Chinese Spring Wheat Research Articles

Distribution of Allelic Variation for Genes of Vernalization and Photoperiod among Wheat Cultivars from 23 Countries

Molecular markers for vernalization genes Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, Vrn-D1 and Vrn-B3 and photoperiod gene Ppd-D1 were used to detect the presence of these genes among 755 cultivars from 23 countries. Days to heading and physiological maturity of these cultivars were also recorded in Anyang, Henan Province, China to provide information for their utilization in Chinese wheat breeding program. Frequencies of Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, Vrn-D1, and vrn-A1+vrn-B1+vrn-D1 were 13.0%, 21.1%, 15.6%, and 64.2%, respectively. Dominant allele Vrn-B3 was absent in all tested materials. Dominant vernalization alleles Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, and Vrn-D1 were mainly observed in Chinese spring wheat and middle and upper Yangtze Valley winter wheat regions, Italy, India,

Characrerizing the Sequences of <i>Kr</i> Gene in Common Wheat

The incompatibility of distant hybridization in wheat has been known to be controlled by the Kr gene. In order to figure out the characteristics of the Kr gene in different genotypes of wheat, the six genotype germplasms selected from the Chinese wheat micro-core collection, called Mazhamai, Xiaobaimang, Tuokexunyihao, Chinese spring, Yangmai, and Zhengmai9023, were employed to be experimental materials for identifying the characteristic of the Kr genes by means of the homology cloning approach. The results showed that the three of six genotypes could amplify a fragment of Kr gene with 414 bp in length. The sequences among three cloned fragments shared 99.8% homology except two sites with SNP differences. Blast analysis indicated that the cloned sequences of partial Kr genes have 85% homology with the S-locus receptor kinase gene in the same regions. Thus, we preliminarily speculated the Kr gene might possess similar functions as the gene conferring self-incompatibility in plant,which possibly facilitated cellulae mastoideaes to accumulate calloses in chapitersand affected the competitive ability of exogenous pollens eventually resulting in the incompatibility of distant hybridization in wheat.

A FISH Karyotype to Study Chromosome Polymorphisms for the Elytrigia elongata E Genome

Elytrigia elongata (Host) Nevski(= Agropyron elongatum, Thinopyrum elongatum, 2n = 2x = 14, EE) has long been used as a source of various types of resistance for wheat improvement, and numerous transfers have been made. However, despite heavy use, no high-resolution karyotype exists. We characterized the E. elongata karyotype of several accessions applying highly repetitive DNA sequences as mcFISH probes for chromosome identification. The complete E. elongata disomic chromosome addition series and 11 ditelosomic addition lines in Chinese Spring wheat were exposed to sequential GISH-mcFISH. Based on the mcFISH results, each complete chromosome and each telocentric studied was unambiguously identified. The validation of the karyotype in 4 E. elongata accessions with different geographical origins showed extensive variations in the probe hybridization patterns, but this did not prevent chromosome identification. The established karyotype will be useful for the rapid identification of potential donor chromosomes in wheat improvement programs, allowing appropriate alien transfer.

Identification of QTLs for Yield-Related Traits in the ecombinant Inbred Line Population Derived from the Cross Between a Synthetic Hexaploid Wheat-Derived Variety Chuanmai 42 and a Chinese Elite Variety Chuannong 16

Abstract Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) represents a valuable source of new resistances to a range of biotic and abiotic stresses. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population with 127 recombinant inbred lines derived from a SHW-derived variety Chuanmai 42 crossing with a Chinese spring wheat variety Chuannong 16 was used to map QTLs for agronomic traits including grain yield, grains per square meter, thousand-kernel weight, spikes per square meter, grain number per spike, grains weight per spike, and biomass yield. The population was genotyped using 184 simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers and 34 sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Of 76 QTLs (LOD>2.5) identified, 42 were found to have a positive effect from Chuanmai 42. The QTL QGy.saas-4D.2 associated with grain yield on chromosome 4D was detected in four of the six environments and the combined analysis, and the mean yield, across six environments, of individuals carrying the Chuanmai 42 allele at this locus was 8.9% higher than that of those lines carrying the Chuannong 16 allele. Seven clusters of the yield-coincident QTLs were detected on 1A, 4A, 3B, 5B, 4D, and 7D.

