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Heterosis in root development and differential gene expression between hybrids and their parental inbreds in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

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Abstract

In spite of commercial use of heterosis in agriculture, the molecular basis of heterosis is poorly understood. In this study, heterosis was estimated for eight root traits in 20 wheat hybrids derived from a NC Design II mating scheme. Positive mid-parent heterosis was detected in 96 of 160 hybrid–trait combinations, and positive high-parent heterosis was detected in 79 of 160 hybrid-trait combinations. Improved differential display was used to analyze alterations in gene expression between hybrids and their parents in roots at the jointing stage. More than 990 fragments were repeatedly displayed, among which 27.52% were differentially expressed between hybrids and their parents. Four differential expression patterns were observed. Thirty differentially expressed cDNA fragments and three genes with open reading frames were cloned, and their expression patterns were confirmed by reverse-northern blot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis, respectively. We concluded that these differentially expressed genes, though mostly with unknown function, could play important roles for hybrids to demonstrate heterosis in root system traits.

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Acknowledgments

Assistance from Prof. Zhang Fusuo (CAU) for root quantification is greatly appreciated. This work was financially supported by the State Key Basic Research and Development Plan of China (2001CB1088), National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (39925026) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (30270824).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan Xilu No. 2, Beijing, 100094, China

    Zhangkui Wang, Zhongfu Ni, Hualing Wu, Xiuling Nie & Qixin Sun

  2. Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Zhangkui Wang, Zhongfu Ni, Hualing Wu, Xiuling Nie & Qixin Sun

  3. Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Zhangkui Wang, Zhongfu Ni, Hualing Wu, Xiuling Nie & Qixin Sun

  4. Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Zhangkui Wang, Zhongfu Ni, Hualing Wu, Xiuling Nie & Qixin Sun

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  1. Zhangkui Wang
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  2. Zhongfu Ni
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  3. Hualing Wu
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Correspondence to Qixin Sun.

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Communicated by D. Mather

Z. Wang and Z. Ni contributed to this article equally.

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Wang, Z., Ni, Z., Wu, H. et al. Heterosis in root development and differential gene expression between hybrids and their parental inbreds in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 113, 1283–1294 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-006-0382-3

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