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Natural variation in the sequence of PSY1 and frequency of favorable polymorphisms among tropical and temperate maize germplasm

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Abstract

Provitamin A (Pro-VA) is necessary for human vision and immune system health, especially in growing children. The first committed step in the maize carotenoid biosynthesis pathway is catalyzed by phytoene synthase 1 (encoded by PSY1) which controls the flux of substrates into the pathway. The flow of these substrates could be directed into production of the β-branch carotenoids (the step controlled largely by the lycopene epsilon cyclase gene), but terminated after the production of β-carotene, rather than allowing it to be converted into the next metabolite (the step controlled largely by the β-carotenoid hydroxylase gene). In this study, PSY1 was subjected to association mapping in two diverse maize populations, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in one segregating population, and expression analysis of lines polymorphic for sites within PSY1. The results indicated that a 378-bp InDel upstream of the transcription start site and a SNP in the fifth exon resulting in a Thr to Asn substitution, explaining 7 and 8 % of the total carotenoid variation, respectively, may be functional sites associated with total carotenoid levels in maize grain. Analysis of the evolution of PSY1 strongly suggests that there was positive selection for these polymorphic sites after the divergence of yellow maize from white maize.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Brent Buckner and Sherry Flint-Garcia for their useful comments and suggestions. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30821140352 and 31000715), the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (2012AA10A307), and the Harvest Plus Challenge Program. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or the preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Genetic Improvement (Ministry of Agriculture), National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Haidian, 100193, Beijing, China

    Zhiyuan Fu, Yuchao Chai, Yi Zhou, Xiaohong Yang, Shutu Xu, Ye Cai, Dalong Zhang & Jiansheng Li

  2. Zhengzhou National Maize Improvement Sub-center of China, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China

    Zhiyuan Fu

  3. USDA-ARS Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit, 9555, Mississippi, MS, 39762, USA

    Marilyn L. Warburton

  4. National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China

    Jianbing Yan

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  1. Zhiyuan Fu
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  2. Yuchao Chai
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  3. Yi Zhou
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  4. Xiaohong Yang
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  5. Marilyn L. Warburton
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  6. Shutu Xu
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  7. Ye Cai
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  8. Dalong Zhang
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  9. Jiansheng Li
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  10. Jianbing Yan
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Correspondence to Jianbing Yan.

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Communicated by T. Luebberstedt.

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Fu, Z., Chai, Y., Zhou, Y. et al. Natural variation in the sequence of PSY1 and frequency of favorable polymorphisms among tropical and temperate maize germplasm. Theor Appl Genet 126, 923–935 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-012-2026-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-012-2026-0

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