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Characterization of the Wx gene in diploid Aegilops species and its potential use in wheat breeding

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Abstract

Wx gene encodes for the granule-bound starch synthase I or waxy protein, which is the sole enzyme responsible for amylose synthesis in wheat seeds. The Aegilops species, which are related to wheat, could be important sources of variation in this gene. In addition to its role in starch quality, this gene has been used in phylogenetic studies of wheat. The current study evaluated the variability of Wx gene in seven diploid species of Aegilops genus and compared their nucleotide sequences with the wheat homeologous genes. Nineteen new Wx alleles were found in the seven species evaluated. The alleles detected in two species of the Sitopsis section, Ae. searsii and Ae. speltoides, were related to the Wx-B1 gene of wheat. Two more of the Sitopsis species did not appear to be associated with this genome, whereas the remaining species were related to the Wx-D1 gene of wheat. The results showed an important variation of the Wx gene present in the Aegilops genus, and the 19 new Wx alleles detected could enlarge the genetic pool of wheat.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant AGL2010-19643-C02-01 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, co-financed with the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) from the European Union. We thank the National Small Grain Collection (Aberdeen, USA) for supplying the materials.

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  1. Departamento de Genética, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y de Montes, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, CeiA3, 14071, Córdoba, Spain

    Raúl Ortega, Juan B. Alvarez & Carlos Guzmán

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  1. Raúl Ortega
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  2. Juan B. Alvarez
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  3. Carlos Guzmán
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Correspondence to Juan B. Alvarez.

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Ortega, R., Alvarez, J.B. & Guzmán, C. Characterization of the Wx gene in diploid Aegilops species and its potential use in wheat breeding. Genet Resour Crop Evol 61, 369–382 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-013-0040-y

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