Genetic basis of photosynthetic responses to cold in two locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana. (28th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oakley, Christopher G; Savage, Linda; Lotz, Samuel; Larson, G Rudd; Thomashow, Michael F; Kramer, David M; Schemske, Douglas W
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental botany. Volume 69:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 699
• Page End: 709
• Publication Date: 2017-12-28
• Subjects: Adaptation -- chlorophyll fluorescence -- cold acclimation -- Fv/Fm -- genotype by environment interaction -- natural variation -- non-photochemical quenching -- photoprotection -- photosynthesis -- QTL mapping; Botany -- Periodicals; Botany, Experimental -- Periodicals; Plant physiology -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erx437
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0957

Abstract

Abstract : Dramatic intraspecific natural variation in photosynthetic responses to cold is controlled mainly by a few large effect QTLs, and some cold-responsive photosynthesis QTLs may contribute to local adaptation. abstract: Local adaptation is common, but the traits and genes involved are often unknown. Physiological responses to cold probably contribute to local adaptation in wide-ranging species, but the genetic basis underlying natural variation in these traits has rarely been studied. Using a recombinant inbred (495 lines) mapping population from locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana from Sweden and Italy, we grew plants at low temperature and mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for traits related to photosynthesis: maximal quantum efficiency ( F v / F m ), rapidly reversible photoprotection (NPQfast ), and photoinhibition of PSII (NPQslow ) using high-throughput, whole-plant measures of chlorophyll fluorescence. In response to cold, the Swedish line had greater values for all traits, and for every trait, large effect QTLs contributed to parental differences. We found one major QTL affecting all traits, as well as unique major QTLs for each trait. Six trait QTLs overlapped with previously published locally adaptive QTLs based on fitness measured in the native environments over 3 years. Our results demonstrate that photosynthetic responses to cold can vary dramatically within a species, and may predominantly be caused by a few QTLs of large effect. Some photosynthesis traits and QTLs probably contribute to local adaptation in this system.