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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315894
Title: Genome-wide association study of ureide concentration in diverse maturity group IV soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accessions

Author
item Ray, Jeffery - Jeff
item DHANAPAL, ARUN - University Of Missouri
item SINGH, SHARDENDU - University Of Missouri
item HOYOS-VILLEGAS, VALERIO - University Of Missouri
item Smith, James - Rusty
item PURCELL, LARRY - University Of Arkansas
item KING, C - University Of Arkansas
item Boykin, Deborah
item Cregan, Perry
item Song, Qijian
item FRITSCHI, FELIX - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: G3, Genes/Genomes/Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/8/2015
Publication Date: 9/14/2015
Citation: Ray, J.D., Dhanapal, A.P., Singh, S.K., Hoyos-Villegas, V., Smith, J.R., Purcell, L.C., King, C.A., Boykin, D.L., Cregan, P.B., Song, Q., Fritschi, F.B. 2015. Genome-wide association study of ureide concentration in diverse maturity group IV soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accessions. G3, Genes/Genomes/Genetics. 5:2391-2403.

Interpretive Summary: Ureides are biochemical products of nitrogen-fixation that are transported from soybean nodules located on the roots to the leaves. Ureides are known to accumulate in leaves in response to water-deficit stress and this has been used to identify genotypes with reduced nitrogen-fixation sensitivity to drought. Our objectives were to determine shoot ureide concentrations in 374 soybean lines and to identify genomic regions associated with shoot ureide concentration. The soybean lines were grown at two locations in two years and characterized for ureide concentration at beginning flowering to full bloom. In total, 33 likely locations in the soybean genome were identified as associated with ureide concentration. Twenty of these regions were near known genes or locations previously found to be associated with ureide concentration. The remaining 13 genomic locations may mark chromosomal regions not previously associated with shoot ureide concentration. Ultimately, confirmation of these genomic locations will provide new sources of variation for use in breeding programs developing improved soybean cultivars.

Technical Abstract: Ureides are the N-rich products of N-fixation that are transported from soybean nodules to the shoot. Ureides are known to accumulate in leaves in response to water-deficit stress and this has been used to identify genotypes with reduced N-fixation sensitivity to drought. Our objectives in this research were to determine shoot ureide concentrations in 374 Maturity Group IV soybean accessions and to identify genomic regions associated with shoot ureide concentration. The accessions were grown at two locations (Columbia, MO and Stuttgart, AR) in two years (2009 and 2010) and characterized for ureide concentration at beginning flowering to full bloom. Average shoot ureide concentrations across all four environments (two locations and two years) and 374 accessions ranged from 12.4 to 33.1 µmol g-1 and were comparable to previously reported values. SNP-ureide associations within and across the four environments were assessed using 33,957 SNPs with a MAF = 0.03. In total, 33 putative loci on 16 chromosomes were identified as associated with ureide concentration. Three of the putative loci were located near previously reported QTLs associated with ureide concentration and 18 loci were located near genes associated with ureide metabolism. Thirteen loci were not near chromosomal regions previously associated with shoot ureide concentration and may mark new genes involved in ureide metabolism. Ultimately, confirmation of these putative loci will provide new sources of variation for use in breeding programs developing improved soybean cultivars.