Distribution ofSUN, OVATE, LC, andFASin the Tomato Germplasm and the Relationship to Fruit Shape Diversity      

Abstract

Phenotypic diversity within cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is particularly evident for fruit shape and size. Four genes that control tomato fruit shape have been cloned. SUN and OVATE control elongated shape whereas FASCIATED (FAS) and LOCULE NUMBER (LC) control fruit locule number and flat shape. We investigated the distribution of the fruit shape alleles in the tomato germplasm and evaluated their contribution to morphology in a diverse collection of 368 predominantly tomato and tomato var. cerasiforme accessions. Fruits were visually classified into eight shape categories that were supported by objective measurements obtained from image analysis using the Tomato Analyzer software. The allele distribution of SUN, OVATE, LC, and FAS in all accessions was strongly associated with fruit shape classification. We also genotyped 116 representative accessions with additional 25 markers distributed evenly across the genome. Through a model-based clustering we demonstrated that shape categories, germplasm classes, and the shape genes were nonrandomly distributed among five genetic clusters (P , 0.001), implying that selection for fruit shape genes was critical to subpopulation differentiation within cultivated tomato. Our data suggested that the LC, FAS, and SUN mutations arose in the same ancestral population while the OVATE mutation arose in a separate lineage. Furthermore, LC, OVATE, and FAS mutations may have arisen prior to domestication or early during the selection of cultivated tomato whereas the SUN mutation appeared to be a postdomestication event arising in Europe.

Regulatory change in cell division activity and genetic mapping of a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) elongated-fruit mutant

“…In a study of the evolution of fruit shape diversity, the allele distribution of SUN, OVATE, LC (LOCULE NUMBER), and FAS (FASCIATED) genes was strongly correlated with the UPOV and IPGRI fruit shape classifications (Rodriguez et al 2011). In our study, genetic analysis of Slelf2 demonstrated incomplete dominant, whereas Slelf1 and Slelf3 revealed recessive alleles.…”

Mutation at the tomato EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF FLORAL ORGANS (ENO) locus impairs floral meristem development, thus promoting an increased number of floral organs and fruit size

“…The primers EP1070 (5'-ATGGTGGGGTTTTCTGTTCA-3') and EP1071 (5'-CAGAAATCAGAGTCCAATTCCA-3') were employed to amplify the WT allele ; whereas the primers EP1069 (5'-CCAATGATAATTAAGATATTGTGACG-3') and EP1071 were used to amplify the mutant allele. In addition, the primers described by Rodríguez et al [21] were used to confirm that the WT (P73 cv. ), eno, and fas plants were homozygous for the recessive high-locule-number allele at the LC locus.…”

“…The PCR-based markers developed by Rodríguez et al [21] were used to support the homozygous genotypes of the fas mutant plants used in this work. The primers EP1070 (5'-ATGGTGGGGTTTTCTGTTCA-3') and EP1071 (5'-CAGAAATCAGAGTCCAATTCCA-3') were employed to amplify the WT allele ; whereas the primers EP1069 (5'-CCAATGATAATTAAGATATTGTGACG-3') and EP1071 were used to amplify the mutant allele.…”

“…The primers lcn-SNP695-F (5'-GTCTCTTGGATGATGACTATTGCACTTT-3') and lcn-SNP695-R (5'-TCAGCGCCTCATTTTCTATAGTATTTGT-3') were used to amplified the dominant low-locule-number allele; while lcn-SNP695-F-cer (5'-CTTTTCCTAAAAGATTTGGCATGAGGT-3'), and lcn-SNP695-R-lev (5'-AAAGTAGTACGAATTGTCCAATCAGTCAG-3') were employed to amplify the recessive high-loculenumber allele. The four primers were used in the same PCR master mix following the method described by Rodríguez et al [21]. …”

Evaluation of fruit shape variations in Spanish eggplants using an image analysis software

“…Although the study of the fruit shape of eggplant has been reported in several works, (Nunome et al, 2001;Doganlar et al, 2002;Prohens et al, 2005;Tümbilen et al, 2011), this is the first study in which the diversity of fruit shape in a collection of eggplant germplasm is studied in detail using an image analysis software. Results show that, as in tomato (Gonzalo & van der Knaap, 2008;Gonzalo et al, 2009;Mazzucato et al, 2010;Rodríguez et al, 2011), Tomato Analyzer software is a very useful tool for characterization of fruit shape in eggplant.…”