Plant & Animal Genome VI Conference

P26

CONSTRUCTION OF A SOYBEAN TRANSFORMATION COMPETENT ARTIFICIAL CHOROMOSOME LIBRARY FOR THE EFFICIENT ISOLATION OF SOYBEAN GENES

1. Depatment of Plant Soil and General Agriculture, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Carbondale IL 62901-4415
2. Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Crop Biotechnology Center, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843-2123

The soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar "Forrest" represent a source of resistance genes to soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and sudden death syndrome (SDS). Currently we have constructed a high-resolution genetic map of the two loci (QTLs) Rhg4 and rhg1 conferring resistance to SCN race 3. A new type of vector system will accelerate the cloning of Rhg4, rhg1 and other agronomically important genes (SDS, yield...) that were mapped in the cultivar "Forrest". This vector should be able to accept large DNA fragments and to transform plants directly. (Bibac, Hamilton et al.,1996; B41 Zhang et al. submited). We have constructed a Forrest Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) library in the Bibac vector and B41 vectors. This library will provide clones for physical mapping of the soybean genome and for chromosome walking or landing. Candidate clones containing target genes can be directly used to transform plants via Agrobacterium-mediated methods for genetic complementation test.