The genes for gibberellin biosynthesis in wheat

The gibberellin biosynthesis pathway is well defined in Arabidopsis and features seven key enzymes including ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (CPS), ent-kaurene synthase (KS), ent-kaurene oxidase (KO), ent-kaurenoic acid oxidase (KAO), GA 20-oxidase, GA 3-oxidase, and GA 2-oxidase. The Arabidopsis genes were used to identify their counterparts in wheat and the TaCPS, TaKS, TaKO, and TaKAO genes were cloned from Chinese Spring wheat. In order to determine their chromosome locations, expression patterns and feedback regulations, three TaCPS genes, three TaKS genes, three TaKO genes, and three TaKAO genes were cloned from Chinese Spring wheat. They are mainly located on chromosomes 7A, 7B, 7D and 2A, 2B and 2D. The expression patterns of TaCPS, TaKS, TaKO, and TaKAO genes in wheat leaves, young spikes, peduncles, the third and forth internodes were investigated using quantitative PCR. The results showed that all the genes were constitutively expressed in wheat, but their relative expression levels varied in different tissues. They were mainly transcribed in stems, secondly in leaves and spikes, and the least in peduncles. Feedback regulation of the TaCPS, TaKS, TaKO, and TaKAO genes was not evident. These results indicate that all the genes and their homologs may play important roles in the developmental processes of wheat, but each of the homologs may function differently in different tissues or during different developmental stages.

A QTL on chromosome 2DS of ‘Sumai 3’ increases susceptibility to Fusarium head blight in wheat

Much effort has been invested in identifying molecular markers in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) linked to quantitative trait loci (QTL) that confer resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [teleomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein) Petch]. Even after several generations of crossing and selection by many wheat breeding programs, resistance of the Chinese spring wheat cultivar ‘Sumai 3’ (PI 481542) remains among the most effective. It therefore seems that undocumented resistance QTL present in Sumai 3 were not detected in various mapping studies. Using an extremely susceptible Tibetan landrace (‘Y1193-6’; unknown pedigree) in the creation of a mapping population with Sumai 3, the objective of this research was to identify undocumented resistance QTL in Sumai 3. This was accomplished through collecting disease index (DI) and Fusarium damaged kernel (FDK) phenotypic values along with 305 Diversity Array Technology (DArT) and 52 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) marker genotypes on 160 F2:6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Disease response evaluations were based on four (two greenhouse and two field) experiments where spray inoculation methods were used. Three QTL were identified on chromosome arms 3BS, 6BL and 2DS explaining 26.1, 10.7 and 18.9% of the phenotypic variation for DI, respectively. The same QTL were also significantly associated with reduced FDK scores and explained 28.0, 11.0 and 23.0% of phenotypic variation. Lines within the mapping population were placed in eight categories with respect to their various QTL combinations. Lines with no QTL were the most susceptible, whereas those with the Sumai 3-derived 3BS and 6BL QTL combined with the 2DS QTL from Y1193-6 were the most resistant. Though the 3BS and 6BL QTL are well-documented, the 2DS resistance QTL, which was contributed by the susceptible parent, confers increased susceptibility when derived from Sumai 3. In this study no new FHB QTL from Sumai 3 was discovered, but results suggest that Sumai 3 contains a QTL for susceptibility on chromosome arm 2DS. Selection against this QTL may potentially increase resistance levels among Sumai 3-derived populations.

Recent insertion of a 52-kb mitochondrial DNA segment in the wheat lineage

The assembly of a 1.3-Mb size region of the wheat genome has provided the opportunity to study a recent nuclear mitochondrial DNA insertion (NUMT). In the present study, we have studied two bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) and characterized a 52-kb NUMT segment from the tetraploid and hexaploid wheat BAC libraries. The conserved orthologous NUMT regions from tetraploid and hexaploid wheat Langdon and Chinese Spring shared identical gene haplotypes even though mutations (insertions, deletions, and substitutions) had occurred. The 52-kb NUMT was present in hexaploid variety Chinese Spring, but absent in variety Hope, by sequence comparison of their corresponding region. Amplifying the NUMT junctions using a set of the wheat materials including diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid lines showed that none of the diploid wheat carried the region and only some tetraploid and hexaploid wheat were positive for the NUMT. Age estimation of the NUMT displayed the mean ages of Langdon NUMT and Chinese Spring NUMT to be 378,000 and 416,000years ago, respectively. Reverse transcription PCR and sequencing of the nad7 gene showed 28 C → U RNA editing sites and four partial editing sites, as expected for mitochondrial DNA expression. Specific SNPs discriminated between cDNA from the nucleus and the mitochondria and suggested that the nuclear copy was not expressed. The mitochondrial DNA studied was inserted into the genome quite recently within the wheat lineage and gave rise to the non-coding nuclear nad7 gene. The NUMT segment could be lost and acquired frequently during the wheat evolution.

