Natural allelic diversity, genetic structure and linkage disequilibrium pattern in wild chickpea

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 15;9(9):e107484. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107484. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Characterization of natural allelic diversity and understanding the genetic structure and linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern in wild germplasm accessions by large-scale genotyping of informative microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers is requisite to facilitate chickpea genetic improvement. Large-scale validation and high-throughput genotyping of genome-wide physically mapped 478 genic and genomic microsatellite markers and 380 transcription factor gene-derived SNP markers using gel-based assay, fluorescent dye-labelled automated fragment analyser and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass array have been performed. Outcome revealed their high genotyping success rate (97.5%) and existence of a high level of natural allelic diversity among 94 wild and cultivated Cicer accessions. High intra- and inter-specific polymorphic potential and wider molecular diversity (11-94%) along with a broader genetic base (13-78%) specifically in the functional genic regions of wild accessions was assayed by mapped markers. It suggested their utility in monitoring introgression and transferring target trait-specific genomic (gene) regions from wild to cultivated gene pool for the genetic enhancement. Distinct species/gene pool-wise differentiation, admixed domestication pattern, and differential genome-wide recombination and LD estimates/decay observed in a six structured population of wild and cultivated accessions using mapped markers further signifies their usefulness in chickpea genetics, genomics and breeding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Cicer / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genomics
  • Genotype
  • Linkage Disequilibrium / genetics*
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics

Grants and funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, through their research grant (102/IFD/SAN/2161/2013-14) for this research work. Alice Kujur and Shouvik Das acknowledges the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) for the award of Junior/Senior Research Fellowships. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.