Identification of substitution segments and phenotype analysis of Z414
In the study, 8 polymorphic SSR markers on the substitution segments and 233 polymorphic SSR markers outside the substitution segments of Z414 were used to detect the molecular backgrounds of Z414. The results showed that the substitution segments of 10 plants of Z414 were consistent and no other residual segments from Huhan 3 were detected. Z414 contained 4 substitution segments from Huhan 3, which were distributed on the chromosome 3, 5 and 11. The total estimated length of substitution segments was 12.17 Mb, and the average length was 3.04 Mb (Fig. 1).
Compared with Xihui 18, Z414 displayed significant increase in grain width (Fig. 2c), 1000-grain weight, brown rice rate and chalkiness degree by 23.5%, 16.4%, 8.8% and 26.1%, respectively (Fig. 2f, h, i, j). While there was significant decrease in panicle length, grain length and ratio of length to width of Z414 (Fig. 2b, c), reducing by 17.5%, 7.7% and 25.1%, respectively (Fig. 2d, e, g). There were no significant differences in the other traits (Fig. 2a), such as plant height, panicle number per plant, spikelet number per panicle, grain number per panicle, seed-set rate, yield per plant, head rice rate, chalky rice rate and gel consistency (no difference data not shown).
Cytological analysis of the glumes in Z414 and Xihui 18
Since the grain length and width of Xihui 18 was different from Z414 (Fig. 3a, d), Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the cell morphology of glumes in Xihui 18 and Z414 at the heading stage. The cell width in the inner epidermis of the glumes of Z414 was increased significantly than that of Xihui 18 by 22.23% (Fig. 3c, f, h). The total cell number in the outer epidermis of the glume along the longitudinal axis of Z414 was reduced significantly than that of Xihui 18 by 13.52% (Fig. 3b, e, i). The cell length in the inner epidermis of the glumes of Z414 exhibited no significant difference compared with that of Xihui 18 (Fig. 3c, f, g). The results indicated that the short-wide grain of Z414 was mainly caused by decrease of glume cell number and increase of glume cell width.
Identification of QTL using the secondary F 2 population from Xihui18/Z414
A total of 8 QTLs were detected on 3 substitution segments of Z414. They explained the phenotypic variation from 3.86–50.39% (Table 1). The allele qGW5 from Huhan 3 increased the grain width of Z414 by 0.12 mm, explaining 50.39% of the phenotypic variation. The additive effect of qGWT5 from Huhan 3 increased 1000-grain weight of Z414 by 0.63 g. Furthermore, qGW5, qRLW5 and qGWT5 all linked to the same marker RM5874. The allele qGL11 from Huhan 3 reduced the grain length of Z414 by 0.08 mm, explaining 9.96% of the variation in grain length. Similarly, qGL11, qRLW11, qGWT11 and qBRR11 all linked to the same marker RM1812. However, the additive effects of qGL11, qRLW11and qGWT11 decreased the values of corresponding traits, while qBRR11 increased the value (Fig. 1, Table 1). In addition, the additive effect of qPL3 reduced panicle length of Z414 by 0.58 cm per panicle (Table 1).
Table 1
QTL for agronomic and quality traits identified in substitution segments of Z414
Trait | QTL | Chr. | Linked marker | Additive effect | R2 (%) | P-value |
Panicle length (cm) | qPL3 | 3 | RM3766 | -0.58 | 9.02 | 0.0295 |
Grain width(mm) | qGW5 | 5 | RM5874 | 0.12 | 50.39 | 0.0013 |
Grain length (mm) | qGL11 | 11 | RM1812 | -0.08 | 9.96 | 0.0138 |
Ratio of length to width | qRLW5 | 5 | RM5874 | -0.10 | 38.38 | 0.0038 |
Ratio of length to width | qRLW11 | 11 | RM1812 | -0.04 | 7.15 | 0.0069 |
1000-grain weight (g) | qGWT5 | 5 | RM5874 | 0.63 | 10.47 | 0.0450 |
1000-grain weight (g) | qGWT11 | 11 | RM1812 | -0.37 | 3.86 | 0.0457 |
Brown rice rate (%) | qBRR11 | 11 | RM1812 | 1.19 | 5.92 | 0.0309 |
Verification and pyramid of QTLs using the developed SSSLs and DSSLs
On the basis of primary QTL mapping, 6 single segment substitution lines (SSSLs, S1-S6) and 2 dual-segment substitution lines (DSSLs, D1, D2) were developed in F3 by MAS method. Among them, S3, S4, and S5 belonged to SSSLs with overlapping substitution segments (Fig. 4a).
