An expanded genetic linkage map of Prunus based on an interspecific cross between almond and peach.

The genetic linkage map of Prunus constructed earlier and based on an interspecific F2 population resulting from a cross between almond (Prunus dulcis D.A. Webb) and peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) was extended to include 8 isozyme loci, 102 peach mesocarp cDNAs, 11 plum genomic clones, 19 almond genomic clones, 7 resistance gene analogs (RGAs), 1 RGA-related sequence marker, 4 morphological trait loci, 3 genes with known function, 4 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, 1 RAPD, and 1 cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAP) marker. This map contains 161 markers placed in eight linkage groups that correspond to the basic chromosome number of the genus (x = n = 8) with a map distance of 1144 centimorgans (cM) and an average marker density of 6.8 cM. Four more trait loci (Y, Pcp, D, and SK) and one isozyme locus (Mdh1) were assigned to linkage groups based on known associations with linked markers. The linkage group identification numbers correspond to those for maps published by the Arús group in Spain and the Dirlewanger group in France. Forty-five percent of the loci showed segregation distortion most likely owing to the interspecific nature of the cross and mating system differences between almond (obligate outcrosser) and peach (selfer). The Cat1 locus, known to be linked to the D locus controlling fruit acidity, was mapped to linkage group 5. A gene or genes controlling polycarpel fruit development was placed on linkage group 3, and control of senesced leaf color (in late fall season) (LFCLR) was mapped to linkage group 1 at a putative location similar to where the Y locus has also been placed.

Utility of RAPD markers in identifying genetic linkages to genes of economic interest in peach.

The identification of molecular markers linked to economically important traits for use in crop improvement is very important in long-lived perennial species. Three-hundred-and-sixty RAPD primers were used with bulked segregant analysis to identify markers linked to loci of specific interest in peach [(Prunus persica) L. Batch] and peach x almond [(Prunus dulcis) Batch] crosses. The traits analyzed included flesh color, adhesion, and texture; pollen fertility; plant stature; and three isozyme loci. The Mendelian behavior of the RAPD loci was established, and RAPD markers were mapped relative to the loci controlling flesh color, adhesion, and texture, and the isozyme loci Mdh-1, 6Pgd-2 and Aat-1, as well as the existing RFLP genetic linkage map constructed previously using a peach x almond F2 population. This technique has facilitated rapid identification of RAPD and RFLP markers that are linked to the traits under study. Loci controlling these traits mapped predominantly to linkage groups 2 and 3 of the peach genetic linkage map. Linkages to genes with both dominant and co-dominant alleles were identified, but linkages to dominant genes were more difficult to find. In several crosses, RAPD marker bands proved to be allelic. One co-dominant RAPD formed a heteroduplex band in heterozygous individuals and in mixtures of alternate homozygotes. The Mendelian behavior of the RAPD loci studied was established and the results suggest that RAPD markers will be useful for plant improvement in peach.

A genetic map of Prunus based on an interspecific cross between peach and almond.

A genetic linkage map of Prunus has been constructed using an interspecific F2 population generated from self-pollinating a single F1 plant from a cross between a dwarf peach selection (54P455) and an almond cultivar 'Padre'. Mendelian segregations were observed for 118 markers including 1 morphological (dw), 6 isozymes, 12 plum genomic, 14 almond genomic and 75 peach mesocarp specific cDNA markers. One hundred and seven markers were mapped to 9 different linkage groups covering about 800 cM map distance, and 11 markers remained unlinked. Three loci identified by three cDNA clones, PC8, PC5 and PC68.1, were tightly linked to the dw locus in linkage group 5. Segregation distortion was observed for approximately one-third of the markers, perhaps due to the interspecific nature and the reproductive (i.e. self-incompatibility) differences between peach and almond. This map will be used for adding other markers and genes controlling important traits, identifying the genomic locations and genetic characterizing of the economically important genes in the genus Prunus, as well as for markerassisted selection in breeding populations. Of particular interest are the genes controlling tree growth and form, and fruit ripening and mesocarp development in peach and almond.

Suppression of phaseolin and lectin in seeds of common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.: increased accumulation of 54 kDa polypeptides is not associated with higher seed methionine concentrations.

