He Zitian, Wang Jianping, Li Jialei, Li Jianwei, Chen Lei, Zhang Xiaolei
Crop Stress Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqin, Heilongjiang, China.
Quality and Safety Institute of Agricultural Products, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Front Plant Sci. 2025 May 16;16:1599530. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1599530. eCollection 2025.
Maize is a crucial source of nutrition, and the quality traits such as starch content, oil content, and lysine content are essential for meeting the demands of modern agricultural development. Understanding the genetic basis of these quality traits significantly contributes to improving maize yield and optimizing end-use quality. While previous studies have explored the genetic basis of these traits, further investigation into the quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for variations in starch content, oil content, and lysine content still requires additional attention.
Double haploid (DH) populations were developed via a nested association mapping (NAM) design. Phenotypic data for starch, oil, and lysine content were collected using near-infrared spectroscopy and analyzed via ANOVA. Genotyping employed a 3K SNP panel, and genetic maps were constructed using QTL IciMapping. QTL analysis integrated single linkage mapping (SLM) and NAM approaches, with candidate genes identified via maizeGDB annotation and transcriptome data.
The broad-sense heritability of the populations with a range of 63.98-80.72% indicated the majority of starch content, oil content and lysine content variations were largely controlled by genetic factors. The genetic maps were constructed and a total of 47 QTLs were identified. The phenotypic variation explained (PVE) of the three traits is in a range of 2.60-17.24% which suggested that the genetic component of starch content, oil content and lysine content was controlled by many small effect QTLs. Five genes encoding key enzymes in regulation of starch, oil and lysine synthesis and metabolism located within QTLs were proposed as candidate genes in this study.
The information presented herein will establish a foundation for the investigation of candidate genes that regulate quality traits in maize kernels. These QTLs will prove beneficial for marker-assisted selection and gene pyramiding in breeding programs aimed at developing high-quality maize varieties.
玉米是重要的营养来源，淀粉含量、油含量和赖氨酸含量等品质性状对于满足现代农业发展需求至关重要。了解这些品质性状的遗传基础对于提高玉米产量和优化最终用途品质具有重要意义。虽然先前的研究已经探索了这些性状的遗传基础，但对负责淀粉含量、油含量和赖氨酸含量变异的数量性状位点（QTL）仍需进一步研究。
通过巢式关联作图（NAM）设计构建双单倍体（DH）群体。利用近红外光谱收集淀粉、油和赖氨酸含量的表型数据，并通过方差分析进行分析。基因分型采用3K SNP芯片，并使用QTL IciMapping构建遗传图谱。QTL分析整合了单连锁作图（SLM）和NAM方法，并通过maizeGDB注释和转录组数据鉴定候选基因。
群体的广义遗传力在63.98-80.72%之间，表明淀粉含量、油含量和赖氨酸含量的大部分变异主要受遗传因素控制。构建了遗传图谱，共鉴定出47个QTL。这三个性状的表型变异解释率（PVE）在2.60-17.24%之间，这表明淀粉含量、油含量和赖氨酸含量的遗传成分受许多微效QTL控制。本研究提出位于QTL内的五个编码淀粉、油和赖氨酸合成与代谢关键酶的基因作为候选基因。
本文提供的信息将为研究调控玉米籽粒品质性状的候选基因奠定基础。这些QTL将有利于在旨在培育高品质玉米品种的育种计划中进行标记辅助选择和基因聚合。
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