6 QTLs (qPL3, qGW5, qGL11, qRLW5, qRLW11, qGWT5) could be verified by SSSLs (Fig. 4a-f), which indicated that these QTLs could be inherited stably. 2 QTLs (qGWT11 and qBRR11) were not validated by S6, suggesting that the expression of some minor QTLs might be easily influenced by the environment, whose contribution rates to phenotypic variation were only 3.86% for qGWT11 and 5.92% for qBRR11. In addition, 4 QTLs (qGL3, qGL5, qCD3 and qCD5) for grain length and chalkiness degree were detected by S1 and S5(Fig. 4c, g), which were not detected in the secondary F2 population (Table1). The results showed that SSSLs had a higher efficiency of QTL detection.
The Panicle length (25.49 cm) of S1 carrying qPL3 (a=-0.77) was significantly shorter than that (27.03cm) of Xihui 18, while those of S2-S6 without QTL for PL displayed no significant differences with that of Xihui 18 (Fig. 4a, b). Grain length (9.66 and 9.55 mm) of S5 carrying qGL5 (a=-0.13) and S6 with qGL11 (a=-0.19) were significantly shorter than that (9.92 mm) of Xihui18, while grain length (10.35 mm) of S1 carrying qGL3 (a= 0.22) was significantly longer than that (9.92 mm) of Xihui 18, and S2-S4 without QTL for GL exhibited no significant differences with Xihui 18 (Fig. 4a, c). Grain width (3.59 and 3.52 mm) of S4 and S5 harboring qGW5 (a=0.23 and a=0.20) were significantly wider than that (3.12 mm) of Xihui 18, while those of S1, S2, S3 and S6 without QTL for GW showed no significant differences with Xihui 18. The results indicated that qGW5 was located in the same substitution interval of RM405--RM5874-RM3322--RM3328 of chromosome 5 by theory of substitution mapping (Fig. 4a, d). 1000-grain weight (34.40 and 33.43 g) of S4 and S5 containing qGWT5 (a=1.83 and a=1.34) were significantly larger than that (30.75 g) of Xihui 18, and the other SSSLs (S1, S2, S3, S6) without QTL for GWT had no significant differences with Xihui 18. And qGWT5 was in the same substitution interval of chromosome 5 with qGW5 (Fig. 4a, e). Ratio of length to width (2.75, 2.75 and 2.99) of S4, S5 carrying qRLW5 (both a=-0.22) and S6 harboring qRLW11 (a=-0.10) were significantly less than that (3.19) of Xihui 18, and those of S1- S3 without QTL for the trait displayed no significant differences with that of Xihui 18 (Fig. 4a, f). Chalkiness degree (19.76%) of S1 harboring qCD3 (a=-0.59) was significantly lower than that of Xihui18 (20.93%), while chalkiness degree (24.02%) of S5 carrying qCD5 (a=1.54) was significantly higher than that (20.93%) of Xihui 18, the other SSSLs (S2, S3, S4 and S6) without QTL for CD displayed no significant differences with Xihui 18 (Fig. 4a, g).