Suppression of phaseolin and lectin accumulation in common bean resulted in higher concentrations of bean seed polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 54 kDa and from 70 to 84 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Polypeptides of 54 and 56 kDa segregated as products of different alleles. Genes for the 54/56 kDa bands and phaseolin were estimated to be 26.2 +/- 3.7 map units apart. The 54 kDa band phenotype manifested by SDS-PAGE consisted of from one to three polypeptides of 54 kDa MW on 2D gels, and the 56 kDa phenotype consisted of one polypeptide of 56 kDa plus two minor polypeptides of 54-54.5 kDa molecular weight. The pKI of these polypeptides was approximately 5.25. The methionine content of the 54 kDa polypeptides of the cultivar Great Northern Star was 1.6 +/- 0.1 g/100 g protein, which was not statistically different from the value (1.5 +/- 0.1%) obtained for phaseolin isolated by the same procedure. F2 seeds deficient for phaseolin and lectin contained as much total N per g as wild-type seeds and were not shrunken, but contained 50% more free amino acids. F2 seeds from two of the three populations contained from 8 to 13% less methionine per mg total N.

Selection for increased percentage phaseolin in common bean : 1. Comparison of selection for seed protein alleles and S1 family recurrent selection.

Two selection methods were compared to determine which was more efficient for increasing percentage phaseolin in the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). A base population consisting of families segregating for six seed protein alleles (Phas (S) , Phas (C) , Phas (T) , phas (-), lec(-), and Arcl (+)), all of which have measurable effects on percentage phaseolin, was subjected to either three cycles of S1 family recurrent selection for increased percentage phaseolin (PPS), or one cycle of selection for combinations of the protein alleles (PAS) known to have positive effects on phaseolin accumulation. One cycle of PAS resulted in an increase in percentage phaseolin that was equivalent to three cycles of PPS. Selection under both methods produced increases in several correlated traits including percentage total protein, phaseolin as a percent of total protein, mg protein/seed, and mg phaseolin/seed. The amount of nonphaseolin protein per seed decreased, while seed yield was unaffected by either selection procedure. By selecting for favorable seed protein alleles identified by electrophoresis, it was possible to rapidly increase percentage phaseolin without the need for field evaluation.

Selection for increased percentage phaseolin in common bean : 2. Changes in frequency of seed protein alleles with S1 family recurrent selection.

Recurrent selection methods are designed to increase the frequency of favorable alleles within a population(s) with each cycle of selection. Yet it is likely that different methods will change allele frequencies at different rates or may act on different alleles. To investigate the ability of S1 family selection to shift the frequencies of favorable alleles within a population of Phaseolus vulgaris (L.), we examined the changes in frequencies of six alleles (Phas (S) , Phas (C) , Phas (T) , phas (-), lec (-), and Arc1 (+)) that affect the amount of phaseolin accumulated in seeds, over three cycles of selection for increased percentage phaseolin (PPS). The frequency of alleles Phas (C) and lec (-), both of which have positive effects on percentage phaseolin, increased with selection while the frequencies of phas (-) and Arc1 (+), which have strong negative effects, decreased. The frequencies of the Phas (S) and Phas (T) alleles showed no linear trends with selection, indicating that the frequency changes may be due to random drift and not to the selection procedure. The proportion of the phenotypic variation (R (2)) for percentage phaseolin that was explained by each of the alleles, and by all the alleles combined, changed with each cycle of selection. In most cases the change resulted in a decrease in the R (2) value. In this population, S1 family selection was effective at increasing the frequencies of all favorable alleles except Phas (T) , and rapidly decreased the frequencies of deleterious alleles.

Insecticidal activity and lectin homology of arcelin seed protein.

Arcelin, a major seed protein discovered in wild beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), has toxic effects on an important bean bruchid pest, Zabrotes subfasciatus. Transfer of the arcelin-1 allele to bean cultivars and addition of purified arcelin to artificial seeds results in high levels of insect resistance. The nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of the arcelin-1 complementary DNA are very similar to those of genes encoding the bean seed lectin, phytohemagglutinin. The gene or genes encoding arcelin may have evolved from a phytohemagglutinin gene or genes resulting in an effective mechanism for resistance to bean bruchids.

Purification and characterization of arcelin seed protein from common bean.

