Abiotic Stress Signal Network with Expression QTLs for Cold-Responsive Genes in Common Wheat
Abstract
Low temperature causes serious losses in agricultural productivity of wheat. The short-term exposure of plants to low, nonfreezing temperatures leads to an increase in freezing tolerance. This adaptive process called as cold acclimation involves drastic changes in gene expression. A correlation between cold-responsive gene expression patterns and freezing tolerance has been reported in various studies. Natural variations in gene expression between accessions are considered more sensitive to molecular diversity than phenotypic differences. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling differences in transcript accumulation levels are generally called expression QTLs (eQTLs). Our eQTL analysis of five cold-responsive genes demonstrated to identify two major freezing tolerance loci using recombinant inbred lines of common wheat. The identified eQTLs are corresponding to previously identified QTL for freezing tolerance, and play important roles in development of freezing tolerance. Therefore, eQTL analysis is a powerful tool for genetic dissection of complex traits such as abiotic stress tolerance in common wheat.
Keywords
Common Wheat Cold Acclimation Freezing Tolerance Chinese Spring Cultivar DifferenceReferences
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