Innovation Platform of Molecular Biology, College of Landscape and Art, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.
Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China.
Genes Genomics. 2022 Feb;44(2):145-154. doi: 10.1007/s13258-021-01186-w. Epub 2021 Nov 12.
This study identified candidate genes related to fruit yield for an emerging medicinal crop, weeping forsythia.
The genetic basis of crop yield is an agricultural research hotspot. Identifying the genes related to yield traits is the key to increase the yield. Weeping forsythia is an emerging medicinal crop that currently lacks excellent varieties. The genes related to fruit yield in weeping forsythia have not been identified.
Thus, we aimed to screen the candidate genes related to fruit yield of weeping forsythia by using genome-wide association analysis.
Here, 60 samples from the same field and source of weeping forsythia were collected to identify its yield-related candidate genes. Association analysis was performed on the variant loci and the traits related to yield, i.e., fruit length, width, thickness, and weight.
Results from admixture, neighbor-joining, and kinship matrix analyses supported the non-significant genetic differentiation of these samples. Significant association was found between 2 variant loci and fruit length, 8 loci and fruit width, 24 loci and fruit thickness, and 13 loci and fruit weight. Further search on the 20 kb up/downstream of these variant loci revealed 1 gene related to fruit length, 16 genes related to fruit width, 12 genes related to fruit thickness, and 13 genes related to fruit weight. Among which, 4 genes, namely, WRKY transcription factor 35, salicylic acid-binding protein, auxin response factor 6, and alpha-mannosidase were highly related to the fruit development of weeping forsythia.
This study identify four candidate genes related to fruit development, which will provide useful information for the subsequent molecular-assisted and genetic breeding of weeping forsythia.
本研究鉴定了与新兴药用作物垂丝海棠果实产量相关的候选基因。
作物产量的遗传基础是农业研究的热点。鉴定与产量性状相关的基因是提高产量的关键。垂丝海棠是一种新兴的药用作物，目前缺乏优良品种。尚未鉴定出与垂丝海棠果实产量相关的基因。
因此，我们旨在通过全基因组关联分析筛选与垂丝海棠果实产量相关的候选基因。
本研究从同一来源和同一田间收集了 60 个垂丝海棠样本，以鉴定其与产量相关的候选基因。对变异位点与果实长度、宽度、厚度和重量等产量相关性状进行关联分析。
混合分析、邻接聚类和亲缘关系矩阵分析的结果支持这些样本的遗传分化不显著。2 个变异位点与果实长度显著相关，8 个位点与果实宽度显著相关，24 个位点与果实厚度显著相关，13 个位点与果实重量显著相关。进一步在这些变异位点的 20kb 上下游搜索，发现 1 个与果实长度相关的基因，16 个与果实宽度相关的基因，12 个与果实厚度相关的基因，以及 13 个与果实重量相关的基因。其中，WRKY 转录因子 35、水杨酸结合蛋白、生长素响应因子 6 和α-甘露糖苷酶 4 个基因与垂丝海棠果实发育高度相关。
本研究鉴定了与果实发育相关的四个候选基因，为后续垂丝海棠的分子辅助和遗传育种提供了有用的信息。
