title: Genome-Wide Discovery of DNA Polymorphisms in Mei (Prunus mumeSieb. et Zucc.), an Ornamental Woody Plant, with Contrasting Tree Architecture and their Functional Relevance for Weeping Trait.
abstract: Next-generation sequencing technologies provide opportunities to ascertain the genetic basis of phenotypic differences, even in the closely related cultivars via detection of large amount of DNA polymorphisms. In this study, we performed whole-genome re-sequencing of two mei cultivars with contrasting tree architecture. 75.87 million 100 bp pair-end reads were generated, with 92 % coverage of the genome. Re-sequencing data of two former upright mei cultivars were applied for detecting DNA polymorphisms, since we were more interested in variations conferring weeping trait. Applying stringent parameters, 157,317 mutual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 15,064 mutual insertions-deletions (InDels) were detected and found unevenly distributed within and among the mei chromosomes, which lead to the discovery of 220 high-density, 463 low-density SNP regions together with 80 high-density InDel regions. Additionally, 322 large-effect SNPs and 433 large-effect InDels were detected, and 10.09 % of the SNPs were observed in coding regions. 5.25 % SNPs in coding regions resulted in non-synonymous changes. Ninety SNPs were chosen randomly for validation using high-resolution melt analysis. 93.3 % of the candidate SNPs contained the predicted SNPs. Pfam analysis was further conducted to better understand SNP effects on gene functions. DNA polymorphisms of two known QTL loci conferring weeping trait and their functional effect were also analyzed thoroughly. This study highlights promising functional markers for molecular breeding and a whole-genome genetic basis of weeping trait in mei.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Junhuo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Qixiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Tangren
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Huitang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment and College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Weiru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: Gene function; Insertions/deletions; Prunus mume; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Weeping trait