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DNA methylation pattern of P hotoperiod‐ B 1 is associated with photoperiod insensitivity in wheat ( T riticum aestivum )
Author(s) -
Sun Han,
Guo Zhiai,
Gao Lifeng,
Zhao Guangyao,
Zhang Wenping,
Zhou Ronghua,
Wu Yongzhen,
Wang Haiyang,
An Hailong,
Jia Jizeng
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12948
Subject(s) - biology , dna methylation , haplotype , genetics , methylation , photoperiodism , epigenetics , gene , germplasm , allele , bisulfite sequencing , quantitative trait locus , adaptation (eye) , gene expression , botany , neuroscience
Summary As one of the three key components of the ‘Green Revolution’, photoperiod insensitivity is vital for improved adaptation of wheat ( T riticum aestivum ) cultivars to a wider geographical range. Photoperiod‐ B 1a ( P pd‐ B 1a ) is one of the major genes that confers photoperiod insensitivity in ‘Green Revolution’ varieties, and has made a significant contribution to wheat yield improvement. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the photoperiod insensitivity of P pd‐ B 1a alleles from an epigenetic perspective using a combination of bisulfite genomic sequencing, orthologous comparative analysis, association analysis, linkage analysis and gene expression analysis. Based on the study of a large collection of wheat germplasm, we report two methylation haplotypes of P pd‐ B 1 and demonstrate that the higher methylation haplotype (haplotype a) was associated with increased copy numbers and higher expression levels of the P pd‐ B 1 gene, earlier heading and photoperiod insensitivity. Furthermore, assessment of the distribution frequency of the different methylation haplotypes suggested that the methylation patterns have undergone selection during the wheat breeding process. Our study suggests that DNA methylation in the regulatory region of the P pd‐ B 1 alleles, which is closely related to copy number variation, plays a significant role in wheat breeding, to confer photoperiod insensitivity and better adaptation to a wider geographical range.