Data from: A large effect QTL for salicinoid phenolic glycosides (SPGs) in Populus: implications for gene discovery

Genomic studies have been used to identify genes underlying many important plant secondary metabolic pathways. However, genes for salicinoid phenolic glycosides (SPGs)—ecologically important compounds with significant commercial, cultural, and medicinal applications—remain largely undescribed. We used a linkage map derived from a full-sib population of hybrid cottonwoods (Populus spp.) to search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the SPGs salicortin and HCH-salicortin. SSR markers and primer sequences were used to anchor the map to the V3.0 P. trichocarpa genome. We discovered twenty-one QTL for the two traits, including a major QTL for HCH-salicortin (R2 = 0.52) that co-located with a QTL for salicortin on chr12. Using the V3.0 Populus genome sequence, we identified 2,983 annotated genes and 1,480 genes of unknown function within our QTL intervals. We note ten candidate genes of interest, including BAHD-type acyltransferases that have been potentially linked to Populus SPGs. Our results complement other recent studies in Populus with implications for gene discovery and the evolution of defensive chemistry in a model genus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a full-sib mapping population to identify QTL intervals and gene lists associated with SPGs.

基因组研究已被广泛用于鉴定调控诸多重要植物次生代谢通路的关键基因。然而，针对水杨苷类酚苷（salicinoid phenolic glycosides, SPGs）——这类兼具重要商业、文化与药用价值的生态关键化合物——的相关编码基因在很大程度上仍未被系统阐明。本研究利用源自杂交杨（Populus spp.）全同胞群体的连锁图谱，对SPGs家族的柳皮苷（salicortin）与HCH-柳皮苷（HCH-salicortin）的数量性状基因座（quantitative trait loci, QTL）开展定位筛选。研究借助简单序列重复（Simple Sequence Repeat, SSR）标记与引物序列，将该连锁图谱锚定至毛果杨（P. trichocarpa）V3.0版本参考基因组。本研究共鉴定出调控这两个性状的21个QTL，其中包含一个调控HCH-柳皮苷的主效QTL（决定系数R²=0.52），该位点与12号染色体上调控柳皮苷的QTL发生共定位。借助毛果杨V3.0基因组序列，我们在上述QTL区间内共鉴定出2983个已注释基因与1480个功能未知基因。本研究筛选得到10个候选目标基因，其中包括潜在与杨属SPGs相关的BAHD型酰基转移酶。本研究结果补充了近期杨属相关研究的成果，可为模式属的基因发掘与防御性化学物质演化研究提供重要参考。据我们所知，本研究是首个利用全同胞作图群体定位与SPGs相关QTL区间并构建关联基因列表的研究。