Home LiteratureArticle Details

PMID: 12244216 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Genetic diversity and selection in the maize starch pathway.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 99 ·No. 20 ·2002-10-01 ·Pages 12959-62

Whitt SR, Wilson LM, Tenaillon MI, Gaut BS, Buckler ES

Abstract

Maize is both phenotypically and genetically diverse. Sequence studies generally confirm the extensive genetic variability in modern maize is consistent with a lack of selection. For more than 6,000 years, Native Americans and modern breeders have exploited the tremendous genetic diversity of maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) to create the highest yielding grain crop in the world. Nonetheless, some loci have relatively low levels of genetic variation, particularly loci that have been the target of artificial selection, like c1 and tb1. However, there is limited information on how selection may affect an agronomically important pathway for any crop. These pathways may retain the signature of artificial selection and may lack genetic variation in contrast to the rest of the genome. To evaluate the impact of selection across an agronomically important pathway, we surveyed nucleotide diversity at six major genes involved in starch metabolism and found unusually low genetic diversity and strong evidence of selection. Low diversity in these critical genes suggests that a paradigm shift may be required for future maize breeding. Rather than relying solely on the diversity within maize or on transgenics, future maize breeding would perhaps benefit from the incorporation of alleles from maize's wild relatives.

MeSH Terms

Genetic Variation Genome, Plant Genotype Molecular Sequence Data Phenotype Starch/genetics Zea mays/genetics

Chemicals

Starch

Authors & Affiliations

5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Whitt Sherry R

U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC 27695-7614, USA.

Wilson Larissa M

Tenaillon Maud I

Gaut Brandon S

Buckler Edward S

References (26)

26 references, click to expand

Statistical method for testing the neutral mutation hypothesis by DNA polymorphism.
Genetics. 1989 Nov;123(3):585-95 PMID: 2513255
The molecular evolution of terminal ear1, a regulatory gene in the genus Zea.
Genetics. 1999 Nov;153(3):1455-62 PMID: 10545473
Molecular structure of three mutations at the maize sugary1 locus and their allele-specific phenotypic effects.
Plant Physiol. 2001 Mar;125(3):1406-18 PMID: 11244120
Seed banks and molecular maps: unlocking genetic potential from the wild.
Science. 1997 Aug 22;277(5329):1063-6 PMID: 9262467
Structure of linkage disequilibrium and phenotypic associations in the maize genome.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Sep 25;98(20):11479-84 PMID: 11562485
Teosinte glume architecture 1: A Genetic Locus Controlling a Key Step in Maize Evolution.
Science. 1993 Oct 8;262(5131):233-5 PMID: 17841871
DnaSP version 3: an integrated program for molecular population genetics and molecular evolution analysis.
Bioinformatics. 1999 Feb;15(2):174-5 PMID: 10089204
The enzymatic deficiency conditioned by the shrunken-1 mutations in maize.
Biochem Genet. 1976 Dec;14(11-12):1041-55 PMID: 1016220
Association mapping in structured populations.
Am J Hum Genet. 2000 Jul;67(1):170-81 PMID: 10827107
The function of the waxy locus in starch synthesis in maize endosperm.
Biochem Genet. 1974 Feb;11(2):83-96 PMID: 4824506
Patterns of DNA sequence polymorphism along chromosome 1 of maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.).
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Jul 31;98(16):9161-6 PMID: 11470895
Characterization of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from shrunken-2 and brittle-2 mutants of maize.
Biochem Genet. 1976 Aug;14(7-8):547-60 PMID: 985379
Molecular diversity, structure and domestication of grasses.
Genet Res. 2001 Jun;77(3):213-8 PMID: 11486504
Speciation and domestication in maize and its wild relatives: evidence from the globulin-1 gene.
Genetics. 1998 Oct;150(2):863-72 PMID: 9755214
Characterization of the maize gene sugary1, a determinant of starch composition in kernels.
Plant Cell. 1995 Apr;7(4):417-29 PMID: 7773016
Immunological characterization of maize starch branching enzymes.
Plant Physiol. 1983 Jul;72(3):813-6 PMID: 16663090
Evolution of anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize kernels: the role of regulatory and enzymatic loci.
Genetics. 1996 Jul;143(3):1395-407 PMID: 8807310
Recent progress toward understanding biosynthesis of the amylopectin crystal.
Plant Physiol. 2000 Apr;122(4):989-97 PMID: 10759494
The limits of selection during maize domestication.
Nature. 1999 Mar 18;398(6724):236-9 PMID: 10094045
Dwarf8 polymorphisms associate with variation in flowering time.
Nat Genet. 2001 Jul;28(3):286-9 PMID: 11431702
Investigation of the bottleneck leading to the domestication of maize.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Apr 14;95(8):4441-6 PMID: 9539756
cDNA Clones for Corn Leaf NADH:Nitrate Reductase and Chloroplast NAD(P):Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase : Characterization of the Clones and Analysis of the Expression of the Genes in Leaves as Influenced by Nitrate in the Light and Dark.
Plant Physiol. 1989 Jul;90(3):792-8 PMID: 16666879
The evolution of apical dominance in maize.
Nature. 1997 Apr 3;386(6624):485-8 PMID: 9087405
Evolution of maize inferred from sequence diversity of an Adh2 gene segment from archaeological specimens.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Mar 1;90(5):1997-2001 PMID: 8446621
A test of neutral molecular evolution based on nucleotide data.
Genetics. 1987 May;116(1):153-9 PMID: 3110004
Grain sink strength may be related to the poor grain filling of indica-japonica rice (Oryza sativa) hybrids.
Physiol Plant. 2001 Aug;112(4):470-477 PMID: 11473706

Article Info

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Abbr.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

ISSN

0027-8424

DOI

10.1073/pnas.202476999

Published

2002-10-01

Epub

2002-00-20

Pages

12959-62

Language

English

Region

United States

NLM ID

7505876

PMCID

PMC130568

Subset

Databases

GENBANK

AY146786, AY146787, AY146788, AY146789, AY146790, AY146791, AY146792, AY146793, AY146794, AY146795, AY146796, AY146797, AY146798, AY146799, AY146800, AY146801, AY146802, AY146803, AY146804, AY146805, AY146806, AY146807, AY146808, AY146809, AY146810, AY146811, AY146812, AY146813, AY146814, AY146815, AY146816, AY146817

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.202476999 PMC Full Text View journal details

Analysis Services

Genetic diversity and selection in the maize starch pathway.

Contact

WeChat Official Account