College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, 130118, China.
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, United States of America.
Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 22;10(1):10074. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66271-8.
Most traits of agricultural importance are quantitative traits controlled by numerous genes. However, it remains unclear about the molecular mechanisms underpinning quantitative traits. Here, we report the molecular characteristics of the genes controlling three quantitative traits randomly selected from three diverse plant species, including ginsenoside biosynthesis in ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), fiber length in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L.) and grain yield in maize (Zea mays L.). We found that a vast majority of the genes controlling a quantitative trait were significantly more likely spliced into multiple transcripts while they expressed. Nevertheless, only one to four, but not all, of the transcripts spliced from each of the genes were significantly correlated with the phenotype of the trait. The genes controlling a quantitative trait were multiple times more likely to form a co-expression network than other genes expressed in an organ. The network varied substantially among genotypes of a species and was associated with their phenotypes. These findings indicate that the genes controlling a quantitative trait are more likely pleiotropic and functionally correlated, thus providing new insights into the molecular basis underpinning quantitative traits and knowledge necessary to develop technologies for efficient manipulation of quantitative traits.
大多数具有农业重要性的性状都是由众多基因控制的数量性状。然而，对于数量性状的分子机制尚不清楚。在这里，我们报告了三个不同植物物种中随机选择的三个数量性状控制基因的分子特征，包括人参（Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer）中的人参皂苷生物合成、棉花（Gossypium hirsutum L. 和 G. barbadense L.）中的纤维长度和玉米（Zea mays L.）中的谷物产量。我们发现，控制数量性状的大多数基因在表达时极有可能被剪接成多个转录本。然而，每个基因从剪接的转录本中只有一到四个，但不是全部，与性状的表型显著相关。控制数量性状的基因比器官中表达的其他基因更有可能形成共表达网络。该网络在物种的不同基因型之间差异很大，并且与它们的表型相关。这些发现表明，控制数量性状的基因更有可能是多效的和功能相关的，从而为数量性状的分子基础提供了新的见解，并为开发有效操纵数量性状的技术提供了必要的知识。
