Seed germination under the appropriate environmental conditions is important both for plant species survival and for successful agriculture. Seed dormancy, which controls germination time, is one of the adaptation mechanisms and domestication traits [1]. Seed dormancy is generally defined as the absence of germination of a viable seed under conditions that are favorable for germination [2]. The seed dormancy of cultivated plants has generally been reduced during domestication [3]. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most widely grown crops in the world. Weak dormancy may be an advantage for the productivity due to uniform emergence and a disadvantage for the risks of pre-harvest sprouting (PHS), which decreases grain quality and yield [4]. A number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling natural variation of seed dormancy have been identified on various chromosomes [5]. A major QTL for seed dormancy has been consistently detected on chromosome 4A [6-13]. The QTL was designated as a major gene, Phs1, which could be precisely mapped within a 2.6 cM region [14]. Here, we identified a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3) gene (designated TaMKK3-A) by a map-based approach as a candidate gene for the seed dormancy locus Phs1 on chromosome 4A in bread wheat. Complementation analysis showed that transformation of a dormant wheat cultivar with the TaMKK3-A allele from a nondormant cultivar clearly reduced seed dormancy. Cultivars differing in dormancy had a single nonsynonymous amino acid substitution in the kinase domain of the predicted MKK3 protein sequence, which may be associated with the length of seed dormancy.

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are valuable molecular markers in many plant species. In common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which is characteristic of its large genomes and alloploidy, SSRs are one of the most useful markers. To increase SSR marker sources and construct an SSR-based linkage map of appropriate density, we tried to develop new SSR markers from SSR-enriched genomic libraries and the public database. SSRs having (GA)n and (GT)n motifs were isolated from enriched libraries, and di- and tri-nucleotide repeats were mined from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and DNA sequences of Triticum species in the public database. Of the 1,147 primer pairs designed, 842 primers gave accurate amplification products, and 478 primers showed polymorphism among the nine wheat lines examined. Using a doubled haploid (DH) population from an intraspecific cross between Kitamoe and Münstertaler (KM), we constructed an SSR-based linkage map that consisted of 464 loci: 185 loci from genomic libraries, 65 loci from the sequence database including ESTs, 213 loci from the SSR markers already reported, and 1 locus of morphological marker. Although newly developed SSR loci were distributed throughout all chromosomes, clustering of them around putative centromeric regions was found on several chromosomes. The total length of the KM map spanned 3,441 cM and corresponded to approximately 86% genome coverage. The KM map comprised of 23 linkage groups because two gaps of over 50 cM distance remained on chromosome 6A. This is a first report of SSR-based linkage map using single intraspecific population of common wheat. This mapping result suggests that it becomes possible to construct linkage maps with sufficient genome coverage using only SSR markers without RFLP markers, even in an intraspecific population of common wheat. Moreover, the new SSR markers will contribute to the enrichment of molecular marker resources in common wheat.

A major component of the observed genetic variation for pre-harvest sprouting in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) appears to be the level of seed dormancy. Group 3 chromosomes have received attention as carrying the R genes for seed-coat color and the taVp1 genes that are orthologous to the maize Vp1 gene which encode a dormancy-related transcription factor. The objectives of the present study were to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for seed dormancy on chromosome 3A and to investigate an association between taVp1 or R-A1 and the QTLs detected. A mapping population in the form of recombinant inbred lines developed from the cross between the highly dormant Zenkoujikomugi (Zen) and Chinese Spring (CS) was utilized. Nineteen marker loci, including taVp1, were mapped on chromosome 3A. The taVp1 locus was located in the middle of the long arm, about 85 cM from the centromere. The population was evaluated in duplicate by growing them under controlled environment conditions. Two QTLs for seed dormancy, designated as QPhs.ocs-3A.1 and QPhs.ocs-3A.2, were identified on the short and long arms, respectively. QPhs.ocs-1 explained 23-38% of the phenotypic variation and the Zen allele had a striking effect on maintaining dormancy. QPhs.ocs-2, with a minor effect, was detectable only at the dormancy-breaking stage. Although QPhs.ocs-2 was loosely linked to taVp1 by around 50 cM, they are clearly distinct genes. Zen and CS carry the white R-A1a allele, and no QTL effect was detected in the vicinity region of R-A1. Hence it was concluded that the high dormancy associated with chromosome 3A of Zen is ascribable to QPhs.ocs-1 on the short arm but is not due to the direct contribution of either the taVp1 or R-A1 locus.