Characterization of an alien source of resistance to Fusarium head blight transferred to Chinese Spring wheat1ECORC contribution #10-151.

Very few sources of resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat have been identified. Thinopyrum elongatum (Host) D.R. Dewey (2n = 14, EE genome), a wild relative of wheat, carries resistance to FHB on the long arm of its chromosome 7E (7EL). In this report, a strain of Fusarium graminearum Schwabe, the principal causal agent of FHB, transformed to produce green fluorescent protein (GFP), was used to characterize the resistance carried by 7EL when expressed in the susceptible background of 'Chinese Spring' (CS) wheat. Inoculated spikelets of the addition line CS-7EL showed less infection than those of the parental line, CS. This was associated in CS-7EL with upregulation of many genes predicted to be involved in plant defence and downregulation of genes associated with salicylic-acid-induced defence. The difference between CS and CS-7EL in the progression of infection was striking; the fungus spread easily and extensively from the inoculated spikelet into the node and adjacent spikelets in CS, but was effectively blocked from spreading in CS-7EL. Microscopic data showed that fungal growth was inhibited within the inoculated spikelet in CS-7EL, and spread was completely blocked by the node tissue. The blocking of fungal growth through the node into the rachis correlates with the deposition of an unidentified substance in CS-7EL. Additionally, longer internode segments in CS-7EL versus CS may contribute to limiting fungal spread. Our results suggest that the resistance displayed by CS-7EL is multifaceted, involving both physical and chemical factors.

Heteroplasmy and expression of mitochondrial genes in alloplasmic and euplasmic wheat

The plant chondriome confers a complex nature. The atp4 gene (formerly called orf25) of Aegilops crassa (CR) harbors the promoter sequence of the rps7 gene from common wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring, CS). The rps7 gene of CR has the promoter sequence of CS atp6. The atp6 gene of CR contains an unknown sequence inside of its coding region. Since repeat sequences have been found around the breaking points, these structural alterations are most likely generated through homologous recombination. In this study, PCR analysis was performed to detect structural alterations in each of three lines: euplasmic lines of Ae. crassa, Chinese Spring, and alloplasmic Chinese Spring wheat with the cytoplasm of Ae. crassa ((cr)-CS). We found that each of these lines contained both genotypes, although mitochondrial genotypes of CR in Chinese Spring wheat and CS genotypes in Ae. crassa were still retained as minor fractions (less than 10%). On the other hand, CS mitochondrial gene frequencies in ((cr)-CS) were shown to be ca. 30%. SNP analysis after DNA sequencing of these genes indicated that minor types of all three mitochondrial genes in alloplasmic wheat contained the mitochondrial gene types from pollens. Since the frequencies of paternal mitochondrial gene types in F(1) were about 20%, successive backcrossing increased the frequencies of paternal mitochondrial gene types to around 30% in alloplasmic wheat. Expression profiles of these mitochondrial genes were quantitatively analyzed by RT-PCR. Transcripts of paternal mitochondrial gene types were scarcely found. This suggests that minor fractions including paternal mitochondrial gene types are maintained and silenced in the descendants.

Transfer of the barrier to radial oxygen loss in roots of Hordeum marinum to wheat (Triticum aestivum): evaluation of four H. marinum–wheat amphiploids

• Wide hybridization of waterlogging-tolerant Hordeum marinum with wheat (Triticum aestivum) to produce an amphiploid might be one approach to improve waterlogging tolerance in wheat. • Growth, root aerenchyma and porosity, and radial oxygen loss (ROL) along roots were measured in four H. marinum-wheat amphiploids and their parents (four accessions of H. marinum and Chinese Spring wheat) in aerated or stagnant nutrient solution. A soil experiment was also conducted. • Hordeum marinum maintained shoot dry mass in stagnant nutrient solution, whereas the growth of wheat was markedly reduced (40% of aerated control). Two of the four amphiploids were more tolerant than wheat (shoot dry masses of 59-72% of aerated controls). The porosity of adventitious roots when in stagnant solution was higher in H. marinum (19-25%) and the four amphiploids (20-24%) than in wheat (16%). In stagnant solution, adventitious roots of H. marinum formed a strong ROL barrier in basal zones, whereas, in wheat, the barrier was weak. Two amphiploids formed a strong ROL barrier and two formed a moderate barrier when in stagnant solution. • This study demonstrates the transfer of higher root porosity and a barrier to ROL from H. marinum to wheat through wide hybridization and the production of H. marinum-wheat amphiploids.

