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Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs (sRNAs) approximately 21 nucleotides in length that negatively control gene expression by cleaving or inhibiting the translation of target gene transcripts. Within this context, miRNAs and siRNAs are coming to the forefront as molecular mediators of gene regulation in plant responses to annual temperature cycling and cold stress. For this reason, we chose to identify and characterize the conserved and non-conserved miRNA component of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) focusing our efforts on both the recently released whole genome sequence of peach and sRNA transcriptome sequences from two tissues representing non-dormant leaves and dormant leaf buds. Conserved and non-conserved miRNAs, and their targets were identified. These sRNA resources were used to identify cold-responsive miRNAs whose gene targets co-localize with previously described QTLs for chilling requirement (CR). Results Analysis of 21 million peach sRNA reads allowed us to identify 157 and 230 conserved and non-conserved miRNA sequences. Among the non-conserved miRNAs, we identified 205 that seem to be specific to peach. Comparative genome analysis between peach and Arabidopsis showed that conserved miRNA families, with the exception of miR5021, are similar in size. Sixteen of these conserved miRNA families are deeply rooted in land plant phylogeny as they are present in mosses and/or lycophytes. Within the other conserved miRNA families, five families (miR1446, miR473, miR479, miR3629, and miR3627) were reported only in tree species (Populustrichocarpa, Citrus trifolia, and Prunus persica). Expression analysis identified several up-regulated or down-regulated miRNAs in winter buds versus young leaves. A search of the peach proteome allowed the prediction of target genes for most of the conserved miRNAs and a large fraction of non-conserved miRNAs. A fraction of predicted targets in peach have not been previously reported in other species. Several conserved and non-conserved miRNAs and miRNA-regulated genes co-localize with Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) for chilling requirement (CR-QTL) and bloom date (BD-QTL). Conclusions In this work, we identified a large set of conserved and non-conserved miRNAs and describe their evolutionary footprint in angiosperm lineages. Several of these miRNAs were induced in winter buds and co-localized with QTLs for chilling requirement and bloom date thus making their gene targets potential candidates for mediating plant responses to cold stress. Several peach homologs of genes participating in the regulation of vernalization in Arabidopsis were identified as differentially expressed miRNAs targets, potentially linking these gene activities to cold responses in peach dormant buds. The non-conserved miRNAs may regulate cellular, physiological or developmental processes specific to peach and/or other tree species.

Abstract Background Due to the lack of availability of large genomic sequences for peach or other Prunus species, the degree of synteny conservation between the Prunus species and Arabidopsis has not been systematically assessed. Using the recently available peach EST sequences that are anchored to Prunus genetic maps and to peach physical map, we analyzed the extent of conserved synteny between the Prunus and the Arabidopsis genomes. The reconstructed pseudo-ancestral Arabidopsis genome, existed prior to the proposed recent polyploidy event, was also utilized in our analysis to further elucidate the evolutionary relationship. Results We analyzed the synteny conservation between the Prunus and the Arabidopsis genomes by comparing 475 peach ESTs that are anchored to Prunus genetic maps and their Arabidopsis homologs detected by sequence similarity. Microsyntenic regions were detected between all five Arabidopsis chromosomes and seven of the eight linkage groups of the Prunus reference map. An additional 1097 peach ESTs that are anchored to 431 BAC contigs of the peach physical map and their Arabidopsis homologs were also analyzed. Microsyntenic regions were detected in 77 BAC contigs. The syntenic regions from both data sets were short and contained only a couple of conserved gene pairs. The synteny between peach and Arabidopsis was fragmentary; all the Prunus linkage groups containing syntenic regions matched to more than two different Arabidopsis chromosomes, and most BAC contigs with multiple conserved syntenic regions corresponded to multiple Arabidopsis chromosomes. Using the same peach EST datasets and their Arabidopsis homologs, we also detected conserved syntenic regions in the pseudo-ancestral Arabidopsis genome. In many cases, the gene order and content of peach regions was more conserved in the ancestral genome than in the present Arabidopsis region. Statistical significance of each syntenic group was calculated using simulated Arabidopsis genome. Conclusion We report here the result of the first extensive analysis of the conserved microsynteny using DNA sequences across the Prunus genome and their Arabidopsis homologs. Our study also illustrates that both the ancestral and present Arabidopsis genomes can provide a useful resource for marker saturation and candidate gene search, as well as elucidating evolutionary relationships between species.

