Abstract

To investigate the genetic mechanisms that underlie morphological evolution in natural populations, we employed QTL mapping to dissect the inheritance of leaf sheath characters that distinguish Chalco from Balsas teosinte. Abundant macrohairs (trichomes) and intense anthocyanin accumulation are found in Chalco teosinte sheaths whereas Balsas teosinte leaf sheaths are green and glabrous. These character states may represent adaptations to the cooler highland (Chalco) vs. warmer middle-elevation (Balsas) climates. QTL mapping in multiple populations revealed a mix of major- and minor-effect QTL affecting both sheath color (anthocyanin) and macrohair abundance. The major QTL for macrohairs accounts for 52% of the parental difference. Epistatic interactions were detected between the major-effect QTL and multiple other QTL for both traits, accounting for substantial portions of phenotypic variance. Developmental analyses suggest that regulatory program changes underlie the phenotypic differences. Sheath anthocyanin QTL are clearly associated with b1 and a3, both of which are regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Our findings suggest that changes in a small number of QTL can lead to morphological evolution by modulating existing developmental programs

Published in

Genetics
2004, Volume: 167, number: 4, pages: 1949-1959
Publisher: GENETICS

SLU Authors

• Westerbergh, Anna

  • Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science
Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.104.026997

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/4563