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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266234
Title: Genetic architecture and regulatory networks in oilseed development

Author
item Bolon, Yung Tsi
item Hyten, David
item ORF, JAMES - University Of Minnesota
item Vance, Carroll
item MUEHLBAUER, GARY - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2011
Publication Date: 8/6/2011
Citation: Bolon, Y.E., Hyten, D.L., Orf, J.H., Vance, C.P., Muehlbauer, G.J. 2011. Genetic architecture and regulatory networks in oilseed development [abstract]. Plant Biology 2011, American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting, August 6-10, 2011, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Available: http://abstracts.aspb.org/pb2011/public/P14/P14025.html.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Genetic analysis of global gene expression level variation provides evidence for transcriptional regulators and gene network relationships. Plant seeds are an important source of oil and protein, and a genome-wide assessment of transcriptional regulation during seed development offers insight into the genes and pathways involved in oil and protein accumulation in the seed. Here, we present the results of a genetical genomics study on the developing oilseed using segregating soybean lines from a Minsoy x Noir1 recombinant inbred line population. From data on 30,681 gene expression traits, we mapped 28,470 gene expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) for 15,568 genes onto the sequenced soybean genome. Strong cis-acting eQTL were identified, and hotspots of gene expression regulation containing numerous trans-acting eQTL that mapped to the same genetic position were also identified, forming the basis of gene regulatory networks. Many hotspots displayed a strong directional bias such that the same parental allele upregulated accumulation of transcripts for genes with eQTL in the same hotspot. Furthermore, analysis of genes with eQTL at shared positions revealed associated pathways and gene families that were simultaneously upregulated or downregulated. Photosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, hormone signaling, sucrose and carbohydrate metabolic pathways as well as chromatin remodeling and transcription factor genes are among those represented. A number of metabolic pathways and gene families relate directly to seed protein and oil storage and accumulation functions. Our data provide fresh evidence for gene networks involved in oilseed development and offer novel candidates for regulatory genes and pathways contributing to seed oil accumulation.