Chestnut blight (caused by Cryphonectria parasitica ), together with Phytophthora root rot (caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi ), has nearly extirpated American chestnut ( Castanea dentata ) from its native range. In contrast to the susceptibility of American chestnut, many Chinese chestnut ( C. mollissima ) genotypes are resistant to blight. In this research, we performed a series of genome-wide association studies for blight resistance originating from three unrelated Chinese chestnut trees (Mahogany, Nanking and M16) and a Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) study on a Mahogany-derived inter-species F2 family. We evaluated trees for resistance to blight after artificial inoculation with two fungal strains and scored nine morpho-phenological traits that are the hallmarks of species differentiation between American and Chinese chestnuts. Results support a moderately complex genetic architecture for blight resistance, as 31 QTLs were found on 12 chromosomes across all studies. Additionally, although most morpho-phenological trait QTLs overlap or are adjacent to blight resistance QTLs, they tend to aggregate in a few genomic regions. Finally, comparison between QTL intervals for blight resistance and those previously published for Phytophthora root rot resistance, revealed five common disease resistance regions on chromosomes 1, 5, and 11. Our results suggest that it will be difficult, but still possible to eliminate Chinese chestnut alleles for the morpho-phenological traits while achieving relatively high blight resistance in a backcross hybrid tree. We see potential for a breeding scheme that utilizes marker-assisted selection early for relatively large effect QTLs followed by genome selection in later generations for smaller effect genomic regions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Fan, Georgi, Hebard, Zhebentyayeva, Yu, Sisco, Fitzsimmons, Staton, Abbott and Nelson.)

The American chestnut (Castanea dentata, 2n = 2x = 24), once known as the "King of the Appalachian Forest", was decimated by chestnut blight during the first half of the twentieth century by an invasive fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica). The Chinese chestnut (C. mollissima, 2n = 2x = 24), in contrast to American chestnut, is resistant to this blight. Efforts are being made to transfer this resistance to American chestnut through backcross breeding and genetic engineering. Both chestnut genomes have been genetically mapped and recently sequenced to facilitate gene discovery efforts aimed at assisting molecular breeding and genetic engineering. To complement and extend this genomic work, we analyzed the distribution and organization of their ribosomal DNAs (35S and 5S rDNA), and the chromatin composition of the nucleolus organizing region (NOR)-associated satellites. Using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), we have identified two 35S (one major and one minor) and one 5S rDNA sites. The major 35S rDNA sites are terminal and sub-terminal in American and Chinese chestnuts, respectively, originating at the end of the short arm of the chromosome, extending through the secondary constriction and into the satellites. An additional 5S locus was identified in certain Chinese chestnut accessions, and it was linked distally to the major 35S site. The NOR-associated satellite in Chinese chestnut was found to comprise a proximal region packed with 35S rDNA and a distinct distal heterochromatic region. In contrast, the American chestnut satellite was relatively small and devoid of the distal heterochromatic region., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is an ecologically and economically important forest tree native to North America. We present a chromosome-scale genome of Q. rubra generated by the combination of PacBio sequences and chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) scaffolding. This is the first reference genome from the red oak clade (section Lobatae). The Q. rubra assembly spans 739 Mb with 95.27% of the genome in 12 chromosomes and 33,333 protein-coding genes. Comparisons to the genomes of Quercus lobata and Quercus mongolica revealed high collinearity, with intrachromosomal structural variants present. Orthologous gene family analysis with other tree species revealed that gene families associated with defense response were expanding and contracting simultaneously across the Q. rubra genome. Quercus rubra had the most CC-NBS-LRR and TIR-NBS-LRR resistance genes out of the 9 species analyzed. Terpene synthase gene family comparisons further reveal tandem gene duplications in TPS-b subfamily, similar to Quercus robur. Phylogenetic analysis also identified 4 subfamilies of the IGT/LAZY gene family in Q. rubra important for plant structure. Single major QTL regions were identified for vegetative bud break and marcescence, which contain candidate genes for further research, including a putative ortholog of the circadian clock constituent cryptochrome (CRY2) and 8 tandemly duplicated genes for serine protease inhibitors, respectively. Genome-environment associations across natural populations identified candidate abiotic stress tolerance genes and predicted performance in a common garden. This high-quality red oak genome represents an essential resource to the oak genomic community, which will expedite comparative genomics and biological studies in Quercus species., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Genetics Society of America.)

