Suneth S. Sooriyapathirana

Rosaceae conserved orthologous sequences marker polymorphism in sweet cherry germplasm and construction of a SNP-based map

The Rosaceae Conserved Orthologous Set (RosCOS) provides a gene-based genome-wide set of markers that have been used in comparative analyses of peach (Prunus persica), apple (Malus × domestica), and strawberry (Fragaria spp.). In order to extend the use of these RosCOS to sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), we identified markers that are polymorphic in breeding germplasm. Ninety-five percent (595/627) of previously designed RosCOS primer pairs amplified a product in six sweet cherry cultivars predicted to represent the range of genetic diversity in breeding germplasm. A total of 45% (282/627) RosCOS were polymorphic among the six cultivars, and allele number ranged from 2 to 6, with a genome-wide mean of 2.35. A subset of 92 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) corresponding to 76 RosCOS was analyzed in 36 founder accessions and progeny. The expected and observed heterozygosity suggested that 83% of the RosCOS were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, implying that most RosCOS behave as neutral markers. Principal coordinate analysis (PCO) identified one wild accession and two Spanish landraces that clustered differently from the other accessions. The relatively high number of unique alleles found in the three differentially clustered selections suggested that their use as parents has potential to increase the genetic diversity in future US-bred cultivars. Of the 92 RosCOS SNPs, 81 SNPs that represented 68 genome-wide RosCOS segregated in four mapping populations. These RosCOS were mapped in four F1 populations, thereby greatly improving the genetic linkage map of sweet cherry.

Identification of QTL associated with flower and runner production in octoploid strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa)

BACKGROUND: Understanding the genetics of flowering in the strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) will aid in the development of breeding strategies. OBJECTIVE: To search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with remontancy and weeks of flowering in the strawberry. METHODS: Previously collected phenotypic data from two non-remontant ‘Honeoye’ × remontant ‘Tribute’ strawberry populations and simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers were used to search for QTL associated with repeat flowering, weeks of flowering and runner production, as well as the ability to produce flowers and runners at 17, 20 and 23 ◦ C. RESULTS: As was discovered in other studies, we found a major QTL that regulated remontancy and weeks of flowering on homeologous linkage group IV of ‘Tribute’. This QTL also had a negative effect on runner production and a positive influence on flower production under high temperatures. A number of additional QTL were discovered that significantly (LOD >3.0) influenced flower and runner production. CONCLUSIONS: Remontancy/non-remontancy is controlled by a major gene/locus and several minor modifying ones.

Public Availability of a Genotyped Segregating Population May Foster Marker Assisted Breeding (MAB) and Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Discovery: An Example Using Strawberry

Much of the cost associated with marker discovery for marker assisted breeding (MAB) can be eliminated if a diverse, segregating population is generated, genotyped, and made available to the global breeding community. Herein, we present an example of a hybrid, wild-derived family of the octoploid strawberry that can be used by other breeding programs to economically find and tag useful genes for MAB. A pseudo test cross population between two wild species of Fragaria virginiana and F. chiloensis (FVC 11) was generated and evaluated for a set of phenotypic traits. A total of 106 individuals in the FVC 11 were genotyped for 29,251 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) utilizing a commercially available, genome-wide scanning platform (Affymetrix Axiom IStraw90TW). The marker trait associations were deduced using TASSEL software. The FVC 11 population segregating for daughters per mother, inflorescence number, inflorescence height, crown production, flower number, fruit size, yield, internal color, soluble solids, fruit firmness, and plant vigor. Coefficients of variations ranged from 10% for fruit firmness to 68% for daughters per mother, indicating an underlying quantitative inheritance for each trait. A total of 2,474 SNPs were found to be polymorphic in FVC 11 and strong marker trait associations were observed for vigor, daughters per mother, yield and fruit weight. These data indicate that FVC 11 can be used as a reference population for quantitative trait loci detection and subsequent MAB across different breeding programs and geographical locations.

Upregulation of Oxidative Stress Related Genes in a Chronic Kidney Disease Attributed to Specific Geographical Locations of Sri Lanka

Objective. To infer the influence of internal and external oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease patients of unknown etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka, by analyzing expression of genes related directly or indirectly to oxidative stress: glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3). Methods. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was carried out for the selected populations: CKDu patients (n = 43), chronic kidney disease patients (CKD; n = 14), healthy individuals from a CKDu endemic area (GHI; n = 9), and nonendemic area (KHI; n = 16). Fold changes were quantified relative to KHI. Results. GCLC had greater than threefold upregulation in all three study groups, with a maximum of 7.27-fold upregulation in GHI (p = 0.000). GSTM1 was not expressed in 25.6% of CKDu and 42.9% of CKD patients, but CKDu patients expressing GSTM1 showed upregulation of 2.60-fold (p < 0.05). Upregulation of FGF23 and NLRP3 genes in CKD and CKDu was observed (p < 0.01), with greater fold changes in CKD. Conclusion. Results suggest higher influence of external sources of oxidative stress in CKDu, possibly owing to environmental conditions.