Integrated Bulk Segregant Analysis, Fine Mapping, and Transcriptome Revealed QTLs and Candidate Genes Associated with Drought Adaptation in Wild Watermelon
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Published:2023-12-20
Issue:1
Volume:25
Page:65
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ISSN:1422-0067
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Container-title:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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language:en
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Short-container-title:IJMS
Author:
Mahmoud Ahmed1234ORCID, Qi Rui12, Chi Xiaolu12, Liao Nanqiao1, Malangisha Guy Kateta1, Ali Abid1, Moustafa-Farag Mohamed4, Yang Jinghua123ORCID, Zhang Mingfang123, Hu Zhongyuan123ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China 2. Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Yazhou District, Sanya 572025, China 3. Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development & Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310058, China 4. Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, 9 Cairo University St, Giza 12619, Egypt
Abstract
Drought stress has detrimental effects on crop productivity worldwide. A strong root system is crucial for maintaining water and nutrients uptake under drought stress. Wild watermelons possess resilient roots with excellent drought adaptability. However, the genetic factors controlling this trait remain uninvestigated. In this study, we conducted a bulk segregant analysis (BSA) on an F2 population consisting of two watermelon genotypes, wild and domesticated, which differ in their lateral root development under drought conditions. We identified two quantitative trait loci (qNLR_Dr. Chr01 and qNLR_Dr. Chr02) associated with the lateral root response to drought. Furthermore, we determined that a small region (0.93 Mb in qNLR_Dr. Chr01) is closely linked to drought adaptation through quantitative trait loci (QTL) validation and fine mapping. Transcriptome analysis of the parent roots under drought stress revealed unique effects on numerous genes in the sensitive genotype but not in the tolerant genotype. By integrating BSA, fine mapping, and the transcriptome, we identified six genes, namely L-Ascorbate Oxidase (AO), Cellulose Synthase-Interactive Protein 1 (CSI1), Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein (LEA), Zinc-Finger Homeodomain Protein 2 (ZHD2), Pericycle Factor Type-A 5 (PFA5), and bZIP transcription factor 53-like (bZIP53-like), that might be involved in the drought adaptation. Our findings provide valuable QTLs and genes for marker-assisted selection in improving water-use efficiency and drought tolerance in watermelon. They also lay the groundwork for the genetic manipulation of drought-adapting genes in watermelon and other Cucurbitacea species.
Funder
Project of Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities Science and technology innovation platform for the watermelon and melon breeding, reproduction, and spreading of Zhejiang Province Key Research Project of Ningbo Municipal Government
Subject
Inorganic Chemistry,Organic Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Computer Science Applications,Spectroscopy,Molecular Biology,General Medicine,Catalysis
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