Molecular mapping of quantitative trait loci for domestication traits and β-glucan content in a wheat recombinant inbred line population

Genetic maps are useful for analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding. A simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker linkage map of common wheat was constructed based on recombination inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Chinese Spring and spelt wheat. The map included 264 loci on all wheat chromosomes covering 2,345.2 cM with 962, 794.6, and 588.6 cM for the A, B, and D genomes, respectively. Using the RILs and the map, we detected 42 putative QTLs on 15 chromosomes for ear length, spikelet number, spike compactness, kernel length, kernel width, kernel height and β-glucan content. Each QTL explained 4–45% of the phenotypic variation. Five QTL cluster regions were detected on chromosomes 1A, 5AL, 2B, 2D, and 4D. The first QTLs for β-glucan content in wheat were identified on chromosomes 3A, 1B, 5B, and 6D.

INHERITED SEX-MOSAIC IN MAN

Introgression of agronomically important traits from barley to wheat is important for the improvement of wheat. Also, knowledge about precise location of genes in barley chromosomes is a prerequisite for map based gene isolation. The isolated genes would be introduced into wheat by crop transformation and consequently improve wheat. Many attempts have been conducted to achieve chromosome mediated introgressions from barley to wheat and to construct chromosome maps of barley showing physical locations of genes in the past. In the present study I have developed an alternative chromosome mutation inducing system capable of producing barley/wheat translocations and deletions in barley chromosome. The following is the summary. 1)In the attempt to induce breakage in barley chromosomes, I introduced a gametocidal chromosome 2C into six wheat barley addition lines. Chromosome 2C, from Aegilops cylindrica, which is a related species of wheat, has a gametocidal action causing chromosome breakage in the progeny of the monosomic 2C addition line of Chinese Spring wheat. The critical plants (21″+H″+2C′), disomic for each of barley chromosomes and monosomic for the 2C chromosome, were obtained. 2)The six critical lines were either selfed or backcrossed with the respective wheat barley addition lines. The selfed and backcrossed progeny of these lines were cytologically investigated by N banding and FISH using the barley probe HvT01 that is specific to the subterminal repeats of barley chromosomes. Various types of structural aberrations, most of which were deletions and translocations, were detected for all barley chromosomes with frequencies ranging from 10.8% to 27.9%. 3)Chromosome 7H was chosen to investigate the distribution of the breakpoints in the aberrations. Reciprocal crosses were made between the mutation inducing common wheat line (or critical lines) (21″+7H″+2C′) and the 7H addition line of common wheat (21″+7H″) to obtain more 7H deletions and 7H/wheat translocations. There were various types of aberrations as observed in the previous study. The breakpoints of these deletions and translocations appeared to distribute along the entire length of chromosome 7H.

Development and characterization of two new Triticum aestivum–Dasypyrum villosum Robertsonian translocation lines T1DS·1V#3L and T1DL·1V#3S and their effect on grain quality

Dasypyrum villosum (L.) Candargy is a diploid, wild relative of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Previous studies showed that D. villosum chromosome 1V has genes that encode seed storage proteins that may be used to enhance the grain quality of bread wheat. As a first step in genetic transfer, the present study was initiated to develop compensating Robertsonian translocations involving wheat chromosome 1D and D. villosum chromosome 1V and to analyze their effects on grain quality. A monosomic 1D stock was crossed with the disomic addition stock DA1V#3 and the double monosomic plants (20″ + 1D′ + 1V#3′) were self pollinated. Two co-dominant STS markers (BE499250 and BE591682) polymorphic for the short arm of 1V#3S and two dominant STS markers (BE518358 and BE585781) polymorphic for the long arm of 1V#3L were developed to screen a large number of progeny to identify plants that had only the 1V#3S or 1V#3L arms. Five compensating Robertsonian heterozygous translocations, two (plants #56 and #83) for the short arm (T1DL·1V#3S) and three (plants #7, #123, and #208) for the long arm (T1DS·1V#3L) were identified from 282 F2 plants and confirmed by genomic in situ hybridization and C-banding analyses. Two homozygous translocations T1DL·1V#3S (plants #14 and #39) were identified from 52 F3 plants derived from F2 plant #83. Four homozygous translocations T1DS·1V#3L (plants #3, #22, #29, and #30) were identified from 68 F3 plants derived from F2 plant #208. The homozygous translocation T1DL·1V#3S had a significantly higher (37.4 ml) and T1DS·1V#3L had significantly lower (10 ml) Zeleny sedimentation values compared to Chinese Spring wheat (30.7 ml). Our results showed that 1V#3S increased gluten strength and enhanced wheat quality, but 1V#3L decreased gluten strength and did not enhance wheat quality.

