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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290702
Title: Aluminum tolerance is associated with higher MATE1 gene copy-number in maize

Author
item MARON, LYZA - Boyce Thompson Institute
item GUIMAREAS, CLAUDIA - Embrapa
item MATIAS, KIRST - University Of Florida
item ALBERT, PATRICE - University Of Missouri
item BIRCHLER, JAMES - University Of Missouri
item Bradbury, Peter
item Buckler, Edward - Ed
item COLUCCIO, ALISON - Boyce Thompson Institute
item DANILOVA, TATIANA - University Of Missouri
item KUDRNA, DAVID - University Of Arizona
item MAGALHAES, JURANDIR - Embrapa
item Pineros, Miguel
item SCHATZ, MICHAEL - Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
item WING, ROD - University Of Arizona
item Kochian, Leon

Submitted to: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/7/2013
Publication Date: 3/11/2013
Publication URL: http://DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1220766110
Citation: Maron, L., Guimareas, C., Matias, K., Albert, P.S., Birchler, J.A., Bradbury, P., Buckler IV, E.S., Coluccio, A.E., Danilova, T.V., Kudrna, D., Magalhaes, J.V., Pineros, M., Schatz, M.C., Wing, R., Kochian, L.V. 2013. Aluminum tolerance is associated with higher MATE1 gene copy-number in maize. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 110(13):5241-5246.

Interpretive Summary: Over 20 percent of the U.S. land area and approximately 50 percent of the world’s arable lands are acidic (pH

Technical Abstract: Genome structure variation, including copy-number (CNV) and presence/absence variation (PAV), comprise a large extent of maize genetic diversity but their effect on phenotypes remains largely unexplored. Here we describe how copy-number variation in a major aluminum (Al) tolerance locus contributes to this agronomically important trait. In a recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population, copy-number variation of the Al tolerance gene multidrug and toxic compound extrusion1 (MATE1) underlies the QTL of largest effect on phenotypic variation. While the Al-tolerant parent carries three copies of MATE1, the sensitive parent carries only one. RILs segregate in a 1:1 ratio for MATE1 copy-number; individuals with three gene copies are significantly more Al-tolerant and show higher MATE1 expression than those inheriting a single copy. Sequencing of a BAC clone from the Al-tolerant parental line revealed that the three MATE1 copies, which are identical, are part of a tandem triplication. CNV for MATE1 is rare, as only two additional maize inbred lines carrying the three-copy haplotype were identified; these lines are also Al-tolerant, have high MATE1 expression, and share the same geographic origin froma region of highly acidic soils. Our findings indicate that greater MATE1 copy-number drives higher MATE1 expression that results in superior Al tolerance, and suggest a role for structural variation in the broad adaptation of maize to acidic soils in the tropics.