Dataset Information

Elucidating the genetic basis of antioxidant status in lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

ABSTRACT: A diet rich in phytonutrients from fruit and vegetables has been acknowledged to afford protection against a range of human diseases, but many of the most popular vegetables are low in phytonutrients. Wild relatives of crops may contain allelic variation for genes determining the concentrations of these beneficial phytonutrients, and therefore understanding the genetic basis of this variation is important for breeding efforts to enhance nutritional quality. In this study, lettuce recombinant inbred lines, generated from a cross between wild and cultivated lettuce (Lactuca serriola and Lactuca sativa, respectively), were analysed for antioxidant (AO) potential and important phytonutrients including carotenoids, chlorophyll and phenolic compounds. When grown in two environments, 96 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for these nutritional traits: 4 for AO potential, 2 for carotenoid content, 3 for total chlorophyll content and 87 for individual phenolic compounds (two per compound on average). Most often, the L. serriola alleles conferred an increase in total AOs and metabolites. Candidate genes underlying these QTL were identified by BLASTn searches; in several cases, these had functions suggesting involvement in phytonutrient biosynthetic pathways. Analysis of a QTL on linkage group 3, which accounted for >30% of the variation in AO potential, revealed several candidate genes encoding multiple MYB transcription factors which regulate flavonoid biosynthesis and flavanone 3-hydroxylase, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are known to have powerful AO activity. Follow-up quantitative RT-PCR of these candidates revealed that 5 out of 10 genes investigated were significantly differentially expressed between the wild and cultivated parents, providing further evidence of their potential involvement in determining the contrasting phenotypes. These results offer exciting opportunities to improve the nutritional content and health benefits of lettuce through marker-assisted breeding.

SUBMITTER: Damerum A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4660231 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Elucidating the genetic basis of antioxidant status in lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

Damerum Annabelle A Selmes Stacey L SL Biggi Gaia F GF Clarkson Graham Jj GJ Rothwell Steve D SD Truco Maria José MJ Michelmore Richard W RW Hancock Robert D RD Shellcock Connie C Chapman Mark A MA Taylor Gail G

Horticulture research 20151125

A diet rich in phytonutrients from fruit and vegetables has been acknowledged to afford protection against a range of human diseases, but many of the most popular vegetables are low in phytonutrients. Wild relatives of crops may contain allelic variation for genes determining the concentrations of these beneficial phytonutrients, and therefore understanding the genetic basis of this variation is important for breeding efforts to enhance nutritional quality. In this study, lettuce recombinant inb ...[more]

PMID: 26640696

Similar Datasets

Project description:Bolting is a key process in the growth and development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). High temperature can induce earlier bolting which decreases in both quality and production of lettuce. However, knowledge underlying lettuce bolting is still lacking. To better understand the molecular basis of bolting, a comparative proteomics analysis was conducted on lettuce stems in the bolting period induced by high temperature (33 °C) compared with a control (20 °C) using iTRAQ-based proteomics, phenotypic measures, and biological verifications. High temperature induced lettuce bolting, while control temperature did not. Of the 6656 proteins identified, 758 proteins significantly altered their expression level induced by high-temperature relative to the control, of which 409 were up-regulated and 349 down-regulated. Proteins with abundance level change were mainly involved in photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, stress response, hormone synthesis, and signal transduction. These differential proteins were mainly enriched in pathways associated with photosynthesis and tryptophan metabolism involving in auxin (IAA) biosynthesis. Among the differentially expressed proteins associated with photosynthesis and tryptophan metabolism were up-regulated. Moreover, in gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis pathway, 10 of main enzymes of P450 were up-regulated. Proteins related to SAUR and GRP, implicated in IAA and GA signal transduction were up-regulated, and the phosphorylation and ubiquitination related proteins regulating IAA and GA signal transduction were also induced. These findings indicate that a high temperature enhances the function of photosynthesis, IAA and GA synthesis and signal transduction to promote the process of bolting, which is in line with the physiology and transcription levels of IAA and GA metabolism. Our data provide a first comprehensive dataset for gaining novel understanding of the molecular basis underlying lettuce bolting induced by high temperature. It is potentially important for further functional analysis and genetic manipulation for molecular breeding to breed new cultivar of lettuce to restrain early bolting, which is vital for improving vegetable quality.