Molecular Cytogenetic Characterization of a New Wheat-Thinopyrum intermedium Partial Amphiploid Resistant to Powdery Mildew and Stripe Rust

A partial amphiploid, TE253, derived from crosses between the common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Yannong 15 and Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey was characterized by cytogenetic observations, disease resistance tests and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Mitotic observations showed that most plants of TE253 had 56 chromosomes, but a few had 54 or 55 chromosomes. The chromosomes in most pollen mother cells of plants with 2n = 56 formed 28 bivalents. Univalents (0.89 per cell) and tetravalents (0.087 per cell) occasionally occurred at meiotic metaphase I, showing a high degree of cytogenetic stability. After inoculation with the powdery mildew and stripe rust pathogens, Yannong 15 was highly susceptible, whereas TE253 and Th. intermedium were immune to both diseases. This indicated that the resistance of TE253 to powdery mildew and stripe rust was derived from Th. intermedium. GISH analysis using St-genomic DNA from Pseudoroegneria strigosa (M. Bieb) Á. Löve as a probe and ABD-genomic DNA from Chinese Spring wheat as a blocker demonstrated that TE253 consisted of 2 St-genome chromosomes, 8 J^S-genome chromosomes, 2 SAT J chromosomes and 2 J-St translocated chromosomes. Line TE253 is a new partial amphiploid with resistance to both powdery mildew and stripe rust and can be used as a source of resistance genes in wheat improvement.

A complete mitochondrial genome of wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Yumai), and fast evolving mitochondrial genes in higher plants

Plant mitochondrial genomes, encoding necessary proteins involved in the system of energy production, play an important role in the development and reproduction of the plant. They occupy a specific evolutionary pattern relative to their nuclear counterparts. Here, we determined the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Yumai) mitochondrial genome in a length of 452 and 526 bp by shotgun sequencing its BAC library. It contains 202 genes, including 35 known protein-coding genes, three rRNA and 17 tRNA genes, as well as 149 open reading frames (ORFs; greater than 300 bp in length). The sequence is almost identical to the previously reported sequence of the spring wheat (T. aestivum cv. Chinese Spring); we only identified seven SNPs (three transitions and four transversions) and 10 indels (insertions and deletions) between the two independently acquired sequences, and all variations were found in non-coding regions. This result confirmed the accuracy of the previously reported mitochondrial sequence of the Chinese Spring wheat. The nucleotide frequency and codon usage of wheat are common among the lineage of higher plant with a high AT-content of 58%. Molecular evolutionary analysis demonstrated that plant mitochondrial genomes evolved at different rates, which may correlate with substantial variations in metabolic rate and generation time among plant lineages. In addition, through the estimation of the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitution rates between orthologous mitochondrion-encoded genes of higher plants, we found an accelerated evolutionary rate that seems to be the result of relaxed selection.

Variation of B Chromosome Associated with Tissue Culture in Wheat‐rye Cross

In vitro variation of B chromosomes was studied by examining the callus cells derived from the immature embryos from a cross of Chinese Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Fin 7416 rye (Secale cereale L.) carrying two B chromosomes. In 40-d-old callus cells, the numbers of B chromosomes ranged from one to four in 65.6% of the cells observed. The distribution of B chromosome numbers was associated with the ploidy levels of the normal chromosomes (A chromosomes). The frequency of the cells with high numbers of B chromosomes (i.e., three or four B chromosomes) in the amphiploid cells with 56 A chromosomes was greater than those in the haploid cells with 28 A chromosomes. Although structural changes in the rye A chromosomes were observed, cytological observation and genomic in situ hybridization demonstrated that the rye B chromosomes were conserved in morphological appearance following tissue culture.

