Genetic architecture of zinc hyperaccumulation in Arabidopsis halleri: the essential role of QTL x environment interactions

New Phytol. 2010 Jul;187(2):355-367. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03295.x. Epub 2010 May 12.

Abstract

This study sought to determine the main genomic regions that control zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulation in Arabidopsis halleri and to examine genotype x environment effects on phenotypic variance. To do so, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were mapped using an interspecific A. halleri x Arabidopsis lyrata petraea F(2) population. *The F(2) progeny as well as representatives of the parental populations were cultivated on soils at two different Zn concentrations. A linkage map was constructed using 70 markers. *In both low and high pollution treatments, zinc hyperaccumulation showed high broad-sense heritability (81.9 and 74.7%, respectively). Five significant QTLs were detected: two QTLs specific to the low pollution treatment (chromosomes 1 and 4), and three QTLs identified at both treatments (chromosomes 3, 6 and 7). These QTLs explained 50.1 and 36.5% of the phenotypic variance in low and high pollution treatments, respectively. Two QTLs identified at both treatments (chromosomes 3 and 6) showed significant QTL x environment interactions. *The QTL on chromosome 3 largely colocalized with a major QTL previously identified for Zn and cadmium (Cd) tolerance. This suggests that Zn tolerance and hyperaccumulation share, at least partially, a common genetic basis and may have simultaneously evolved on heavy metal-contaminated soils.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Arabidopsis / drug effects
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Chromosome Segregation / drug effects
  • Chromosome Segregation / genetics
  • Environment*
  • Environmental Pollutants / pharmacology
  • Genetic Markers
  • Quantitative Trait Loci / genetics*
  • Quantitative Trait, Heritable
  • Zinc / metabolism*

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Genetic Markers
  • Zinc