Among crop fruit trees, the apricot (Prunus armeniaca) provides an excellent model to study divergence and adaptation processes. Here, we obtain nearly 600 Armeniaca apricot genomes and four high-quality assemblies anchored on genetic maps. Chinese and European apricots form two differentiated gene pools with high genetic diversity, resulting from independent domestication events from distinct wild Central Asian populations, and with subsequent gene flow. A relatively low proportion of the genome is affected by selection. Different genomic regions show footprints of selection in European and Chinese cultivated apricots, despite convergent phenotypic traits, with predicted functions in both groups involved in the perennial life cycle, fruit quality and disease resistance. Selection footprints appear more abundant in European apricots, with a hotspot on chromosome 4, while admixture is more pervasive in Chinese cultivated apricots. Our study provides clues to the biology of selected traits and targets for fruit tree research and breeding.

Bud dormancy is under the regulation of complex mechanisms including genetic and epigenetic factors. To study the function of regulatory non-coding RNAs in winter dormancy release, we analyzed the small RNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression from peach ( Prunus persica ) floral buds in endodormancy, ecodormancy and bud break stages. Small RNAs underwent a major shift in expression primarily between dormancy and flowering with specific pairs of microRNAs and their mRNA target genes undergoing coordinated differential expression. From endodormancy to ecodormancy, ppe-miR6285 was significantly upregulated while its target gene, an ASPARAGINE-RICH PROTEIN involved in the regulation of abscisic acid signaling, was downregulated. At ecodormancy, ppe-miR2275, a homolog of meiosis-specific miR2275 across angiosperms, was significantly upregulated, supporting microsporogenesis in anthers at a late stage of dormancy. The expression of 785 lncRNAs, unlike the overall expression pattern in the small RNAs, demonstrated distinctive expression signatures across all dormancy and flowering stages. We predicted that a subset of lncRNAs were targets of microRNAs and found 18 lncRNA/microRNA target pairs with both differentially expressed across time points. The genome-wide differential expression and network analysis of non-coding RNAs and mRNAs from the same tissues provide new candidate loci for dormancy regulation and suggest complex noncoding RNA interactions control transcriptional regulation across these key developmental time points., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yu, Bennett, Dardick, Zhebentyayeva, Abbott, Liu and Staton.)

