Zheng You-liang

The chromosomal locations of high crossability genes in tetraploid wheat Triticum turgidum L. cv. Ailanmai native to Sichuan, China

Chromosomal locations of crossability genes in tetraploid wheat Ailanmai with high crossability native to Jianyang of Sichuan province, China, was determined by aneuploid analysis employing the D-genome chromosome substitution lines of Langdon durum wheat and monosomic lines of common wheat, Abbondanza. High crossability of Ailanmai was attributed to recessive crossability alleles on chromosomes 1A, 6A and 7A. The effects of chromosomes 7A and 1A were stronger than chromosome 6A. These results indicated that high crossability in Chinese tetraploid wheat cv. Ailanmai and Chinese hexaploid wheat is controlled by different genetic systems.

Mapping QTLs for pre-harvest sprouting tolerance on chromosome 2D in a synthetic hexaploid wheat×common wheat cross

Based on segregation distortion of simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers, we detected a significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) tolerance on the short arm of chromosome 2D (2DS) in the extremely susceptible population of F2 progeny generated from the cross of PHS tolerant synthetic hexaploid wheat cultivar ‘RSP’ and PHS susceptible bread wheat cultivar ‘88–1643’. To identify the QTL of PHS tolerance, we constructed two SSR-based genetic maps of 2DS in 2004 and 2005. One putative QTL associated with PHS tolerance, designatedQphs.sau-2D, was identified within the marker intervalsXgwm261-Xgwm484 in 2004 and in the next year, nearly in the same position, between markerswmc112 andXgwm484. Confidence intervals based on the LOD-drop-off method ranged from 9 cM to 15.4 cM and almost completely overlapped with marker intervalXgwm261-Xgwm484. Flanking markers near this QTL could be assigned to the C-2DS1-0.33 chromosome bin, suggesting that the gene(s) controlling PHS tolerance is located in that chromosome region. The phenotypic variation explained by this QTL was about 25.73–27.50%. Genotyping of 48 F6 PHS tolerant plants derived from the cross between PHS tolerant wheat cultivar ‘RSP’ and PHS susceptible bread wheat cultivar ‘MY11’ showed that the allele ofQphs.sau-2D found in the ‘RSP’ genome may prove useful for the improvement of PHS tolerance.

Genetic diversity among the germplasm resources of the genus Houttuynia Thunb. in China based on RAMP markers

The genetic diversity of 70 Houttuynia Thunb. accessions from Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou and Jiangsu province in China were tested by using random amplified microsatellite polymorphism (RAMP) markers. All of the 43 primer combinations were found to amplify polymorphic products. A total of 304 products were amplified. Of which, 97.7 products were polymorphic. 6.9 polymorphic bands were amplified by each primer combination on average. The genetic similarity (GS) between the accessions within H. emeiensis and H. cordata were 0.660 and 0.575, respectively. The GS between two species was 0.525. The GS values between H. emeiensis and the H. cordata cytotype with the chromosome number of 36 was 0.559, higher than that between H. emeiensis and the cytotypes of H. cordata with other chromosome numbers. Within the species H. cordata, the genetic variation between cultivated and wild accessions was insignificant. The results of cluster analysis by using UPGMA method showed that all the tested accessions could be differentiated by RAMP markers, and classified into 11 groups. Many accessions with the same chromosome numbers could be classified together. The genetic diversity was more plentiful in mountainous and margin areas of the Sichuan Basin than at the bottom of the Basin and the highlands or hills surrounding it. It was concluded that there existed higher genetic diversity at the molecular level (RAMP markers) among the germplasm resources of the genus Houttuynia. The genetic relationships and phylogeny of the germplasm resources of Houttuynia were also discussed.

Characterization of a Novel 1Ay Gene and Its Expression Protein in Triticum urartu

High molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) plays an important role in determining dough property and bread-making quality, and the exploration of novel genes for HMW-GS will be crucial for quality improvement program. A gene coding the y type HMW-GS at Glu-A1 locus in Triticum urartu (AA, 2n = 2x = 14) with an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of 1Dy12, was cloned, sequenced, and heterologously expressed. This novel active 1 Ay gene FJ404595 was confirmed by structure analyses of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences combining with phylogenetic analysis. The open reading frame (ORF) of this gene was 1 830 bp, encoded a protein of 608 amino acid residues containing 46 hexapeptides and 14 nonapeptides, which was mostly similar to the 1 Ay gene AM183223 at a high identity of 99.62% with the two substitutions of both leucine/proline and valine/glutamate, obviously different from the I Ay gene EU984504 with 587 residues containing 44 hexapeptides and 13 nonapeptides in T. urartu. The amino acid (leucine) at 446 differed from that (proline) of all the eight compared active 1Ay subunits. The predicted secondary protein structure implied that this 1Ay subunit might also have positive impact on flour processing quality.

