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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300766
Title: Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling protein, oil, and five major fatty acids’ contents in soybean

Author
item AKOND, MASUM - Fayetteville State University
item LIU, SHIMING - Southern Illinois University
item BONEY, MELANIE - Fayetteville State University
item KANTARTZI, STELLA - Southern Illinois University
item MEKSEM, KHALID - Southern Illinois University
item Bellaloui, Nacer
item LIGHTFOOT, DAVID - Southern Illinois University
item KASSEM, ABDELMAJID - Fayetteville State University

Submitted to: American Journal of Plant Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2013
Publication Date: 1/8/2014
Citation: Akond, M., Liu, S., Boney, M., Kantartzi, S.K., Meksem, K., Bellaloui, N., Lightfoot, D., Kassem, A.M. 2014. Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling protein, oil, and five major fatty acids’ contents in soybean. American Journal of Plant Sciences. 5:158-167.

Interpretive Summary: Improving seed composition constituents (protein, oil, and fatty acids) in soybean is one of the major goals of soybean breeders. The nutritional health benefits of soybean seed protein and oils to human and livestock is well established, but improving the quantity and quality of these constituents is still challenging because of the inherited genetic inverse relationships between these constituents, for example between protein and oil and oleic fatty acid and linolenic fatty acids. Therefore, controlling the genetics responsible for the seed composition constituents is critical. One approach to identify the genetics of protein, oil, and fatty acids is to use what is called Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) using DNA markers. Quantitative Trait Loci are regions of DNA containing or linked to the genes responsible for that characteristic, in our case protein, oil, and fatty acids, and these regions are identified using these DNA makers called Single Nucleotide Polymorphism. The objective of this research was to identify Quantitative Trait Loci controlling protein, oil, and fatty acids content in a set of soybean populations. The results showed that one protein QTL was found on chromosome 14 and 11 QTL associated with oil content on several chromosomes. Also, it was found that sixteen QTL for five major fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids) were identified on different chromosomes. The Single Nucleotide Polymorphism DNA markers closely linked to the Quantitative Trait Loci reported here and the identified DNA regions for these constituents will be useful for selection and development of soybean cultivars with desirable oil and fatty acids compositions in soybean breeding programs. These identified regions for isoflavones can be used to develop soybean with preferred isoflavone concentrations in soybean seed.

Technical Abstract: Improved seed composition in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) for protein and oil quality is one of the major goals of soybean breeders. A group of genes that act as quantitative traits with their effects can alter protein, oil, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids percentage in soybean seeds. The objective of this study was to identify Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) controlling protein, oil, and fatty acids content in a set of F5:8 RIL populations derived from a cross between lines, MD 96-5722 and ‘Spencer’ using 5,376 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers using the Illumina Infinium SoySNP6K BeadChip array. QTL analysis was done by using WinQTL Cart 2.5 software via composite interval mapping (CIM) which identified one protein QTL on linkage group (LG-) B2 or chromosome (Chr_) 14 and 11 QTL associated with percentages oil identified on six linkage groups viz. LG-N (Chr_3), LG-A1 (Chr_5), LG-K (Chr_9), LG-F (Chr_13), LG-B2 (Chr_14), and LG-J (Chr_16). Sixteen QTLs for five major fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids) was also identified on LG-N (Chr_3), LG-F (Chr_13), LG-B2 (Chr_14), LG-E (Chr_15), LG-J (Chr_16), and LG-G (Chr_18). The SNP markers closely linked to the QTL reported here will be useful for development of cultivars with alter oil and fatty acids compositions in soybean breeding programs.