QTL Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of Telomere Length Control Factors in Maize (Zea mays L.)

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Hank W. Bass¹  Natalie C. Fredette¹  Amber N. Brown¹  Nick Lauter²  Tace M. Steele¹  Daniel L. Vera¹  Karen A. McLaughlin-Large¹ 

[1] Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4295Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4295Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4295;United States Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020United States Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020United States Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020United States Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020

关键词: IBM;    TRF;    plant;    telomerase;    B73;   

DOI  :  10.1534/g3.111.000703

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Genetics Society of America

【 摘 要 】

Telomere length is a quantitative trait important for many cellular functions. Failure to regulate telomere length contributes to genomic instability, cellular senescence, cancer, and apoptosis in humans, but the functional significance of telomere regulation in plants is much less well understood. To gain a better understanding of telomere biology in plants, we used quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to identify genetic elements that control telomere length variation in maize (Zea mays L.). For this purpose, we measured the median and mean telomere lengths from 178 recombinant inbred lines of the IBM mapping population and found multiple regions that collectively accounted for 33–38% of the variation in telomere length. Two-way analysis of variance revealed interaction between the quantitative trait loci at genetic bin positions 2.09 and 5.04. Candidate genes within these and other significant QTL intervals, along with select genes known a priori to regulate telomere length, were tested for correlations between expression levels and telomere length in the IBM population and diverse inbred lines by quantitative real-time PCR. A slight but significant positive correlation between expression levels and telomere length was observed for many of the candidate genes, but Ibp2 was a notable exception, showing instead a negative correlation. A rad51-like protein (TEL-MD_5.04) was strongly supported as a candidate gene by several lines of evidence. Our results highlight the value of QTL mapping plus candidate gene expression analysis in a genetically diverse model system for telomere research.

【 授权许可】

Unknown