Japanese Apricot Laboratory, Wakayama Fruit Tree Experiment Station, 1416-7 Higashi-Honjo, Minabe-cho, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama, 645-0021, Japan.
Wakayama Fruit Tree Experiment Station, 751-1, Oki, Aridagawa-cho, Arida-gun, Wakayama, 643-0022, Japan.
Mol Genet Genomics. 2023 Nov;298(6):1365-1375. doi: 10.1007/s00438-023-02062-w. Epub 2023 Aug 26.
The Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) is a popular fruit tree in Japan. However, the genetic factors associated with fruit trait variations are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated nine fruit-associated traits, including harvesting time, fruit diameter, fruit shape, fruit weight, stone (endocarp) weight, ratio of stone weight to fruit weight, and rate of fruit gumming, using 110 Japanese apricot accessions over four years. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed for these traits and strong signals were detected on chromosome 6 for harvesting time and fruit diameters. These peaks were shown to undergo strong artificial selection during the differentiation of small-fruit cultivars. The genomic region defined by the GWAS and XP-nSL analyses harbored several candidate genes associated with plant hormone regulation. Furthermore, the alleles of small-fruit cultivars in this region were shown to have genetic proximity to some Chinese cultivars of P. mume. These results indicate that the small-fruit trait originated in China; after being introduced into Japan, it was preferred and selected by the Japanese people, resulting in the differentiation of small-fruit cultivars.
日本李（Prunus mume）是日本一种受欢迎的果树。然而，与果实特征变异相关的遗传因素还了解甚少。在这项研究中，我们使用 110 个日本李品种，在四年的时间里调查了 9 个与果实相关的特征，包括收获时间、果实直径、果实形状、果实重量、核（内果皮）重量、核重与果重的比值以及果实胶化率。对这些性状进行了全基因组关联研究（GWAS），并在第 6 号染色体上检测到了与收获时间和果实直径相关的强信号。这些峰在小果品种分化过程中经历了强烈的人工选择。GWAS 和 XP-nSL 分析定义的基因组区域包含了几个与植物激素调节相关的候选基因。此外，该区域小果品种的等位基因与中国的一些 P. mume 品种具有遗传亲缘关系。这些结果表明，小果性状起源于中国；引入日本后，日本人喜欢并选择了它，导致小果品种的分化。