Seed dormancy is one of the important factors controlling pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) resistance in wheat. We identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for seed dormancy on the long arm of wheat chromosome 4A (4AL) via simple sequence repeat (SSR)-based genetic mapping using doubled haploid lines from a cross between Japanese PHS resistant variety 'Kitamoe' and the Alpine non-resistant variety 'Münstertaler' (K/M). The QTL explained 43.3% of total phenotypic variation for seed dormancy under greenhouse conditions. SSR markers flanking the QTL were assigned to the chromosome long arm fraction length 0.59-0.66 on the basis of chromosome deletion analysis, suggesting that the gene(s) controlling seed dormancy are probably located within this region. Under greenhouse conditions, the QTL explained 28.5 and 39.0% of total phenotypic variation for seed dormancy in Haruyutaka/Leader (HT/L) and OS21-5/Haruyokoi (O/HK) populations, respectively. However, in field conditions, the effect was relatively low or not significant in both the K/M and HT/L populations. These markers were considered to be widely useful in common with various genetic backgrounds for improvement of seed dormancy through the use of marker-assisted selection. Further detailed research using near isogenic lines will be needed to define how this major QTL interacts with environmental conditions in our area.

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) is an important cause of quality loss in many cereal crops and is particularly prevalent and damaging in wheat. Resistance to PHS is therefore a valuable target trait in many breeding programs. The Phs-A1 locus on wheat chromosome arm 4AL has been consistently shown to account for a significant proportion of natural variation to PHS in diverse mapping populations. However, the deployment of sprouting resistance is confounded by the fact that different candidate genes, including the tandem duplicated Plasma Membrane 19 (PM19) genes and the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (TaMKK3-A) gene, have been proposed to underlie Phs-A1. To further define the Phs-A1 locus, we constructed a physical map across this interval in hexaploid and tetraploid wheat. We established close proximity of the proposed candidate genes which are located within a 1.2 Mb interval. Genetic characterization of diverse germplasm used in previous genetic mapping studies suggests that TaMKK3-A, and not PM19, is the major gene underlying the Phs-A1 effect in European, North American, Australian and Asian germplasm. We identified the non-dormant TaMKK3-A allele at low frequencies within the A-genome diploid progenitor Triticum urartu genepool, and show an increase in the allele frequency in modern varieties. In United Kingdom varieties, the frequency of the dormant TaMKK3-A allele was significantly higher in bread-making quality varieties compared to feed and biscuit-making cultivars. Analysis of exome capture data from 58 diverse hexaploid wheat accessions identified fourteen haplotypes across the extended Phs-A1 locus and four haplotypes for TaMKK3-A. Analysis of these haplotypes in a collection of United Kingdom and Australian cultivars revealed distinct major dormant and non-dormant Phs-A1 haplotypes in each country, which were either rare or absent in the opposing germplasm set. The diagnostic markers and haplotype information reported in the study will help inform the choice of germplasm and breeding strategies for the deployment of Phs-A1 resistance into breeding germplasm.

Seed dormancy is an important factor regulating preharvest sprouting (PHS) but is a complex trait for genetic analysis. We previously identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling seed dormancy on the long arm of chromosome 4A (4AL) in common wheat. To transfer the QTL from the dormant lines 'OS21-5' and 'Leader' into the Japanese elite variety 'Haruyokoi', which has an insufficient level of seed dormancy, backcrossing was carried out through marker-assisted selection (MAS) using PCR-based codominant markers. Nineteen BC5F2 plants with homozygous alleles of 'OS21-5' or 'Haruyokoi' were developed and evaluated for seed dormancy under greenhouse conditions. The seeds harvested from plants with 'OS21-5' alleles showed a clearly high level of dormancy compared with seeds from plants with 'Haruyokoi' alleles. Additionally, the dormancy phenotype of BC3F3 seeds harvested from 128 BC3F2 plants with homozygous alleles of 'Leader' or 'Haruyokoi' showed a clear difference between these alleles. The QTL on 4AL confers a major gene, Phs1, which was mapped within a 2.6 cM region. The backcrossed lines developed in this study can be important sources for improving PHS resistance in Japanese wheat and for analyzing the mechanism of seed dormancy. MAS was useful for the development of near-isogenic lines in this complex trait, to facilitate the molecular dissection of genetic factors.

As a means to study the function of plasma membrane proteins during cold acclimation, we have isolated a cDNA clone for wpi6 which encodes a putative plasma membrane protein from cold-acclimated winter wheat. The wpi6 gene encodes a putative 5.9 kDa polypeptide with two predicted membrane-spanning domains, the sequence of which shows high sequence similarity with BLT101-family proteins from plants and yeast. Strong induction of wpi6 mRNA was observed during an early stage of cold acclimation in root and shoot tissues of both winter and spring wheat cultivars. In contrast to blt101 in barley, wpi6 mRNA was also induced by drought and salinity stresses, and exogenous application of ABA. Expression of wpi6 in a Deltapmp3 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is disturbed in plasma membrane potential due to the lack of a BLT101-family protein, partially complemented NaCl sensitivity of the mutant. Transient expression analysis of a WPI6::GFP fusion protein in onion epidermal cells revealed that WPI6 is localized in the plasma membrane. Taken together, these data suggested that WPI6 may have a protective role in maintaining plasma membrane function during cold acclimation in wheat.

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