1. Genetic diversity associated with variation in silage corn digestibility for threeO-methyltransferase genes involved in lignin biosynthesis.
- Author
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Guillet-Claude, C., Birolleau-Touchard, C., Manicacci, D., Fourmann, M., Barraud, S., Carret, V., Martinant, J., and Barrière, Y.
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METHYLTRANSFERASES , *TRANSFERASES , *GENES , *LIGNINS , *GENETICS , *GENOMICS , *MOLECULAR genetics - Abstract
Polymorphisms within three candidate genes for lignin biosynthesis were investigated to identify alleles useful for the improvement of maize digestibility. The allelic diversity of two caffeoyl-CoA 3-O-methyltransferase genes,CCoAOMT2andCCoAOMT1, as well as that of the aldehydeO-methyltransferase gene,AldOMT, was evaluated for 34 maize lines chosen for their varying degrees of cell wall digestibility. Frequency of nucleotide changes averaged one SNP every 35 bp. Ninety-one indels were identified in non-coding regions and only four in coding regions. Numerous distinct and highly diverse haplotypes were identified at each locus. Numerous sites were in linkage disequilibrium that declined rapidly within a few hundred bases. For F4, an early flint French line with high cell wall digestibility, theCCoAOMT2first exon presented many non-synonymous polymorphisms. Notably we found an 18-bp indel, which resembled a microsatellite and was associated with cell wall digestibility variation. Additionally, theCCoAOMT2gene co-localized with a QTL for cell wall digestibility and lignin content. Together, these results suggest that genetic diversity investigated on a broader genetic basis could contribute to the identification of favourable alleles to be used in the molecular breeding of elite maize germplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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