Graft incompatibility (GI) between the most popular Prunus rootstocks and apricot cultivars is one of the major problems for rootstock usage and improvement. Failure in producing long-leaving healthy grafts greatly affects the range of available Prunus rootstocks for apricot cultivation. Despite recent advances related to the molecular mechanisms of a graft-union formation between rootstock and scion, information on genetic control of this trait in woody plants is essentially missing because of a lack of hybrid crosses, segregating for the trait. In this study, we have employed the next-generation sequencing technology to generate the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and construct parental linkage maps for an apricot F 1 population "Moniqui (Mo)" × "Paviot (Pa)" segregating for ability to form successful grafts with universal Prunus rootstock "Marianna 2624". To localize genomic regions associated with this trait, we genotyped 138 individuals from the "Mo × Pa" cross and constructed medium-saturated genetic maps. The female "Mo" and male "Pa" maps were composed of 557 and 501 SNPs and organized in eight linkage groups that covered 780.2 and 690.4 cM of genetic distance, respectively. Parental maps were aligned to the Prunus persica v2.0 genome and revealed a high colinearity with the Prunus reference map. Two-year phenotypic data for characters associated with unsuccessful grafting such as necrotic line (NL), bark and wood discontinuities (BD and WD), and an overall estimate of graft (in)compatibility (GI) were collected for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on both parental maps. On the map of the graft-compatible parent "Pa", two genomic regions on LG5 (44.9-60.8 cM) and LG8 (33.2-39.2 cM) were associated with graft (in)compatibility characters at different significance level, depending on phenotypic dataset. Of these, the LG8 QTL interval was most consistent between the years and supported by two significant and two putative QTLs. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on QTLs for graft (in)compatibility in woody plants. Results of this work will provide a valuable genomic resource for apricot breeding programs and facilitate future efforts focused on candidate genes discovery for graft (in)compatibility in apricot and other Prunus species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Pina, Irisarri, Errea and Zhebentyayeva.)

The characterization of the largest worldwide representative data set of apricot ( Prunus armeniaca L.) germplasm was performed using molecular markers. Genetic diversity and structure of the cultivated apricot genetic resources were analyzed to decipher the history of diffusion of this species around the world. A common set of 25 microsatellite markers was used for genotyping a total of 890 apricot accessions in different collections from the center of origin to the more recent regions of apricot culture. Using a Bayesian model-based clustering approach, the apricot genotypes can be structured into five different genetic clusters (F ST = 0.174), correlated with the geographical regions of origin of the accessions. Accessions from China and Central Asia were clustered together and exhibited the highest levels of diversity, confirming an origin in this region. A loss of genetic diversity was observed from the center of origin to both western and eastern zones of recent apricot culture. Altogether, our results revealed that apricot spread from China and Central Asia, defined as the center of origin, following three major diffusion routes with a decreasing gradient of genetic variation in each geographical group. The identification of specific alleles outside the center of origin confirmed the existence of different secondary apricot diversification centers. The present work provides more understanding of the worldwide history of apricot species diffusion as well as the field of conservation of the available genetic resources. Data have been used to define an apricot core collection based on molecular marker diversity which will be useful for further identification of genomic regions associated with commercially important horticultural traits through genome-wide association studies to sustain apricot breeding programs., (Copyright © 2020 Bourguiba, Scotti, Sauvage, Zhebentyayeva, Ledbetter, Krška, Remay, D’Onofrio, Iketani, Christen, Krichen, Trifi-Farah, Liu, Roch and Audergon.)

Dormancy is a physiological state that plants enter for winter hardiness. Environmental-induced dormancy onset and release in temperate perennials coordinate growth cessation and resumption, but how the entire process, especially chilling-dependent dormancy release and flowering, is regulated remains largely unclear. We utilized the transcriptome profiles of floral buds from fall to spring in apricot ( Prunus armeniaca ) genotypes with contrasting bloom dates and peach ( Prunus persica ) genotypes with contrasting chilling requirements (CR) to explore the genetic regulation of bud dormancy. We identified distinct gene expression programming patterns in endodormancy and ecodormancy that reproducibly occur between different genotypes and species. During the transition from endo- to eco-dormancy, 1,367 and 2,102 genes changed in expression in apricot and peach, respectively. Over 600 differentially expressed genes were shared in peach and apricot, including three DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-box ( DAM ) genes (DAM4 , DAM5 , and DAM6 ). Of the shared genes, 99 are located within peach CR quantitative trait loci, suggesting these genes as candidates for dormancy regulation. Co-expression and functional analyses revealed that distinctive metabolic processes distinguish dormancy stages, with genes expressed during endodormancy involved in chromatin remodeling and reproduction, while the genes induced at ecodormancy were mainly related to pollen development and cell wall biosynthesis. Gene expression analyses between two Prunus species highlighted the conserved transcriptional control of physiological activities in endodormancy and ecodormancy and revealed genes that may be involved in the transition between the two stages., (Copyright © 2020 Yu, Conrad, Decroocq, Zhebentyayeva, Williams, Bennett, Roch, Audergon, Dardick, Liu, Abbott and Staton.)

