loci for the rolling leaf mutation in rice reported so far, and thus renamed rl10(t).By searching the rice genome database with closely linked markers using BLAST programs, an e-physical map covering rl10(t) locus spanning about a 50 kb region was constructed.Expression analysis of the genes predicted in this region showed that a gene encoding putative flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) was silenced in y-rl, thus this is the most likely candidate responsible for the rolling leaf mutation.