Agropyron elongatum HMW-glutenins have a potential to improve wheat end-product quality through targeted chromosome introgression

After screening of 177 disomic addition lines (DALs) of wheat ( Triticum aestivum) containing a pair of chromosomes from different alien species, we found that the chromosome 1E addition line of Agropyron elongatum, that is known to be a potential genetic resource for drought and salinity tolerance, showed potential for improvement of bread-making quality of wheat. This was indicated by increased SDS sedimentation, specific sedimentation, mixograph peak time and SE-HPLC analysis of polymeric proteins. This addition line spontaneously gave rise to a substitution line for chromosome 1D in subsequent generations that showed weak dough strength. Analysis of the x-type HMW-glutenin subunit sequence of Ag. elongatum from DAL1E indicated that it closely resembled the x-type sequence of the A and B genomes of wheat, and the y-type was intermediate between x- and y-type HMW-glutenin subunit genes. From these observations, it was inferred that 1E-encoded seed storage proteins have considerable potential for improvement of wheat end-product quality if transferred to specific chromosomes such as 1A of Chinese Spring (CS) wheat, which has a negative overall effect on bread-making quality.

A physical map of chromosome 4Hch from H. chilense containing SSR, STS and EST-SSR molecular markers

The construction of a physical map of chromosome 4Hch from Hordeum chilense containing molecular markers capable of detecting segments of this chromosome in a wheat background would be very useful for marker-assisted introgression of 4Hch chromatin into both durum and common wheat. With this aim, the applicability of 106 barley chromosome 4H primers (62 SSRs and 44 STSs) to amplify markers showing polymorphism between H. chilense and both common or bread and durum wheat was investigated. Twenty-five SSR (40.3%) and six STS (13.6%) barley primer pairs consistently amplified H. chilense products. Eight SSR (12.9%) and four STS (9.1%) barley primers were polymorphic between H. chilense and both common and durum wheat, 10 of them (6 SSRs and 4 STSs) were located on chromosome 4Hch using both the addition line of chromosome 4Hch in Chinese Spring wheat and a tritordeum line (an amphiploid between H. chilense and T. turgidum) nullisomic for chromosome 4Hch. Additionally, 18 EST-SSR barley markers previously located on chromosome 4Hch were screened for polymorphism; 15 were polymorphic between H. chilense and both durum and common wheat. For physical mapping we used a ditelosomic tritordeum line for the short arm of chromosome 4Hch and a tritordeum line homozygous for a 70% terminal deletion of the long arm of 4Hch. A total of 25 markers (6 SSRs, 4 STSs and 15 EST-SSRs) were mapped to chromosome 4Hch. Eight markers were allocated on the 4HchS, eight were mapped in the 30% proximal region of 4HchL and nine were on the 70% distal region of 4HchL, respectively. Arm location on barley chromosome 4H was also carried out using both 4HS and 4HL ditelosomic addition lines in wheat. All markers mapped may have a role in marker-assisted introgression of chromatin segments of chromosome 4Hch in both durum and common wheat backgrounds.

Revealing the genetic architecture of FHB resistance in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by QTL meta-analysis

Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat results in reduced yield and quality and in accumulation of mycotoxins. The objective of this study was to identify genomic regions in wheat involved in the control of FHB resistance applying a QTL meta-analysis approach by combining QTL of 30 mapping populations to propose independent meta-QTL (MQTL). A consensus map was created on which initial QTL were projected. Nineteen MQTL comprising 2–13 initial QTL with widely varying confidence intervals were found on 12 chromosomes. Some of them coincided with genomic regions previously identified (e.g. chromosomes 3BS, 6B), however, some MQTL were newly detected by this study. Separate analysis of populations with the same resistant parent showed a rather high consistency for the Chinese spring wheat donor ‘Sumai 3’, but little consistency for the Chinese donor ‘Wangshuibai’ and the Swiss donor ‘Arina’. According to our results breeders can in future (1) choose parents for crossing not comprising the same resistance loci or QTL intervals, (2) exploit new MQTL, and (3) select markers of some of these MQTL to be used in marker-assisted selection.

Cloning, Expression and Purification of Wheat Acetyl-CoA Carboxylases CT Domain in E. coil

The entire gene of carboxyltransferase(CT) domain of acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACCase) from Chinese Spring wheat(CSW) plastid was cloned firstly, and the 2.3 kb gene was inserted into PET28a+ vector and expressed in E. coil in a soluble state. The (His)6 fusion protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography, and the calculated molecular mass(Mr) was 88000. The results of the sequence analysis indicate that the cloned gene(GeneBank accession No. EU124675) was a supplement and revision of the reported ACCase CT partial cDNA from Chinese Spring wheat plastid. The recombinant protein will be significant for us to investigate the recognizing mechanism between ACCase and herbicides, and further to screen new herbicides.