Project description:Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a highly perishable horticultural crop with a relatively short shelf life due to leaf senescence that limits its commercial value and contributes to food waste. Postharvest senescence varies with influences of both environmental and genetic factors. Preharvest genetic factors can be indicative of postharvest quality. Discovery of additional preharvest markers to assess lettuce shelf life is an important step towards increasing the efficiency of lettuce breeding efforts for improved shelf life. We selected and evaluated three romaine lettuces with variable shelf lives with the aim of identifying preharvest markers of lettuce postharvest shelf life. We evaluated leaf morphological characteristics for each of the three cultivars. To assess molecular indicators of shelf life, we used an RNA sequencing approach to construct transcriptomic profiles of two of the cultivars, a short shelf life (SSL) breeding line 60184 and a long shelf life (LSL) cultivar ‘Okeechobee’ at maturity. We identified 552 upregulated and 315 downregulated differentially expressed (DE) genes between the genotypes. We found that 27 % of the DE lettuce genes had an Arabidopsis thaliana ortholog characterized as senescence-associated, indicating that variable expression of senescence-associated genes (SAGs) could serve as a tool for preharvest markers of postharvest shelf life. Notably, we identified several SAGs and functional groupings with highly differential expression between the cultivars. This includes several jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ), jasmonic acid (JA) signaling genes, chlorophyll a-b binding (CAB) chloroplast-associated genes, and cell wall modification genes including pectate lyases (PL) and expansins (EXP). This study presented an innovative approach for identifying molecular markers for preharvest factors linked to postharvest traits for prolonged shelf. These genes could potentially be developed further as preharvest predictors of shelf life for lettuce breeding

Project description:Endophytic entomopathogens have growth promoting, nutrient fortifying, and anti-insect properties that could improve the yield and quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Lactuca sativa is a vegetable crop with high demand; however, it is susceptible to aphid infestations. This study's objectives were to assess the pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana (strain: SM3) (Bals.) Vuil. (Hypocreales) against Myzus persicae Sulzer, tissue colonization of lettuce by conidia of B. bassiana, as well as the effects of fungal inoculation on growth, tissue nutrient content, and proximate composition of the lettuce plants. Furthermore, the involvement of tissue nutrients in mediating the influence of endophytic fungus on the plant traits was examined. Insects and plants were exposed to four fungal conidial concentrations: 0, 1 × 106, 1 × 107 and 1 × 108 conidia mL-1 in an anti-insect bioassay and a greenhouse experiment, respectively. The B. bassiana strain was pathogenic against M. persicae, inducing mean insect mortality of 78% at the highest concentration (1 × 108 conidia mL-1). The B. bassiana endophytically colonized up to 76% of plants exposed to 1 × 108 conidia mL-1. Crown size and plant height varied significantly among treatments. However, the plant fresh and dry weights and nutrient elements N, P, K, Ca, and Mg did not vary significantly among treatments. Among the plant macronutrients assessed, only tissue carbon content was significantly (p < 0.01) affected by conidial treatments. The tissue C and Cu contents significantly correlated with the antioxidant capacity of the lettuce plants. Most of the micronutrients, viz. Mn, Fe, Cu, and B were remarkably higher (p < 0.05) in the fungus-treated plants than in the control plants. The antioxidant capacity (FRAP and TEAC) of plant extracts varied significantly (p < 0.001) among treatments, with the highest conidial treatment yielding the most increased antioxidant activity. In conclusion, the B. bassiana strain was endophytic to lettuce, pathogenic against M. persicae, and induced increased micro-nutrient tissue contents and antioxidant activities. This study demonstrated that B. bassiana could be potentially used in the biofortification of nutritive and medicinal qualities of plants.

Dataset Information

Elucidating the genetic basis of antioxidant status in lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

Publications

Elucidating the genetic basis of antioxidant status in lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets