Genetic Mapping in Onion: Insight to the Evolution of a Large Diploid Genome

Abstract

The bulb onion (Allium cepa L.) is a diploid with an very large nuclear genome of 15300 Mbp/1C (107× arabidopsis, 16× tomato, 6× maize). We developed a low-density genetic map with morphological, RAPD, and RFLP markers to examine genome organization and to study QTL controlling phenotypically correlated bulb quality traits. A mapping population of 58 F3 families was derived from a cross of the inbreds Brigham Yellow Globe 15-23 (BYG) × Alisa Craig 43 (AC). These inbreds are distinct in solids, storability, pungency, and bulb shape. Analysis of 580 RAPD primers detected 53 (9%) polymorphisms between BYG and AC, but only 12 (2%) segregated at expected ratios among F3 families. Using probes from onion cDNA libraries and four restriction enzymes, 214 RFLPs were identified between mapping parents. A 112-point map includes 96 RFLPs, 13 RAPDs, a locus controlling complementary red bulb color, and two loci hybridizing with a clone of the enzyme alliinase (EC 4.4.1.4), which produces the flavors characteristic of Allium species. Duplicated loci were detected by ≈25% of RFLP probes and were unlinked, loosely linked (2 to 30 cM), or tightly linked (<2 cM). This frequency of duplication was comparable to species with polyploid ancestors (paleopolyploids) and was higher than that found in most true diploids. However, the distribution of duplicated loci suggests that, in contrast to whole genome duplications typical of paleopolyploids, the contemporary size and structure of the onion genome may be a product of intrachromosomal duplications (cryptopolyploidy) and subsequent structural rearrangements.