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Quantitative trait loci analysis to study the genetic regulation of non-polar metabolites in perennial ryegrass

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Abstract

In recent years advances in quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of complex metabolomics traits have been made in plants. This study is a two-phase experiment in which we have profiled transesterified non-polar metabolites in a Lolium perenne population consisting of parents, F1 and 325 F2 genotypes. These were grown in a replicated field trial, then analysed in batches by a targeted approach using gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS), which identified 17 metabolites. The metabolite data was analysed using a mixed model that included random effects of field replicate, laboratory batch and technical replication to derive genotype means for QTL mapping. Using a linkage map of 326 markers, mainly Diversity Array Technology markers, QTLs were detected for seven of the metabolites. The most heritable metabolite was octacosanol, where a single QTL on linkage group four explained 42 % of the trait variance.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the expert help in manually editing metabolite data to Alexandre Gervaise. This study was financed through a Research Stimulus Fund Grant by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine (RSF 06-346).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Teagasc, Crops Environment and Land Use Programme, Oak Park Research Centre, Carlow, Ireland

    Alexandre Foito, Stephen L. Byrne & Susanne Barth

  2. Enhancing Crop Productivity and Utilisation, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK

    Alexandre Foito & Derek Stewart

  3. Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK

    Christine Anne Hackett

  4. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Research Centre Flakkebjerg, Aarhus University, Forsøgsvej 1, 4200, Slagelse, Denmark

    Stephen L. Byrne

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  1. Alexandre Foito
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  2. Christine Anne Hackett
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  3. Stephen L. Byrne
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Correspondence to Susanne Barth.

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Alexandre Foito and Christine Anne Hackett contributed equally to the work.

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Foito, A., Hackett, C.A., Byrne, S.L. et al. Quantitative trait loci analysis to study the genetic regulation of non-polar metabolites in perennial ryegrass. Metabolomics 11, 412–424 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-014-0703-5

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