title: Natural occurring epialleles determine vitamin E accumulation in tomato fruits.
abstract: Vitamin E (VTE) content is a low heritability nutritional trait for which the genetic determinants are poorly understood. Here, we focus on a previously detected major tomato VTE quantitative trait loci (QTL; mQTL(9-2-6)) and identify the causal gene as one encoding a 2-methyl-6-phytylquinol methyltransferase (namely VTE3(1)) that catalyses one of the final steps in the biosynthesis of γ- and α-tocopherols, which are the main forms of VTE. By reverse genetic approaches, expression analyses, siRNA profiling and DNA methylation assays, we demonstrate that mQTL(9-2-6) is an expression QTL associated with differential methylation of a SINE retrotransposon located in the promoter region of VTE3(1). Promoter DNA methylation can be spontaneously reverted leading to different epialleles affecting VTE3(1) expression and VTE content in fruits. These findings indicate therefore that naturally occurring epialleles are responsible for regulation of a nutritionally important metabolic QTL and provide direct evidence of a role for epigenetics in the determination of agronomic traits.
authors: 1] Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina [2] Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie (IBENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 8197, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U 1024, F-75005 Paris, France.
authors: Leandro
authors: L
authors: Quadrana
authors: Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Juliana
authors: J
authors: Almeida
authors: CIBICI, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba CC 5000, Argentina.
authors: Ramon
authors: R
authors: Asís
authors: Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Tomás
authors: T
authors: Duffy
authors: Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Pia Guadalupe
authors: PG
authors: Dominguez
authors: 1] Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina [2] Cátedra de Genética Agrícola. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Avenida San Martín 4453, CABA 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Luisa
authors: L
authors: Bermúdez
authors: 1] Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina [2] Cátedra de Genética Agrícola. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Avenida San Martín 4453, CABA 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Conti
authors: Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Junia V
authors: JV
authors: Corrêa da Silva
authors: Cátedra de Botánica Agrícola. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional del Cuyo, Almirante Brown 500, Chacras de Coria & IADIZA-CCT CONICET, 5505 Mendoza, Argentina.
authors: Iris E
authors: IE
authors: Peralta
authors: Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie (IBENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 8197, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U 1024, F-75005 Paris, France.
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Colot
authors: Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Asurmendi
authors: Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Gölm, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
authors: Alisdair R
authors: AR
authors: Fernie
authors: Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Magdalena
authors: M
authors: Rossi
authors: 1] Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Dr. N. Repetto y Los Reseros s/n CP 1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina [2] Cátedra de Genética Agrícola. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Avenida San Martín 4453, CABA 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Carrari
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014810:Vitamin E