Dynamic QTLs for sugars and enzyme activities provide an overview of genetic control of sugar metabolism during peach fruit development.
Knowledge of the genetic control of sugar metabolism is essential to enhance fruit quality and promote fruit consumption. The sugar content and composition of fruits varies with species, cultivar and stage of development, and is controlled by multiple enzymes. A QTL (quantitative trait locus) study was performed on peach fruit [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], the model species for Prunus Progeny derived from an interspecific cross between P. persica cultivars and P. davidiana was used. Dynamic QTLs for fresh weight, sugars, acids, and enzyme activities related to sugar metabolism were detected at different stages during fruit development. Changing effects of alleles during fruit growth were observed, including inversions close to maturity. This QTL analysis was supplemented by the identification of genes annotated on the peach genome as enzymes linked to sugar metabolism or sugar transporters. Several cases of co-locations between annotated genes, QTLs for enzyme activities and QTLs controlling metabolite concentrations were observed and discussed. These co-locations raise hypotheses regarding the functional regulation of sugar metabolism and pave the way for further analyses to enable the identification of the underlying genes. In conclusion, we identified the potential impact on fruit breeding of the modification of QTL effect close to maturity.
Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France.
Elsa
E
Desnoues
Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France.
Valentina
V
Baldazzi
Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France.
Michel
M
Génard
Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France.
Jehan-Baptiste
JB
Mauroux
Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France.
Patrick
P
Lambert
Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France.
Carole
C
Confolent
Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France benedicte.quilot@avignon.inra.fr.
Bénédicte
0000-0003-4095-1399
B
Quilot-Turion
D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000235:genetics*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005638:Fruit / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D000068239:Prunus persica / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci
Dynamic QTLs; Prunus persica; enzymes; fruit; genetic control; sugar metabolism.