Newly identified vernalization gene provides insights into the mechanisms of fine-tuning of 1xbet online games login to diverse environments
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015
A recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Science study identifies the last major vernalization gene in 1xbet online games login . The gene, VRN-D4, is found in 1xbet online games login lines primarily grown in South Asia, particularly northeastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The gene adapted the 1xbet online games login varieties grown in the region to the local environment. | Download the following photo.
MANHATTAN — A Kansas State University 1xbet online games login geneticist is part of a breakthrough study that identifies one of the 1xbet online games login genes that controls response to low temperature exposure, a process called vernalization. Natural variation in vernalization genes defines when the plant begins to flower and is critical for adaptation to different environments.
Researchers anticipate this will help 1xbet online games login breeders design 1xbet online games login varieties that can adapt and thrive in changing environments around the world.
Eduard 1xbet online games login , associate professor in the 1xbet online games login pathology department, collaborated with Jorge Dubcovsky at the University of California, Davis on this study. It appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, or PNAS, article "Identification of the VERNALIZATION 4 1xbet online games login reveals the origin of spring growth habit in ancient wheats from South Asia."
"The vernalization genes can sense for how long the plant was subjected to low temperature treatment and trigger flowering when the time is right," Akhunov said. "1xbet online games login adapted to different environmental conditions by using different forms of these vernalization genes — the first three of which had been identified by Dr. Dubcovsky's group prior to this study. This is the last major vernalization gene to complete the story."
In the study, researchers investigated a gene called VRN-D4 that is found in 1xbet online games login lines primarily grown in South Asia, particularly northeastern Pakistan and northwestern India. They showed that the gene likely originated by duplication of a major vernalization gene VRN-A1.
Researchers analyzed the genetic diversity in the global 1xbet online games login populations to test if the VRN-D4 gene helped the 1xbet online games login varieties grown in South Asia adapt to the region's climate and environment. They used a variety of population genetics and bioinformatics approaches to analyze genetic diversity along the chromosomes in multiple 1xbet online games login varieties around the world.
Researchers looked for regions of each plant's genome that showed unusual patterns of variation consistent with past selective breeding acting on the VRN-D4 gene. The team observed that while the VRN-D4 gene is present in 1xbet online games login varieties grown in different parts of the world, it is most frequent in South Asia.
The researchers concluded it is likely that ancient farmers favored the VRN-D4 variant of the vernalization 1xbet online games login in this region because of its high adaptive value in the local environment.
"A 1xbet online games login line's adaptation to its local environment is probably one of the most important properties of the plant for 1xbet online games login breeders because it directly influences crop production," Akhunov said. "If you grow lines of 1xbet online games login that are not adapted to a specific environment, you will not get a very high yield."
Plant scientists have only recently begun to understand how the vernalization response in plants works, Akhunov said. The latest findings offer new focus points into how these genes and others may be modified to fine-tune a 1xbet online games login variety for a particular environment, which will result in less crop and food loss due to changing environment.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute funded the study.