Trees use many mechanisms to adapt and respond to stressful conditions. The phenylpropanoid pathway in particular is known to be associated with a diverse suite of plant stress responses. In this study, we explored the relationship between the phenylpropanoid pathway metabolite production, gene expression and adaptive trait variation associated with floral bud reactivation during and following dormancy in Prunus armeniaca L. (apricot). Concentrations of eight phenylpropanoid metabolites were measured during chill accumulation and at developmental stages corresponding to the emergence of sepals and petals in floral buds of varieties that differ phenotypically in bloom date (BD). A significant interaction effect of chill hours and BD phenotype on the concentration of each of the compounds was observed (mixed analysis of variance, P < 0.05), with the concentration of most phenylpropanoid metabolites dropping precipitously when sepals and petals emerged. While phenylpropanoid biosynthetic gene expression patterns were more variable in general, expression changed over time and was impacted, although to a lesser degree, by BD phenotype. Furthermore, separation of BD phenotypic groups was most pronounced when early and late BD varieties were at different developmental stages, i.e., 800 chill hours. Taken together, these results suggest that the phenylpropanoid pathway is associated with floral bud reactivation in apricot. Furthermore, we show that the phenylpropanoid pathway is also impacted by phenological trait variation associated with dormancy. A better understanding of how apricot and other perennial tree species respond and adapt to environmental perturbations will be critical for improvement programs aimed at identifying and breeding trees more suitable for rapidly changing environments., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Floral self-incompatibility affecting yearly yield in a weather-dependent manner and graft incompatibility affecting longevity of mature trees are two important traits for apricot production. However, genetic control of graft compatibility and relationship between these traits are unknown. Here, we analyzed its inheritance in an F1 apricot progeny from a cross between self- and graft- incompatible and self- and graft-compatible cultivars. Hybrid individuals were genotyped for establishing self-incompatibility status and grafted on the plum rootstock 'Marianna 2624'. Phenotyping of graft incompatibility was done at two time points, one month and one year after grafting. Anatomical (necrotic layer, bark and wood discontinuity for two consecutive years) and cytomorphological (cell proliferation, cell arrangement and cell shape one month after grafting) characteristics related to graft compatibility displayed continuous variation within the progeny, suggesting a polygenic inheritance. Using the Pearson correlation test, strong and significant correlations were detected between anatomical and cytomorphological traits that may reduce the number of characters for screening genotypes or progenies for graft compatibility in segregating crosses. Furthermore, no correlation existed between self- and graft incompatibility traits suggesting that they are independent inheritance traits. Hence, screening an extended hybrid population is required for pyramiding these traits in breeding programs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Prunus domestica commonly known as European plum is a hexaploid fruit tree species cultivated around the world. Locally it is used for fresh consumption, in jams or jellies, and the production of spirits while commercially the fruit is primarily sold dried (prunes). Despite its agricultural importance and long history of cultivation, many questions remain about the origin of this species, the relationships among its many pomological types, and its underlying genetics. Here, we used a sequence-based genotyping approach to characterize worldwide plum germplasm including the potential progenitor Eurasian plum species. Analysis of 405 DNA samples established a set of four clades consistent with the pomological groups Greengages, Mirabelles, European plums, and d'Agen (French) prune plums. A number of cultivars from each clade were identified as likely clonal selections, particularly among the "French" type prune germplasm that is widely cultivated today. Overall, there was relatively low genetic diversity across all cultivated plums suggesting they have been largely inbred and/or derived from a limited number of founders. The results agree with P. domestica having originated as an interspecific hybrid of a diploid P. cerasifera and a tetraploid P. spinosa that itself may have been an interspecific hybrid of P. cerasifera and an unknown Eurasian plum species. The low genetic diversity and lack of true wild-types coupled with the known cultivation history of Eurasian plums imply that P. domestica may have been a product of inter-specific cross breeding and artificial selection by early agrarian Eurasian societies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

The Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata) carries resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi, the destructive and widespread oomycete causing ink disease. The European chestnut (Castanea sativa), carrying little to no disease resistance, is currently threatened by the presence of the oomycete pathogen in forests, orchards and nurseries. Determining the genetic basis of P. cinnamomi resistance, for further selection of molecular markers and candidate genes, is a prominent issue for implementation of marker assisted selection in the breeding programs for resistance. In this study, the first interspecific genetic linkage map of C. sativa x C. crenata allowed the detection of QTLs for P. cinnamomi resistance. The genetic map was constructed using two independent, control-cross mapping populations. Chestnut populations were genotyped using 452 microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism molecular markers derived from the available chestnut transcriptomes. The consensus genetic map spans 498,9 cM and contains 217 markers mapped with an average interval of 2.3 cM. For QTL analyses, the progression rate of P. cinnamomi lesions in excised shoots inoculated was used as the phenotypic metric. Using non-parametric and composite interval mapping approaches, two QTLs were identified for ink disease resistance, distributed in two linkage groups: E and K. The presence of QTLs located in linkage group E regarding P. cinnamomi resistance is consistent with a previous preliminary study developed in American x Chinese chestnut populations, suggesting the presence of common P. cinnamomi defense mechanisms across species. Results presented here extend the genomic resources of Castanea genus providing potential tools to assist the ongoing and future chestnut breeding programs.

Background: Due to a relatively high level of codominant inheritance and transferability within and among taxonomic groups, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are important elements in comparative mapping and delineation of genomic regions associated with traits of economic importance. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are a source of SSRs that can be used to develop markers to facilitate plant breeding and for more basic research across genera and higher plant orders., Methods: Leaf and meristem tissue from 'Heritage' red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and 'Bristol' black raspberry (R. occidentalis) were utilized for RNA extraction. After conversion to cDNA and library construction, ESTs were sequenced, quality verified, assembled and scanned for SSRs.  Primers flanking the SSRs were designed and a subset tested for amplification, polymorphism and transferability across species. ESTs containing SSRs were functionally annotated using the GenBank non-redundant (nr) database and further classified using the gene ontology database., Results: To accelerate development of EST-SSRs in the genus Rubus (Rosaceae), 1149 and 2358 cDNA sequences were generated from red raspberry and black raspberry, respectively. The cDNA sequences were screened using rigorous filtering criteria which resulted in the identification of 121 and 257 SSR loci for red and black raspberry, respectively. Primers were designed from the surrounding sequences resulting in 131 and 288 primer pairs, respectively, as some sequences contained more than one SSR locus. Sequence analysis revealed that the SSR-containing genes span a diversity of functions and share more sequence identity with strawberry genes than with other Rosaceous species., Conclusion: This resource of Rubus-specific, gene-derived markers will facilitate the construction of linkage maps composed of transferable markers for studying and manipulating important traits in this economically important genus.

