title: Genetic analysis of inflorescence and plant height components in sorghum (Panicoidae) and comparative genetics with rice (Oryzoidae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Domestication has played an important role in shaping characteristics of the inflorescence and plant height in cultivated cereals. Taking advantage of meta-analysis of QTLs, phylogenetic analyses in 502 diverse sorghum accessions, GWAS in a sorghum association panel (n = 354) and comparative data, we provide insight into the genetic basis of the domestication traits in sorghum and rice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on 6 traits related to inflorescence morphology and 6 traits related to plant height in sorghum, comparing the genomic regions implicated in these traits by GWAS and QTL mapping, respectively. In a search for signatures of selection, we identify genomic regions that may contribute to sorghum domestication regarding plant height, flowering time and pericarp color. Comparative studies across taxa show functionally conserved 'hotspots' in sorghum and rice for awn presence and pericarp color that do not appear to reflect corresponding single genes but may indicate co-regulated clusters of genes. We also reveal homoeologous regions retaining similar functions for plant height and flowering time since genome duplication an estimated 70 million years ago or more in a common ancestor of cereals. In most such homoeologous QTL pairs, only one QTL interval exhibits strong selection signals in modern sorghum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intersections among QTL, GWAS and comparative data advance knowledge of genetic determinants of inflorescence and plant height components in sorghum, and add new dimensions to comparisons between sorghum and rice.
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. donz@uga.edu.|Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. donz@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. wqkong@uga.edu.|Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. wqkong@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Wenqian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. jsrobert@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. vhgoff@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Valorie H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Goff
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. impossibletospell@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Epps
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. alkerr@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. gabewmills@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. cromwell@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cromwell
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. ylugin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yelena
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lugin
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. christinep312@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. paterson@uga.edu.|Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. paterson@uga.edu.|Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. paterson@uga.edu.|Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. paterson@uga.edu.|Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. paterson@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Paterson
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000254:growth & development; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D045868:Sorghum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins