Large effect quantitative trait loci for salicinoid phenolic glycosides in Populus: Implications for gene discovery

Authors

Scott A. Woolbright, University of ArkansasFollow
Brian J. Rehill, US Naval Academy
Richard L. Lindroth, University of Wisconsin
Stephen P. DiFazio, West Virginia University
Gregory D. Martinsen, Northern Arizona University
Matthew S. Zinkgraf, Western Washington University
Gerard J. Allan, Northern Arizona University
Paul Keim, Northern Arizona University
Thomas G. Whitham, Northern Arizona University

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7886-1009

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Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

College/Unit

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program/Center

Biology

Abstract

Genomic studies have been used to identify genes underlying many important plant secondary metabolic pathways. However, genes for salicinoid phenolic glycosides (SPGs)—ecologically important compounds with significant commercial, cultural, and medicinal applications—remain largely undescribed. We used a linkage map derived from a full-sib population of hybrid cottonwoods (Populus spp.) to search for quanti- tative trait loci (QTL) for the SPGs salicortin and HCH-salicortin. SSR markers and primer sequences were used to anchor the map to the V3.0 P. trichocarpa genome. We discovered 21 QTL for the two traits, including a major QTL for HCH-salicortin (R2 = .52) that colocated with a QTL for salicortin on chr12. Using the V3.0 Populus genome sequence, we identified 2,983 annotated genes and 1,480 genes of un- known function within our QTL intervals. We note ten candidate genes of interest, including a BAHD-type acyltransferase that has been potentially linked to Populus SPGs. Our results complement other recent studies in Populus with implications for gene discovery and the evolution of defensive chemistry in a model genus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a full-sib mapping population to identify QTL intervals and gene lists associated with SPGs.

Digital Commons Citation

Woolbright, Scott A.; Rehill, Brian J.; Lindroth, Richard L.; DiFazio, Stephen P.; Martinsen, Gregory D.; Zinkgraf, Matthew S.; Allan, Gerard J.; Keim, Paul; and Whitham, Thomas G., "Large effect quantitative trait loci for salicinoid phenolic glycosides in Populus: Implications for gene discovery" (2018). Faculty & Staff Scholarship. 1739.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/1739

Source Citation

Woolbright SA, Rehill BJ, Lindroth RL, et al. Large effect quantitative trait loci for salicinoid phenolic glycosides in Populus: Implications for gene discovery. Ecol Evol. 2018;8:3726–3737. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3932

Comments

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.