Background: Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) has emerged as a model species for the Fagaceae family with extensive genomic resources including a physical map, a dense genetic map and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for chestnut blight resistance. These resources enable comparative genomics analyses relative to model plants. We assessed the degree of conservation between the chestnut genome and other well annotated and assembled plant genomic sequences, focusing on the QTL regions of most interest to the chestnut breeding community., Results: The integrated physical and genetic map of Chinese chestnut has been improved to now include 858 shared sequence-based markers. The utility of the integrated map has also been improved through the addition of 42,970 BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) end sequences spanning over 26 million bases of the estimated 800 Mb chestnut genome. Synteny between chestnut and ten model plant species was conducted on a macro-syntenic scale using sequences from both individual probes and BAC end sequences across the chestnut physical map. Blocks of synteny with chestnut were found in all ten reference species, with the percent of the chestnut physical map that could be aligned ranging from 10 to 39 %. The integrated genetic and physical map was utilized to identify BACs that spanned the three previously identified QTL regions conferring blight resistance. The clones were pooled and sequenced, yielding 396 sequence scaffolds covering 13.9 Mbp. Comparative genomic analysis on a microsytenic scale, using the QTL-associated genomic sequence, identified synteny from chestnut to other plant genomes ranging from 5.4 to 12.9 % of the genome sequences aligning., Conclusions: On both the macro- and micro-synteny levels, the peach, grape and poplar genomes were found to be the most structurally conserved with chestnut. Interestingly, these results did not strictly follow the expectation that decreased phylogenetic distance would correspond to increased levels of genome preservation, but rather suggest the additional influence of life-history traits on preservation of synteny. The regions of synteny that were detected provide an important tool for defining and cataloging genes in the QTL regions for advancing chestnut blight resistance research.

Sharka disease, caused by Plum pox virus (PPV), is the most important viral disease affecting Prunus species. A major PPV resistance locus (PPVres) has been mapped to the upper part of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) linkage group 1. In this study, a physical map of the PPVres locus in the PPV-resistant cultivar 'Goldrich' was constructed. Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones belonging to the resistant haplotype contig were sequenced using 454/GS-FLX Titanium technology. Concurrently, the whole genome of seven apricot varieties (three PPV-resistant and four PPV-susceptible) and two PPV-susceptible apricot relatives (P. sibirica var. davidiana and P. mume) were obtained using the Illumina-HiSeq2000 platform. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the mapped interval, recorded from alignments against the peach genome, allowed us to narrow down the PPVres locus to a region of ∼196 kb. Searches for polymorphisms linked in coupling with the resistance led to the identification of 68 variants within 23 predicted transcripts according to peach genome annotation. Candidate resistance genes were ranked combining data from variant calling and predicted functions inferred from sequence homology. Together, the results suggest that members of a cluster of meprin and TRAF-C homology domain (MATHd)-containing proteins are the most likely candidate genes for PPV resistance in apricot. Interestingly, MATHd proteins are hypothesized to control long-distance movement (LDM) of potyviruses in Arabidopsis, and restriction for LDM is also a major component of PPV resistance in apricot. Although the PPV resistance gene(s) remains to be unambiguously identified, these results pave the way to the determination of the underlying mechanism and to the development of more accurate breeding strategies., (© 2013 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.)

