Comparative Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci Sculpting the Curd of Brassica oleracea

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 1927-1954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tien-Hung Lan ◽  
Andrew H Paterson

Abstract The enlarged inflorescence (curd) of cauliflower and broccoli provide not only a popular vegetable for human consumption, but also a unique opportunity for scientists who seek to understand the genetic basis of plant growth and development. By the comparison of quantitative trait loci (QTL) maps constructed from three different F2 populations, we identified a total of 86 QTL that control eight curd-related traits in Brassica oleracea. The 86 QTL may reflect allelic variation in as few as 67 different genetic loci and 54 ancestral genes. Although the locations of QTL affecting a trait occasionally corresponded between different populations or between different homeologous Brassica chromosomes, our data supported other molecular and morphological data in suggesting that the Brassica genus is rapidly evolving. Comparative data enabled us to identify a number of candidate genes from Arabidopsis that warrant further investigation to determine if some of them might account for Brassica QTL. The Arabidopsis/Brassica system is an important example of both the challenges and opportunities associated with extrapolation of genomic information from facile models to large-genome taxa including major crops.

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 165 (3) ◽  
pp. 1307-1315
Author(s):  
Daibin Zhong ◽  
Aditi Pai ◽  
Guiyun Yan

Abstract Parasites have profound effects on host ecology and evolution, and the effects of parasites on host ecology are often influenced by the magnitude of host susceptibility to parasites. Many parasites have complex life cycles that require intermediate hosts for their transmission, but little is known about the genetic basis of the intermediate host's susceptibility to these parasites. This study examined the genetic basis of susceptibility to a tapeworm (Hymenolepis diminuta) in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) that serves as an intermediate host in its transmission. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping experiments were conducted with two independent segregating populations using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. A total of five QTL that significantly affected beetle susceptibility were identified in the two reciprocal crosses. Two common QTL on linkage groups 3 and 6 were identified in both crosses with similar effects on the phenotype, and three QTL were unique to each cross. In one cross, the three main QTL accounted for 29% of the total phenotypic variance and digenic epistasis explained 39% of the variance. In the second cross, the four main QTL explained 62% of the variance and digenic epistasis accounted for only 5% of the variance. The actions of these QTL were either overdominance or underdominance. Our results suggest that the polygenic nature of beetle susceptibility to the parasites and epistasis are important genetic mechanisms for the maintenance of variation within or among beetle strains in susceptibility to tapeworm infection.


2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1747) ◽  
pp. 4551-4558 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Bradshaw ◽  
Kevin J. Emerson ◽  
Julian M. Catchen ◽  
William A. Cresko ◽  
Christina M. Holzapfel

Identifying regions of the genome contributing to phenotypic evolution often involves genetic mapping of quantitative traits. The focus then turns to identifying regions of ‘major’ effect, overlooking the observation that traits of ecological or evolutionary relevance usually involve many genes whose individual effects are small but whose cumulative effect is large. Herein, we use the power of fully interfertile natural populations of a single species of mosquito to develop three quantitative trait loci (QTL) maps: one between two post-glacially diverged populations and two between a more ancient and a post-glacial population. All demonstrate that photoperiodic response is genetically a highly complex trait. Furthermore, we show that marker regressions identify apparently ‘non-significant’ regions of the genome not identified by composite interval mapping, that the perception of the genetic basis of adaptive evolution is crucially dependent upon genetic background and that the genetic basis for adaptive evolution of photoperiodic response is highly variable within contemporary populations as well as between anciently diverged populations.


2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Mayo

Parallel searches for quantitative trait loci (QTL) for growth-related traits in different populations frequently detect sets of QTL that hardly overlap. Thus, many QTL potentially exist. Tools for the detection of QTL that interact are available and are currently being tested. Initial results suggest that epistasis is widespread. Modelling of the first recognised interaction, dominance, continues to be developed. Multigenic interaction appears to be a necessary part of any explanation. This paper covers an attempt to link some of these studies and to draw inferences about useful approaches to understanding and using the genes that influence quantitative traits.


2004 ◽  
Vol 108 (8) ◽  
pp. 1513-1520 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. B. Holme ◽  
A. M. Torp ◽  
L. N. Hansen ◽  
S. B. Andersen

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
LARRY I. CRAWSHAW ◽  
HELEN L. WALLACE ◽  
ROBIN CHRISTENSEN ◽  
JOHN C. CRABBE

The genetic basis for the effects of ethanol on thermoregulation was investigated by utilizing recombinant inbred mouse strains from C57BL/6J and DBA/2J progenitor strains. Changes in core body temperature (Tc) and the degree of fluctuation of Tc were monitored in male mice following the administration of ethanol in an environment with cyclic changes in ambient temperature (Ta). Changes in Tc were utilized to assess ethanol-induced effects on regulated Tc, whereas fluctuations in Tc were utilized to assess thermoregulatory disruption. Ethanol was administered intraperitoneally at 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 g/kg for all strains. Change in Tc and increase in tail temperature were also evaluated at 2.5 g/kg ethanol in a constant Ta of 26°C. Associations between the measured physiological responses and previously mapped genetic markers were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs). This established probable chromosome locations for a number of genes for the responses. To our knowledge, this is the first report of QTLs that underlie changes in regulation as well as the disruption of a physiological regulatory system.


HortScience ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 1207-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
De-Kun Dong ◽  
Jia-Shu Cao ◽  
Kai Shi ◽  
Le-Cheng Liu

To investigate the genetic basis of heterosis in Brassica rapa, an F2 population was produced from the cross of B. rapa L. subsp. chinensis (L.) Hanelt and B. rapa L. subsp. rapifera Metzg. Trait performances of the F1 hybrid showed evident mid parent heterosis, which varied from 18.55% to 101.62% for the 11 traits investigated. A total of 23 main effect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were detected for biomass and its component traits, which could explain 4.38% to 47.80% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Sixty-five percent of these QTLs showed obvious overdominance. Epistasis analysis detected 444 two-locus interactions for the 11 traits at the threshold of P < 0.005. Some of them remained significant when more stringent threshold were set. These results suggested that overdominance and epistasis might play an important role as the genetic basis of heterosis in B. rapa.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document