In Silico and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Mapping Reveals Collinearity between the Pennisetum squamulatum Apomixis Carrier-Chromosome and Chromosome 2 of Sorghum and Foxtail Millet

PLoS One. 2016 Mar 31;11(3):e0152411. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152411. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Apomixis, or clonal propagation through seed, is a trait identified within multiple species of the grass family (Poaceae). The genetic locus controlling apomixis in Pennisetum squamulatum (syn Cenchrus squamulatus) and Cenchrus ciliaris (syn Pennisetum ciliare, buffelgrass) is the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR). Previously, the ASGR was shown to be highly conserved but inverted in marker order between P. squamulatum and C. ciliaris based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and varied in both karyotype and position of the ASGR on the ASGR-carrier chromosome among other apomictic Cenchrus/Pennisetum species. Using in silico transcript mapping and verification of physical positions of some of the transcripts via FISH, we discovered that the ASGR-carrier chromosome from P. squamulatum is collinear with chromosome 2 of foxtail millet and sorghum outside of the ASGR. The in silico ordering of the ASGR-carrier chromosome markers, previously unmapped in P. squamulatum, allowed for the identification of a backcross line with structural changes to the P. squamulatum ASGR-carrier chromosome derived from gamma irradiated pollen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apomixis / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial
  • Chromosomes, Plant*
  • Contig Mapping
  • Genetic Linkage
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Pennisetum / genetics*
  • Setaria Plant / genetics
  • Sorghum / genetics*

Grants and funding

This study was partially funded by a Sponsored Research Agreement between Peggy Ozias-Akins/UGA and Pioneer Hi-Bred. Pioneer Hi-Bred provided financial support for research materials, in kind support, and had intellectual input into the design, analysis and interpretation of the results.