Large deletions in the CBF gene cluster at the Fr-B2 locus are associated with reduced frost tolerance in wheat.

ABSTRACT: Wheat plants which are exposed to periods of low temperatures (cold acclimation) exhibit increased survival rates when they are subsequently exposed to freezing temperatures. This process is associated with large-scale changes in the transcriptome which are modulated by a set of tandemly duplicated C-repeat Binding Factor (CBF) transcription factors located at the Frost Resistance-2 (Fr-2) locus. While Arabidopsis has three tandemly duplicated CBF genes, the CBF family in wheat has undergone an expansion and at least 15 CBF genes have been identified, 11 of which are present at the Fr-2 loci on homeologous group 5 chromosomes. We report here the discovery of three large deletions which eliminate 6, 9, and all 11 CBF genes from the Fr-B2 locus in tetraploid and hexaploid wheat. In wild emme

SUBMITTER: Pearce S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4779059 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature