Network Analysis Prioritizes and As the Candidate Genes for Major EQTL Hotspots in Seed Germination of

Overview

Journal G3 (Bethesda)

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialties Genetics
Molecular Biology

Date 2020 Sep 23

PMID 32963085

Citations 4

Authors

Margi Hartanto

Ronny V L Joosen

Basten L Snoek

Leo A J Willems

Mark G Sterken

Dick de Ridder

Henk W M Hilhorst

Wilco Ligterink

Harm Nijveen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Seed germination is characterized by a constant change of gene expression across different time points. These changes are related to specific processes, which eventually determine the onset of seed germination. To get a better understanding on the regulation of gene expression during seed germination, we performed a quantitative trait locus mapping of gene expression (eQTL) at four important seed germination stages (primary dormant, after-ripened, six-hour after imbibition, and radicle protrusion stage) using Bay x Sha recombinant inbred lines (RILs). The mapping displayed the distinctness of the eQTL landscape for each stage. We found several eQTL hotspots across stages associated with the regulation of expression of a large number of genes. Interestingly, an eQTL hotspot on chromosome five collocates with hotspots for phenotypic and metabolic QTL in the same population. Finally, we constructed a gene co-expression network to prioritize the regulatory genes for two major eQTL hotspots. The network analysis prioritizes transcription factors and as the most likely regulatory genes for the hotspot. Together, we have revealed that the genetic regulation of gene expression is dynamic along the course of seed germination.

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