Data from: Maternal environment affects the genetic basis of seed dormancy in Arabidopsis thaliana

The genetic basis of seed dormancy, a key life-history trait important for adaptive evolution in plant populations, has yet been studied only using seeds produced under controlled conditions in greenhouse environments. However, dormancy is strongly affected by maternal environmental conditions, and interactions between seed genotype and maternal environment have been reported. Consequently, the genetic basis of dormancy of seeds produced under natural field conditions remains unclear. We examined the effect of maternal environment on the genetic architecture of seed dormancy using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between two locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana from Italy and Sweden. We mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for dormancy of seeds produced in the greenhouse and at the native field sites of the parental genotypes. The Italian genotype produced seeds with stronger dormancy at fruit maturation than did the Swedish genotype in all three environments, and the maternal field environments induced higher dormancy levels compared to the greenhouse environment in both genotypes. Across the three maternal environments, a total of nine dormancy QTL were detected, three of which were only detected among seeds matured in the field, and six of which showed significant QTL × maternal environment interactions. One QTL had a large effect on dormancy across all three environments and colocalized with the candidate gene DOG1. Our results demonstrate the importance of studying the genetic basis of putatively adaptive traits under relevant conditions.

种子休眠是影响植物种群适应性进化的关键生活史性状，其遗传基础此前仅通过温室受控环境下产生的种子展开研究。然而，休眠过程显著受母本环境条件调控，且已有研究报道了种子基因型与母本环境之间的互作效应。因此，自然野外生境中产生的种子，其休眠的遗传基础仍未明确。本研究以两个分别来自意大利与瑞典的本地适应性拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）种群杂交获得的重组自交系（recombinant inbred line, RIL）群体为材料，探究了母本环境对种子休眠遗传架构的影响。我们分别对温室环境以及亲本基因型原生野外生境中产生的种子的休眠相关数量性状位点（quantitative trait loci, QTL）进行了定位分析。在三种实验环境中，意大利基因型种子成熟时的休眠强度均高于瑞典基因型；且相较于温室环境，两种基因型在母本野外生境中均呈现出更高的休眠水平。在三种母本环境中，我们共检测到9个休眠相关QTL，其中3个仅在野外成熟的种子中被检出，另有6个QTL表现出显著的QTL×母本环境互作效应。其中1个QTL在三种环境中均对休眠具有较强效应，且与候选基因DOG1发生共定位。本研究结果证实了在相关环境下探究推定适应性性状遗传基础的重要性。