Arcelin, a seed protein originally discovered in wild bean accessions, was purified, characterized, and compared to phaseolin, the major seed protein of common bean, and to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), the major bean seed lectin. Arcelin and PHA has several characteristics in common. Both were glycoproteins having similar subunit M(r), deglycosylated M(r), and amino acid compositions. The two proteins were related antigenically and they had the same developmental timing of accumulation. Arcelin also had some hemagglutinating activity, a characteristic associated with lectins. However, several features distinguished arcelin from PHA. Arcelin had a more basic isoelectric point than PHA, greater numbers of basic amino acid residues, additional cysteine residues, and one methionine residue, which PHA lacks. Native PHA protein is a tetramer of subunits, and although a small component of native arcelin protein was also tetrameric, most of the arcelin preparation was dimeric. The hemagglutinating activity of arcelin was specific only for some pronase-treated erythrocytes. It did not agglutinate native erythrocytes, nor did it bind to thyroglobulin or fetuin affinity resins as did PHA. Although arcelin has lectin-like properties, we believe the distinctions between arcelin and PHA warrant the designation of arcelin as a unique bean seed protein.

Semienclosed Tube Cultures of Bean Plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for Enumeration of Rhizobium phaseoli by the Most-Probable-Number Technique.

The semienclosed tube culture technique of Gibson was modified to permit growth of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) roots in humid air, enabling enumeration of the homologous (nodule forming) symbiont, Rhizobium phaseoli, by the most-probable-number plant infection method. A bean genotype with improved nodulation characteristics was used as the plant host. This method of enumeration was accurate when tubes were scored 3 weeks after inoculation with several R. phaseoli strains diluted from aqueous suspensions, peat-based inoculants, or soil. A comparison of population sizes obtained by most-probable-number tube cultures and plate counts indicated that 1 to 3 viable cells of R. phaseoli were a sufficient inoculant to induce nodule formation.

Bean arcelin : 2. Genetic variation, inheritance and linkage relationships of a novel seed protein of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Crude proteins from seeds of wild bean accessions of Mexican origin were analyzed by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE). Several accessions had electrophoretic patterns showing unique protein bands. When analyzed by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing (IEF)-SDS/PAGE, four protein variants which had electrophoretic mobilities similar to each other but different from the other major seed proteins, phaseolin and lectin, were observed. All four variants, which have not been described in cultivated beans, were tentatively named arcelin proteins and designated as arcelin 1, 2, 3 and 4. Arcelins 3 and 4 had polypeptides that comigrated on two-dimensional gels and these variants occurred in accessions that were collected in the same location. Analysis of single F2 seeds from crosses among arcelin-containing lines and from crosses between cultivated beans lines without arcelin and arcelin-containing lines revealed that differences in arcelin polypeptide expression were inherited monogenically. The alleles for different arcelin variants were codominant to each other and dominant to the absence of arcelin. The gene(s) controlling arcelin proteins were unlinked to those controlling phaseolin expression and tightly linked to genes controlling the presence of lectin proteins (< 0.30% recombination). The possible origins of arcelin genes and their potential role in bruchid resistance are discussed.

Bean arcelin : 1. Inheritance of a novel seed protein of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and its effect on seed composition.

SDS-PAGE of seed proteins from the seeds of a nondomesticated bean of Mexican origin (Phaseolus vulgaris L., PI 325690) revealed the presence of a novel 38 kd protein which appeared to be neither an altered phaseolin nor a lectin fraction. The protein was named arcelin, after Arcelia, the town in the state of Guerrero near which PI 325690 had been collected. The pure line, UW 325, was derived by self fertilization of the plant from a single arcelin-containing seed of PI 325690. Despite a low percentage seed phaseolin (14.6%), seed phenotype, seed germination, plant growth, pollen fertility, and percentage seed protein of UW 325 were normal. Analyses of F2 and F3 seeds from a single F1 plant of the cross 'Sanilac'XPI 325690-3 revealed that arcelin expression was inherited as a single gene and that presence was dominant to absence of arcelin. The mean percentage phaseolin in the seeds of homozygous dominant Arc/Arc F3 families (14.0%) was significantly lower than that of the homozygous recessive arc/arc seeds (44.7%). The distribution of percentage phaseolin values for seeds within segregating families was bimodal and nonoverlapping. Without exception, seeds containing arcelin (Arc+phenotype) contained a lower percentage phaseolin than seeds lacking arcelin (Arc-phenotype). Although arcelin presence was associated with low percentage phaseolin, the Arc/Arc and Arc/arc genotypes were similar for seed weight and percentage total seed protein.

