S6-RNase Is a Marker for Self-compatibility in Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

Abstract

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), a member of the Rosaceae, carries the RNase-dependent gametophytic self-incompatibility fertilization system. Analysis of S-RNase-allele content in the commercial loquat cultivars Avri, Yehuda, and Akko 1 revealed that each of them contains one different S-RNase allele—S2, S3, and S4, respectively, and one that they all share, S6. Although all four S-alleles were isolated in this work, only S6 was found to be novel. Amino acid similarity between the partial sequence of S6-RNase and other known loquat RNases (S1 to S4) ranged between 62% and 65% with highest similarity (83%) to the S110-allele of European pear (Pyrus communis). Determination of S-RNase-allele content in progeny of ‘Avri’, ‘Yehuda’, and ‘Akko 1’, obtained in an open-pollinated, mixed-cultivar orchard, revealed that all of the progeny derived from self-fertilization contained the S6 haplotype, indicating that a mutation in the S6 locus is responsible for the self-fertilization. However, sequencing of most of the S6-RNase gene (from C1 to C5) did not reveal any mutation and the alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence showed that it has the expected S-RNase primary and tertiary structural organization. Nonetheless, because it is apparent that the S6-RNase allele is linked to the self-compatibility trait, it could serve as a marker for early selection of self-compatible loquat cultivars.