title: Transcriptomics-assisted quantitative trait locus fine mapping for the rapid identification of a nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein gene regulating boron efficiency in allotetraploid rapeseed.
abstract: Allotetraploid rapeseed (Brassica napus L., An An Cn Cn , 2n = 4x = 38) is extraordinarily susceptible to boron (B) deficiency, a ubiquitous problem causing severe losses in seed yield. The breeding of B-efficient rapeseed germ plasm is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy for the agricultural industry; however, genes regulating B efficiency in allotetraploid rapeseed have not yet been isolated. In this research, quantitative trait locus (QTL) fine mapping and digital gene expression (DGE) profiling were combined to identify the candidate genes underlying the major-effect QTL qBEC-A3a, which regulates B efficiency. Comparative phenotype analyses of the near-isogenic lines (NILs) indicated that qBEC-A3a plays a significant role in improving B efficiency under B deficiency. Exploiting QTL fine mapping and DGE analyses revealed a nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein (NIP) gene, which encodes a likely boric acid channel. The gene co-expression network for putative B transporters also highlighted its central role in the efficiency of B uptake. An integration of whole-genome re-sequencing (WGS) with bulked segregant analysis (BSA) authenticated the emerging availability of QTL-seq for the QTL analyses in allotetraploid rapeseed. Transcriptomics-assisted QTL mapping and comparative genomics provided novel insights into the rapid identification of quantitative trait genes (QTGs) in plant species with complex genomes.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Yingpeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Didi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Mingliang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Guangda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Microelement Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Fangsen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000235:genetics; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001895:Boron / Q000378:metabolism*; D029688:Brassica napus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci
chemical_list: D020346:Aquaporins; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C512214:NIP5;1 protein, Arabidopsis; D001895:Boron
keywords: Brassica napus; boron transporter; near-isogenic lines; positional cloning; sequencing