A Genetic Map of Tomato Based on BC1 Lycopersicon esculentum × Solanum lycopersicoides Reveals Overall Synteny but Suppressed Recombination Between These Homeologous Genomes

Abstract

Abstract F1 hybrids between the cultivated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and the wild nightshade Solanum lycopersicoides are male sterile and unilaterally incompatible, breeding barriers that impede further crosses to tomato. Meiosis is disrupted in 2× hybrids, with reduced chiasma formation and frequent univalents, but is normal in allotetraploid hybrids, indicating the genomes are homeologous. In this study, a partially male-fertile F1 was backcrossed to tomato, producing the first BC1 population suitable for genetic mapping from this cross. BC1 plants were genotyped at marker loci to study the transmission of wild alleles and to measure rates of homeologous recombination. The pattern of segregation distortion, in favor of homozygotes on chromosomes 2 and 5 and heterozygotes on chromosomes 6 and 9, suggested linkage to a small number of loci under selection on each chromosome. Genome ratios nonetheless fit Mendelian expectations. Resulting genetic maps were essentially colinear with existing tomato maps but showed an overall reduction in recombination of ~27%. Recombination suppression was observed for all chromosomes except 9 and 12, affected both proximal and distal regions, and was most severe on chromosome 10 (70% reduction). Recombination between markers on the long arm of this chromosome was completely eliminated, suggesting a lack of colinearity between S. lycopersicoides and L. esculentum homeologues in this region. Results are discussed with respect to phylogenetic relationships between the species and their potential use for studies of homeologous pairing and recombination in a diploid plant genome.