Discovery and genetic mapping of single nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes for pathogen defence response in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.).

Susceptibility to foliar pathogens commonly causes significant reductions in productivity of the important temperate forage perennial ryegrass. Breeding for durable disease resistance involves not only the deployment of major genes but also the additive effects of minor genes. An approach based on in vitro single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery in candidate defence response (DR) genes has been used to develop potential diagnostic genetic markers. SNPs were predicted, validated and mapped for representatives of the pathogenesis-related (PR) protein-encoding and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating gene classes. The F(1)(NA(6) x AU(6)) two-way pseudo-test cross population was used for SNP genetic mapping and detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in response to a crown rust field infection. Novel resistance QTLs were coincident with mapped DR gene SNPs. QTLs on LG3 and LG7 also coincided with both herbage quality QTLs and candidate genes for lignin biosynthesis. Multiple DR gene SNP loci additionally co-located with QTLs for grey leaf spot, bacterial wilt and crown rust resistance from other published studies. Further functional validation of DR gene SNP loci using methods such as fine-mapping and association genetics will improve the efficiency of parental selection based on superior allele content.

Validation of in silico-predicted genic SNPs in white clover (Trifolium repens L.), an outbreeding allopolyploid species.

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an obligate outbreeding allotetraploid forage legume. Gene-associated SNPs provide the optimum genetic system for improvement of such crop species. An EST resource obtained from multiple cDNA libraries constructed from numerous genotypes of a single cultivar has been used for in silico SNP discovery and validation. A total of 58 from 236 selected sequence clusters (24.5%) were fully validated as containing polymorphic SNPs by genotypic analysis across the parents and progeny of several two-way pseudo-testcross mapping families. The clusters include genes belonging to a broad range of predicted functional categories. Polymorphic SNP-containing ESTs have also been used for comparative genomic analysis by comparison with whole genome data from model legume species, as well as Arabidopsis thaliana. A total of 29 (50%) of the 58 clusters detected putative ortholoci with known chromosomal locations in Medicago truncatula, which is closely related to white clover within the Trifolieae tribe of the Fabaceae. This analysis provides access to translational data from model species. The efficiency of in silico SNP discovery in white clover is limited by paralogous and homoeologous gene duplication effects, which are resolved unambiguously by the transmission test. This approach will also be applicable to other agronomically important cross-pollinating allopolyploid plant species.

Ontogenetic regulation and photoregulation of members of the Phaseolus vulgaris L. rbcS gene family.

The rbcS1, 2 and 3 genes of Phaseolus vulgaris are identical in coding sequence and we have studied their expression using gene-specific probes derived from their 3' non-coding regions. The genes differ in their relative levels of expression but show only minor qualitative differences in their regulation. Transcripts of the three genes are undetectable in primary leaves in the imbibed seed, accumulate early in leaf expansion reaching a maximum 7-10 d after sowing and decrease to low levels by the time expansion is complete. Both dark-grown and light-grown primary leaves exhibit this ontogenetic pattern of expression, although the light-grown leaves have two to three times more rbcS transcripts. Light can over-ride the ontogenetic control of rbcS expression; for example, when 7-d-old dark-grown primary leaves are illuminated there is a 6- to 12-fold increase in the transcript levels of the rbcS genes. Transfer of illuminated leaves to darkness results in the loss of transcripts of all three genes, but rbcS2 transcripts persist in the dark-adapted leaves. Possible physiological mechanisms of the ontogenetic regulation of expression are discussed.