Heritable variation in the phaseolin protein of nondomesticated common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Crude protein extracts from single seeds of nondomesticated Mexican bean accessions were analysed by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for variability in phaseolin protein. Six new phaseolin types; 'M1', 'M2', 'M3', 'M4', 'M5', 'M6', which contained polypeptides within the same range of molecular weights (51,000 to 45,000 daltons) as occur in the 'S', 'T' and 'C' phaseolin types of cultivated beans were identified. No 'T' and 'C' types were found among the non-domesticated Mexican accessions, and the 'S' type occurred in less than 7% of the seeds screened. Genetic analyses of F2 progenies from crosses between 'Sanilac' ('S'), and five of the 'M' types showed that each 'M' phaseolin phenotype was allelic to the 'S' type and expressed codominantly.

Bean lectins : 5. Quantitative genetic variation in seed lectins of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and its relationship to qualitative lectin variation.

Seeds of forty bean cultivars having different lectin types based on two-dimensional isoelectric focusing-sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (IEF-SDS/PAGE) were analyzed for quantities of lectin, phaseolin and total protein. Significant differences were found among groups of cultivars with different lectin types for the quantity of lectin and phaseolin. Cultivars with more complex lectin types based on IEF-SDS/PAGE tended to have higher quantities of lectin and lower quantities of phaseolin than cultivars with simple lectin types. An association between lectin type and the quantity of lectin and phaseolin was found also in the seeds of F2 plants that segregated in a Mendelian fashion for two lectin types. Seeds from plants with the complex lectin type had more lectin and less phaseolin than seeds from plants with the simple lectin type. Therefore, the genes controlling qualitative lectin variation also may influence the quantitative variation of lectin and phaseolin. The results of this study are related to other studies on the quantitative variation for seed proteins and to the possible molecular basis for variation in the quantity of lectins in beans.

Enhanced available methionine concentration associated with higher phaseolin levels in common bean seeds.

The relationship between available methionine concentration and the levels of phaseolin - the major seed storage proteins of the common bean - was studied using three groups of genetic materials: First, the F2 progenies of interspecific crosses between P. vulgaris cultivars and aP. coccineus subsp. coccineus line (cv. 'Mexican Red Runner') having no detectable phaseolin; second, the F2 progenies and segregating F3 families of crosses between cultivated P. vulgaris lines and a Mexican wild bean accession (PI 325690-3) carrying a gene producing a reduction in phaseolin content; third, two inbred backcross populations: 'Sanilac'x'Bush Blue Lake 240' (population 2) and 'Sanilac'x'15R 148' (population 6). Total seed N levels were determined by micro-Kjeldahl, phaseolin levels by rocket immunoelectrophoresis and available methionine levels by the Streptococcus zymogenes bioassay. Our results indicate that in all the genetic materials studied, with the exception of population 6, higher phaseolin levels lead to increased available methionine concentration. Although phaseolin has a low methionine concentration, it is actually a major source of available methionine in common bean seeds, because it represents a large part of total seed nitrogen and because limited differences exist between the methionine concentrations of the different protein fractions. This contrasts with the situation in cereals such as maize, barley and sorghum, where increased levels of the major limiting amino acid (lysine) can be achieved through a decrease in the amounts of the main seed storage protein fraction (prolamines). In population 6, no relationship was observed between available methionine and phaseolin content. Other factors, such as additional methionine-rich polypeptides or the presence of tannins, might obscure the positive relationship between phaseolin and available methionine content in population 6.

Bean lectins IV: genetic variation in the non-denatured structure of lectins from different Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivars.

Variation in the native conformation of bean lectins was examined using electrophoresis of non-denatured total protein extracts and purified albumin and globulin lectin. The observed variation was related to the genetic variation reported previously for lectin polypeptide composition as revealed by two-dimensional isoelectricfocusing-sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (IEF-SDS/PAGE). When eleven cultivars with different IEF-SDS/PAGE lectin polypeptide compositions were compared, eight had unique non-denatured lectin patterns and three had identical patterns. For some cultivars differences in non-denatured lectin patterns were observed between the purified albumin and globulin lectin preparations.

