title: Whole genome scan detects an allelic variant of fad2 associated with increased oleic acid levels in maize.
abstract: We used whole genome scan association mapping to identify loci with major effect on oleic acid content in maize kernels. Single nucleotide polymorphism haplotypes at 8,590 loci were tested for association with oleic acid content in 553 maize inbreds. A single locus with major effect on oleic acid was mapped between 380 and 384 cM in the IBM2 neighbors genetic map on chromosome 4 and confirmed in a biparental population. A fatty acid desaturase, fad2, identified approximately 2 kb from the associated genetic marker, is the most likely candidate gene responsible for the differences in the phenotype. The fad2 alleles with high- and low-oleic acid content were sequenced and allelic differences in fad2 RNA level in developing embryos was investigated. We propose that a non-conservative amino acid polymorphism near the active site of fad2 contributes to the effect on oleic acid content. This is the first report of the use of a high resolution whole genome scan association mapping where a putative gene responsible for a quantitative trait was identified in plants.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Integrative Training Option program, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, 152 Townsend Hall, Newark, DE 19716, USA. andbelo@gmail.com
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beló
authors.forename: Peizhong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luck
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Bailin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tingey
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafalski
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018745:Genome, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D019301:Oleic Acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C040448:delta-12 fatty acid desaturase