Biotech Updates

Inheritance and Mapping of Gene Controlling Beta-carotene in Cucumber

August 26, 2011

Scientist Kailiang Bo from Nanjing Agricultural University, China and colleagues conducted an experiment to determine the inheritance of genes controlling the beta-carotene quantity in cucumber fruit, identify the molecular markers involved to the accumulation of beta-carotene, and map the genes controlling the quantity of beta-carotene (QβC).

To determine the inheritance of QβC in cucumber fruit endocarp (inner layer of the fruit that surrounds the seed), F1 progeny and a set of 124 F7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cultivated cucumber line CC3 and XIS line SWCC8 were evaluated for QβC. Analysis showed that the endocarp QβC was controlled by one recessive gene. Further analysis revealed that the gene controlling QβC was linked to seven SSR markers. The researchers mapped these markers and the assumed candidate gene. Through the evaluation of 30 genetically diverse cucumber lines, it was found that one of the markers (SSR0770) could be used for further genetic analyses of the QβC orange endocarp gene labeled as ore.

The markers defined in the study could be used in the development of cucumber line with better beta-carotene content.

Read the research article published at the Transgenic Research online journal: http://www.springerlink.com/content/y044n3805307584p/fulltext.pdf.