Evaluation of Aegilops tauschii Cosson for preharvest sprouting tolerance

On day 21, total germination percentages of threshed seeds of Ae. tauschii ranged from 0.0 to 92.6, indicating a large variation in preharvest sprouting tolerance. Out of 46 Ae. tauschii accessions, seven had a germination index lower than ten, which indicates good tolerance to preharvest sprouting and usefulness for common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) improvement. The variety tauschii showed a germination percentage and a germination index much higher than that of var. strangulata. Furthermore, the tough and tenacious glumes of Ae. tauschii also had an effect on tolerance to preharvest sprouting.

Analysis and validation of genome-specific DNA variations in 5′ flanking conserved sequences of wheat low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit genes

The thirty-three 5′ flanking conserved sequences of the known low-molecular-weight subunit (LMW-GS) genes have been divided into eight clusters, which was in agreement with the classification based on the deduced N-terminal protein sequences. The DNA polymorphism between the eight clusters was obtained by sequence alignment, and a total of 34 polymorphic positions were observed in the approximately 200 bp regions, among which 18 polymorphic positions were candidate SNPs. Seven cluster-specific primer sets were designed for seven out of eight clusters containing cluster-specific bases, with which the genomic DNA of the ditelosomic lines of group 1 chromosomes of a wheat variety ‘Chinese Spring’ was employed to carry out chromosome assignment. The subsequent cloning and DNA sequencing of PCR fragments validated the sequences specificity of the 5′ flanking conserved sequences between LMW-GS gene groups in different genomes. These results suggested that the coding and 5′ flanking regions of LMW-GS genes are likely to have evolved in a concerted fashion. The seven primer sets developed in this study could be used to isolate the complete ORFs of seven groups of LMW-GS genes, respectively, and therefore possess great value for further research in the contributions of a single LMW-GS gene to wheat quality in the complex genetic background and the efficient selections of quality-related components in breeding programs.

Evaluation of shape Aegilops tauschii Coss for resistance to physiological strains CYR30 and CYR31 of wheat stripe rust in China

Stripe rust is one of the most serious diseases of wheat in China. Two new stripe rust physiological strains CYR30 (Inter. name: 175 E 191) and CYR31 (Inter. name: 239 E 175) have become the dominant and epidemic physiological strains since 1994 in China. Resistance to these strains of 48 Ae. tauschii accessions was evaluated at the seedling and adult stages. Out of 48, 28 accessions displayed seedling and adult resistance. All of the Chinese Ae. tauschii accessions were susceptible at seedling and adult stages. Seedling resistance was highly related to adult resistance in Ae. tauschii. The new genetic resources of resistance to CYR30 and CYR31 could be incorporated into commercial wheat varieties for wheat resistance breeding by direct hybridization.

Frequency and contribution of specific genetic loci transferred from wheat cultivar Mianmai 37 to its derivatives: Frequency and contribution of specific genetic loci transferred from wheat cultivar Mianmai 37 to its derivatives

The development and utilization of outstanding germplasm in breeding programs can expedite breeding process. The high yielding variety Mianmai 37, grown widely in southwestern China, has been used widely in breeding programs. Comparisons between Mianmai 37 and its derivatives for yield and yield components were conducted. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to test the frequency of specific alleles transferred from Mianmai 37 to its derivative culti-var Mianmai 367. The results indicated that the yield of the derivative cultivars was significantly higher than Mianmai 37, due to an increased grain number per spike. Favorable traits from Mianmai 37 such as resistance to stripe rust, were trans-ferred to its derivatives. At molecular level, 78.9% loci in Mianmai 367 were derived from Mianmai 37 with 75.0, 83.6 and 74.2% from A, B and D genomes, respectively. Mianmai 367 shared common loci with its parent Mianmai 37, such as re-gions Xgwm374-Xbarc167-Xbarc128-Xgwm129-Xgwm388-Xbarc101 on chromosome 2B and Xwmc446-Xwmc366- Xwmc533-Xbarc164-Xwmc418 on chromosome 3B, these regions were associated with grain number, 1000-kernel weight and resistance. The preferred transmission of alleles from Mianmai 37 to its derivatives probably can be explained by the strong selection pressures because of its favorable agronomic traits and the disease resistance.