Award Abstract #0110004
Linking Rice, Arabidopsis and the Grasses to Explore Natural Genetic Variation

NSF Org:	IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	September 14, 2001
Latest Amendment Date:	March 25, 2003
Award Number:	0110004
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Diane Jofuku Okamuro IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2001
Expires:	August 31, 2006 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$1368685
Investigator(s):	Susan McCouch srm4@cornell.edu (Principal Investigator) Ray Wu (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Cornell University - State 373 Pine Tree Road Ithica, NY 14850 607/255-5014
NSF Program(s):	PLANT GENOME RESEARCH PROJECT
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9109, 7218
Program Element Code(s):	1329

ABSTRACT

To date, the map-based cloning and characterization of genes from crop species has largely been limited to monogenic traits, such as those providing disease resistance, that are controlled by single genes causing clear phenotypic effects. Most agronomically-important traits, such as yield and yield components, however, are polygenic traits controlled by multiple genes and influenced by the environment. Over the past decade, the application of molecular markers and genetic linkage maps has allowed specific regions of the genome controlling polygenic traits, called quantitative trait loci (QTLs), to be identified in all of the major crop species. In spite of the wealth of positional information for these regions, however, few genes underlying quantitative traits have actually been cloned. As a result, many questions concerning the nature and function of these genes, as well as the molecular mechanisms behind the genetic variation of agronomically-important traits, remain unanswered. The genes underlying QTLs derived from a wild rice ancestor (O. rufipogon) that are associated with natural variation for flowering time, grain weight, and plant height in elite cultivated material will be identified and characterized. Three QTLs that map to rice chromosome 1, one of the first rice chromosomes to be completely sequenced, will be targeted. The specific objectives are to fine-map major QTLs for flowering time, grain weight, and plant height, then to isolate candidate genes that are located within those regions and, finally, to demonstrate phenotypic complementation via transformation with genes underlying the QTLs. The sequence variation from orthologs of the genes underlying the target QTLs in wild and cultivated Oryza, other grasses, and Arabidopsis will be compared to gain an evolutionary perspective and insight into functionally-important conserved domains. This work will generate significant new information about the identity and functional significance of genes associated with agronomically-important traits in the grasses and will test a multi-faceted strategy for rapid identification of genes underlying QTLs when genomic sequence is available in the target region.

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