Trees are capable of tremendous architectural plasticity, allowing them to maximize their light exposure under highly competitive environments. One key component of tree architecture is the branch angle, yet little is known about the molecular basis for the spatial patterning of branches in trees. Here, we report the identification of a candidate gene for the br mutation in Prunus persica (peach) associated with vertically oriented growth of branches, referred to as 'pillar' or 'broomy'. Ppa010082, annotated as hypothetical protein in the peach genome sequence, was identified as a candidate gene for br using a next generation sequence-based mapping approach. Sequence similarity searches identified rice TAC1 (tiller angle control 1) as a putative ortholog, and we thus named it PpeTAC1. In monocots, TAC1 is known to lead to less compact growth by increasing the tiller angle. In Arabidopsis, an attac1 mutant showed more vertical branch growth angles, suggesting that the gene functions universally to promote the horizontal growth of branches. TAC1 genes belong to a gene family (here named IGT for a shared conserved motif) found in all plant genomes, consisting of two clades: one containing TAC1-like genes; the other containing LAZY1, which contains an EAR motif, and promotes vertical shoot growth in Oryza sativa (rice) and Arabidopsis through influencing polar auxin transport. The data suggest that IGT genes are ancient, and play conserved roles in determining shoot growth angles in plants. Understanding how IGT genes modulate branch angles will provide insights into how different architectural growth habits evolved in terrestrial plants., (© 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Sharka disease, caused by the Plum pox virus (PPV), is one of the main limiting factors for stone fruit crops worldwide. Only a few resistance sources have been found in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.), and most studies have located a major PPV resistance locus (PPVres) on linkage group 1 (LG1). However, the mapping accuracy was not sufficiently reliable and PPVres was predicted within a low confidence interval. In this study, we have constructed two high-density simple sequence repeat (SSR) improved maps with 0.70 and 0.68 markers/cm, corresponding to LG1 of 'Lito' and 'Goldrich' PPV-resistant cultivars, respectively. Using these maps, and excluding genotype-phenotype incongruent individuals, a new binary trait locus (BTL) analysis for PPV resistance was performed, narrowing down the PPVres support intervals to 7.3 and 5.9 cm in 'Lito' and 'Goldrich', respectively. Subsequently, 71 overlapping oligonucleotides (overgo) probes were hybridized against an apricot bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library, identifying 870 single BACs from which 340 were anchored onto a map region of approximately 30-40 cm encompassing PPVres. Partial BAC contigs assigned to the two allelic haplotypes (resistant/susceptible) of the PPVres locus were built by high-information content fingerprinting (HICF). In addition, a total of 300 BAC-derived sequences were obtained, and 257 showed significant homology with the peach genome scaffold&#95;1 corresponding to LG1. According to the peach syntenic genome sequence, PPVres was predicted within a region of 2.16 Mb in which a few candidate resistance genes were identified., (© 2011 The Authors. Molecular Plant Pathology © 2011 BSPP and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Due to the lack of availability of large genomic sequences for peach or other Prunus species, the degree of synteny conservation between the Prunus species and Arabidopsis has not been systematically assessed. Using the recently available peach EST sequences that are anchored to Prunus genetic maps and to peach physical map, we analyzed the extent of conserved synteny between the Prunus and the Arabidopsis genomes. The reconstructed pseudo-ancestral Arabidopsis genome, existed prior to the proposed recent polyploidy event, was also utilized in our analysis to further elucidate the evolutionary relationship., Results: We analyzed the synteny conservation between the Prunus and the Arabidopsis genomes by comparing 475 peach ESTs that are anchored to Prunus genetic maps and their Arabidopsis homologs detected by sequence similarity. Microsyntenic regions were detected between all five Arabidopsis chromosomes and seven of the eight linkage groups of the Prunus reference map. An additional 1097 peach ESTs that are anchored to 431 BAC contigs of the peach physical map and their Arabidopsis homologs were also analyzed. Microsyntenic regions were detected in 77 BAC contigs. The syntenic regions from both data sets were short and contained only a couple of conserved gene pairs. The synteny between peach and Arabidopsis was fragmentary; all the Prunus linkage groups containing syntenic regions matched to more than two different Arabidopsis chromosomes, and most BAC contigs with multiple conserved syntenic regions corresponded to multiple Arabidopsis chromosomes. Using the same peach EST datasets and their Arabidopsis homologs, we also detected conserved syntenic regions in the pseudo-ancestral Arabidopsis genome. In many cases, the gene order and content of peach regions was more conserved in the ancestral genome than in the present Arabidopsis region. Statistical significance of each syntenic group was calculated using simulated Arabidopsis genome., Conclusion: We report here the result of the first extensive analysis of the conserved microsynteny using DNA sequences across the Prunus genome and their Arabidopsis homologs. Our study also illustrates that both the ancestral and present Arabidopsis genomes can provide a useful resource for marker saturation and candidate gene search, as well as elucidating evolutionary relationships between species.