Plant & Animal Genomes XIV Conference Plant & Animal Genomes XIV ConferenceJanuary 14-18, 2006
Town & Country Convention Center
San Diego, CA
Fabien Chardon1 , Bérangère Virlon2 , Laurence Moreau2 , Matthieu Falque2 , Johann Joets2 , Laurent Decousset3 , Alain Murigneux 3 , Alain Charcosset2
In order to better understand the genetic architecture of flowering time in maize, we developed two complementary and global approaches: meta-analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and projection of candidate genes by using synteny conservation with the rice genome. A total of 313 QTL available for flowering time were analyzed first with an overview statistic that highlighted regions of key importance and then with a meta-analysis method that yielded a synthetic genetic model with 62 consensus QTL. Six of these displayed a major effect. Meta-analysis led in this case to a twofold increase in the precision in QTL position estimation, when compared to the most precise initial QTL position within the corresponding region. The 62 consensus QTL were compared first to the positions of the few flowering-time candidate genes that have been mapped in maize. We then projected rice candidate genes onto the maize genome using a synteny conservation approach based on comparative mapping between the maize genetic map and japonica rice physical map. This yielded 19 associations between maize QTL and genes involved in flowering time in rice and in Arabidopsis. Results suggest that the combination of meta-analysis within a species of interest and synteny-based projections from a related model plant can be an efficient strategy for identifying new candidate genes for trait variation. This work was supported by the Génoplante program.