Research article
Chromosomal loci important for cotyledon opening under UV-B in Arabidopsis thaliana
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* Corresponding author: Ann E Stapleton stapletona@uncw.edu
1 Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1417 DSE Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403 USA
3 Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403 USA
BMC Plant Biology 2010, 10:112 doi:10.1186/1471-2229-10-112
Published: 16 June 2010Abstract
Background
Understanding of the genetic architecture of plant UV-B responses allows extensive targeted testing of candidate genes or regions, along with combinations of those genes, for placement in metabolic or signal transduction pathways.
Results
Composite interval mapping and single-marker analysis methods were used to identify significant loci for cotyledon opening under UV-B in four sets of recombinant inbred lines. In addition, loci important for canalization (stability) of cotyledon opening were detected in two mapping populations. One candidate locus contained the gene HY5. Mutant analysis demonstrated that HY5 was required for UV-B-specific cotyledon opening.
Conclusions
Structured mapping populations provide key information on the degree of complexity in the genetic control of UV-B-induced cotyledon opening in Arabidopsis. The loci identified using quantitative trait analysis methods are useful for follow-up testing of candidate genes.