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A new regulator of seed size control in Arabidopsis identified by a genome‐wide association study
Author(s) -
Ren Diqiu,
Wang Xuncheng,
Yang Mei,
Yang Li,
He Guangming,
Deng Xing Wang
Publication year - 2019
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.15642
Subject(s) - biology , arabidopsis , arabidopsis thaliana , quantitative trait locus , genome size , association mapping , genetics , gene , genome , germplasm , trait , locus (genetics) , regulator , expression quantitative trait loci , evolutionary biology , botany , genotype , mutant , single nucleotide polymorphism , computer science , programming language
Summary Organ size in plants is controlled by the interaction between genotype and the environment. Seed size, an important agronomic trait, largely determines yield and is an important focus of research. However, the genetic components underpinning natural variation of seed size in undomesticated species remain largely unidentified. Here we report a genome‐wide association study ( GWAS ) of seed size in Arabidopsis thaliana , which identified 38 significantly associated loci, including one locus associated with CYCB 1;4 . Natural variations in CYCB 1;4 , which encodes a cyclin protein involved in the cell cycle, significantly influence seed size in A. thaliana . Transgenic plants with enhanced CYCB 1;4 expression show normal development, exhibit increased seed size as a result of an accelerated cell cycle progression, and tend to produce higher yields. By contrast, cycb1;4 mutants have smaller seeds, and the effect is especially pronounced in a large‐seed accession. The temporal and spatial expression pattern of CYCB 1;4 suggests that this gene may function in both maternal tissues and zygotic tissues to coordinate the final size of seeds. Taken together, our results provide genetic insights into natural variation in seed size in Arabidopsis . Moreover, CYCB 1;4 homologs in other crops could have great potential as targets for efforts aimed at yield improvement.