Pyramid of qGL3 (a= 0.22) and qGL11 (a=-0.19) yielded an epistatic effect of -0.31, which resulted in reduction 0.28 mm of the grain length in D2. The result suggested that pyramid of qGL3 and qGL11 resulted in shorter grains than S6 (containing qGL11) (Fig. 4c), indicating that qGL11 displayed epistatic to qGL3. However, qGL3 (a= 0.22) and a substitution locus without GL on chromosome 3 in D1 belonged to independent inheritance. The grain length (10.25 mm) of D1 exhibited no significant difference with that (10.35 mm) of S1, while significantly longer than that of Xihui18 and S2 (Fig. 4a, c). Pyramid two substitution loci without QTL for 1000-grain weight on chromosomes 3 and 11 in D2 produced an epistatic effect of -2.94, resulting in decrease 2.94 g of 1000-grain weight genetically in D2. Thus, 1000-grain weight (28.99 g) of D2 displayed significantly lower than that (32.65, 31.98, and 30.75 g) of S1, S6 and Xihui18 (Fig. 4a, e). As for the other QTLs in D1 and D2, they all belonged to independent inheritance (Fig. 4b, d, f, g).
Substitution mapping and candidate gene analysis of qGL11 and qGW5
candidate gene analysis of qGL11
According to the above results, we firstly dissected qGL11 into S6 whose estimated and maximum substitution length was 1.42 Mb and 1.66 Mb, respectively (Fig. 5a). In order to fine mapping of qGL11, we developed 5 novel secondary SSSLs (S7-S11) by a cross of Xihui 18 and S6. By theory of substitution mapping, qGL11 was finally delimited into 405 Kb of the estimated substitution interval (Fig. 5a). There were 44 genes in total were found in the estimated substitution interval, only 18 genes with specific functional description except the others annotated as 16 expressed protein, 6 transposon protein and 2 retrotransposon protein and 2 carrier & putative protein. Then, we found only LOC_Os11g05850 (CycT1;3) might be the candidate gene of qGL11 according to the possible signaling pathway regulating grain size (Li and Li. 2016), By DNA sequencing between Xihui 18 and S6, there were 6 SNP differences and a 25-base insertion in the 5'UTR and 1 SNP difference in the 3'UTR, and 1 SNP difference in the CDS which did not cause amino acid change (Fig. 5b). Furthermore, the protein structure displayed no difference between S6 and Xihui18 (Fig. 5c). Especially, expression levels of LOC_Os11g05850 was significantly higher in sheath and panicle in S6 than in Xihui18 (Fig. 5d). Thus, LOC_Os11g05850 (CycT1;3) should be the candidate gene for qGL11.
Substitution mapping and candidate gene analysis of qGW5
Using substitution mapping of S3, S4 and S5, qGW5 was delimited into 1.135 Mb of the estimated substitution length and 1.33 Mb of the maximum substitution interval between RM405 and RM17984 (Fig. 6a). Within the interval, we found 6 genes involved in the reported signaling pathway for grain size, including LOC_Os05g06270 (APIP6, RING E3 Ubiquitin Ligase), LOC_Os05g06280 (SRS3, small and round seed 3), LOC_Os05g06660 (GS5, regulator of grain size), LOC_Os05g06320 (OsERS2, ethylene receptor), LOC_Os05g06670 (OsGA2ox1, gibberellin 2-oxidase gene) and LOC_Os05g07720 (OsTAR1, IAA biosynthesis gene). By DNA sequencing of these genes, only LOC_Os05g06660 (GS5) and LOC_Os05g07720 (OsTAR1) were found existing differences between Xihui 18 and S5. Concerning LOC_Os05g06660 (GS5), as a cloned major QTL for grain size, (GGC)7 repeat after the 90th base of the CDS were found in S5, while only (GGC)5 repeat in Xihui 18, and the GGC encodes Glycine (Fig. 6b). Moreover, the protein structure also displayed some differences between S5 and Xihui18 (Fig. 6c). For LOC_Os05g07720 (OsTAR1), as an IAA biosynthesis gene, there were 4 SNP differences in the CDS between Xihui18 and S5, of which 3 caused amino acid mutations and 1 nonsense mutations (Fig. 6d). Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis showed that expression levels of the LOC_Os05g06660 (GS5) were significantly higher in stem, leaf, sheath and panicle in S5 than in Xihui18 (Fig. 6e), while no significant expression differences of the LOC_Os05g07720 (OsTAR1) were found in all organs between Xihui 18 and S5 (Fig. 6f). Thus, LOC_Os05g06660 (GS5) should be a different allele of qGW5 and LOC_Os05g07720 (OsTAR1) were potential one for qGW5.