Bean lectins : Part 1: Relationships between agglutinating activity and electrophoretic variation in the lectin-containing G2/albumin seed proteins of french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Single seeds of over 100 bean cultivars were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The cultivars could be classified into eight groups by virtue of their G2/albumin electrophoretic patterns: TG2, SG2, VG2, PrG2, BG2, MG2, PG2, and PiG2, The polypeptide compositions of these types were largely inter-related having particular polypeptides in common. It was possible to correlate the G2/albumin patterns with agglutinating activity of cow and rabbit blood cells as measured by the agglutination ratio (minimum concentration of extract required to agglutinate cow blood cells: minimum concentration of extract required to agglutinate rabbit blood cells). The active lectin polypeptides were identified by extracting lectins from agglutinated erythrocytes and by comparing the qualitative similarities and differences of the G2/albumin patterns and their agglutination activities. A reference catalogue of over 100 bean cultivars giving their phaseolin and G2/albumin electrophoretic patterns, and agglutination ratios is presented.

Bean lectins : Part 2: Relationship between qualitative lectin variation in Phaseolus vulgaris L. and previous observations on purified bean lectins.

The relationship between the polypeptide composition and the agglutination behaviour of the lectin-containing G2/albumin protein groups has allowed the identification of the active lectin polypeptides in different cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris (Brown et al. accompanying paper). These results were used to ascertain the particular G2/albumin group contained in the various lectin sources used previously for the purification of lectin proteins. Many studies were found to have included lectin sources which contained the same G2/albumin pattern (TG2) and this common denominator has permitted the direct comparison of the properties reported for these purified lectins. Thus, much of the extensive literature on bean lectins is concurred.

Genetic variation in the subunits of globulin-1 storage protein of French bean.

Charge and molecular weight heterogeneity of globulin-1 (G1) polypeptides of the bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., were revealed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Different bean cultivars were classified into three groups: 'Tendergreen', 'Sanilac', and 'Contender' on the basis of their protein subunit composition. Nine distinct major bands: α51,α49, α48.5,ß48(T), ß48(S), ß47, γ45.5, γ45(S), and γ45(C), and two minor bands: γ46(T) and γ46(S) were found to account for the three profiles seen on one-dimensional SDS-PAGE. Two-dimensional analysis revealed these eleven protein bands to be composed of a minimum of fourteen distinct protein subunits. The 'Tendergreen' and 'Sanilac' types differ in their G1 polypeptide composition. The protein patterns of the 'Contender' types are intermediate, containing many protein subunits found in the patterns of the 'Tendergreen' and 'Sanilac' types suggesting a genetic and evolutionary relationship.

Linkage relationships between genes controlling seed proteins in French bean.

The inheritance of phaseolin and globulin-2 (G2)/albumin polypeptides was investigated in crosses involving varieties which exhibited the three electrophoretic banding patterns of phaseolin found in French bean. 'Total' seed protein extracts of single seeds of the F1 and F2 generations from the crosses: 'Sanilac' × 'Contender', 'BBL 240' × 'Contender', and 'Sanilac' × 'BBL 240' were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Segregation of the genes controlling phaseolin and G2/albumin polypeptides, and those controlling a further five groups of seed proteins (A, B, D, E, and F) were observed. No recombinant electrophoretic phenotypes were seen for phaseolin or G2/albumin polypeptides suggesting that the genes controlling each of these groups of polypeptides are closely linked and segregate like single Mendelian genes. The phaseolin genes and G2/albumin genes were not linked to each other. The group of genes controlling phaseolin polypeptides were linked to those controlling group B proteins, and those controlling G2/albumin polypeptides were linked to those controlling group F proteins.

Microheterogeneity of globulin-1 storage protein from French bean with isoelectrofocusing.

The major storage protein fraction, globulin-1 protein, of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The protein pattern suggested a more complex system for globulin-1 protein than the model of three polypeptides, alpha, beta, and gamma, differing in molecular weight. Isoelectrofocusing analyses of the individual proteins showed that each exhibited charge microheterogeneity over a similar pH range. Isoelectrofocusing banding patterns may help to understand the relationships between the globulin-1 polypeptide subunits.