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Genetics, Vol. 177, 1839-1850, November 2007, Copyright © 2007
doi:10.1534/genetics.107.077628

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Heterosis for Biomass-Related Traits in Arabidopsis Investigated by Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis of the Triple Testcross Design With Recombinant Inbred Lines

Barbara Kusterer*, Hans-Peter Piepho{dagger}, H. Friedrich Utz*, Chris C. Schön{ddagger}, Jasmina Muminovic*, Rhonda C. Meyer§, Thomas Altmann§ and Albrecht E. Melchinger*,1

* Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science, and Population Genetics, {dagger} Bioinformatics Unit, Institute of Crop Production and Grassland Research and {ddagger} State Plant Breeding Institute, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany and § Department of Genetics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany and Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany

1 Corresponding author: Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science, and Population Genetics, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstrasse 21, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
E-mail: melchinger{at}uni-hohenheim.de

Arabidopsis thaliana has emerged as a leading model species in plant genetics and functional genomics including research on the genetic causes of heterosis. We applied a triple testcross (TTC) design and a novel biometrical approach to identify and characterize quantitative trait loci (QTL) for heterosis of five biomass-related traits by (i) estimating the number, genomic positions, and genetic effects of heterotic QTL, (ii) characterizing their mode of gene action, and (iii) testing for presence of epistatic effects by a genomewide scan and marker x marker interactions. In total, 234 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of Arabidopsis hybrid C24 x Col-0 were crossed to both parental lines and their F1 and analyzed with 110 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. QTL analyses were conducted using linear transformations Z1, Z2, and Z3 calculated from the adjusted entry means of TTC progenies. With Z1, we detected 12 QTL displaying augmented additive effects. With Z2, we mapped six QTL for augmented dominance effects. A one-dimensional genome scan with Z3 revealed two genomic regions with significantly negative dominance x additive epistatic effects. Two-way analyses of variance between marker pairs revealed nine digenic epistatic interactions: six reflecting dominance x dominance effects with variable sign and three reflecting additive x additive effects with positive sign. We conclude that heterosis for biomass-related traits in Arabidopsis has a polygenic basis with overdominance and/or epistasis being presumably the main types of gene action.




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