Progress 04/14/13 to 07/16/15
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): This project will address in oat, one of our important cereals, the needs for an understanding of the molecular/structural organization of its large complex genome, means to effectively identify and manipulate more durable race non-specific quantitative resistance to its major disease, crown rust, and the development of new biotic and abiotic stress resistance germplasm in elite agronomic backgrounds through the following objectives: Objective 1: Characterize the complex segmental homoeologous structure of allohexaploid cultivated oat through molecular marker analysis of monosomic and nullisomic chromosome-deficient stocks. Objective 2: Identify and map key genes (quantitative trait loci or QTLs) for important traits, particularly race non-specific crown rust resistance, by developing and phenotyping mapping populations and employing new molecular markers (EST-SSR and DArT). Objective 3: Develop cultivated oat germplasm with introduced biotic and abiotic stress resistance and high-value traits through introgressing crown rust resistance from wild oat species, exploring heat stress and disease resistance from genes introduced by crosses with corn, and evaluating high-value trait sources through coordination of regional spring oat nurseries. Approach (from AD-416): Monosomic (single chromosome deficient) oat plants needed to complete a full series of 21 lines each deficient for a different oat chromosome will be identified cytologically and with molecular markers among derivatives of oat x corn crosses. Molecular marker linkage groups will be assigned to chromosome using these monosomic lines to develop a comprehensive genomic map for cultivated oat. The QTL identification of race non-specific (partial) crown rust in oat germplasm MN841801-1 will be enhanced with additional field and molecular marker data including the use of new DArT markers, and the effectiveness of marker-assisted selection will be tested for efficiency and effectiveness in transfer of the resistance QTLs into other oat backgrounds. New oat crown rust resistance genes will be introgressed into cultivated oat from wild oat species. Previously produced oat lines containing segments of corn chromosomes will be further developed and evaluated for possible enhanced heat tolerance and disease resistance. Coordination of cooperative regional spring oat performance nurseries will be used to identify optimal current oat genotypes for use as parents in crosses for introgressions and germplasm enhancement. This bridging research project, initiated on April 14, 2013 to replace research project 3640-21000-025-00D, was terminated in FY15. During the life of the project, collaborative research was pursued in conjunction with the University of Minnesota to conduct bioinformatic analysis of gene expression patterns during the course of oat seed development. Of particular interest are the ensembles of genes that constitute metabolic pathways producing compounds with health-promoting properties, particularly genes of the vitamin E biosynthetic pathway. DNA sequencing was used to produce the coding sequences of these genes, and to distinguish between the multiple copies of the genes at each step of the vitamin E synthesis pathway that are present in oat, owing to its polyploid ancestry. Subsequently, by using a large high throughput RNA sequencing data set obtained during the previous research project to create a gene expression atlas for developing oat seeds, the levels of expression for all identified genes participating in vitamin E biosynthesis as oat seeds develop were measured. This information was then compared to patterns of vitamin E accumulation in developing oat seeds, and one gene in particular was identified that appears to play a particularly prominent role in the accumulation of vitamin E. Accomplishments 01 Designing more nutritious oats. Oats contain a number of compounds that promote human health, including vitamin E and related compounds. ARS scientists in St. Paul, Minnesota, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, investigated the potential contribution of many genes to vitamin E accumulation in oat seeds. Of more than two dozen genes involved in vitamin E production that were examined, one in particular may play a prominent role in increasing vitamin E levels as the oat seed develops. This information might potentially be used for increasing the nutritional quality of oats.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): This project will address in oat, one of our important cereals, the needs for an understanding of the molecular/structural organization of its large complex genome, means to effectively identify and manipulate more durable race non-specific quantitative resistance to its major disease, crown rust, and the development of new biotic and abiotic stress resistance germplasm in elite agronomic backgrounds through the following objectives: Objective 1: Characterize the complex segmental homoeologous structure of allohexaploid cultivated oat through molecular marker analysis of monosomic and nullisomic chromosome-deficient stocks. Objective 2: Identify and map key genes (quantitative trait loci or QTLs) for important traits, particularly race non-specific crown rust resistance, by developing and phenotyping mapping populations and employing new molecular markers (EST-SSR and DArT). Objective 3: Develop cultivated oat germplasm with introduced biotic and abiotic stress resistance and high-value traits through introgressing crown rust resistance from wild oat species, exploring heat stress and disease resistance from genes introduced by crosses with corn, and evaluating high-value trait sources through coordination of regional spring oat nurseries. Approach (from AD-416): Monosomic (single chromosome deficient) oat plants needed to complete a full series of 21 lines each deficient for a different oat chromosome will be identified cytologically and with molecular markers among derivatives of oat x corn crosses. Molecular marker linkage groups will be assigned to chromosome using these monosomic lines to develop a comprehensive genomic map for cultivated oat. The QTL identification of race non-specific (partial) crown rust in oat germplasm MN841801-1 will be enhanced with additional field and molecular marker data including the use of new DArT markers, and the effectiveness of marker-assisted selection will be tested for efficiency and effectiveness in transfer of the resistance QTLs into other oat backgrounds. New oat crown rust resistance genes will be introgressed into cultivated oat from wild oat species. Previously produced oat lines containing segments of corn chromosomes will be further developed and evaluated for possible enhanced heat tolerance and disease resistance. Coordination of cooperative regional spring oat performance nurseries will be used to identify optimal current oat genotypes for use as parents in crosses for introgressions and germplasm enhancement. To further understand the accumulation of health-promoting compounds in oats, research to examine how patterns of gene expression change during the course of oat seed development was initiated using next generation sequencing. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) samples from several points during oat seed development between 7 and 28 days after pollination were analyzed by sequencing. A total of 1,461,342 individual sequences, averaging nearly 500 base pairs in length, was produced. After quality evaluation, nearly 900,000 high quality sequences were identified. Preliminary analysis identified several partial sequences that code for enzymes involved in the synthesis of vitamin E. A Specific Cooperative Agreement was established with university partners to continue to research these genes as well as other genes that play a role in the synthesis of beta-glucans and other oat seed compounds that have positive health benefits.
Impacts
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Publications
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Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): This project will address in oat, one of our important cereals, the needs for an understanding of the molecular/structural organization of its large complex genome, means to effectively identify and manipulate more durable race non-specific quantitative resistance to its major disease, crown rust, and the development of new biotic and abiotic stress resistance germplasm in elite agronomic backgrounds through the following objectives: Objective 1: Characterize the complex segmental homoeologous structure of allohexaploid cultivated oat through molecular marker analysis of monosomic and nullisomic chromosome-deficient stocks. Objective 2: Identify and map key genes (quantitative trait loci or QTLs) for important traits, particularly race non-specific crown rust resistance, by developing and phenotyping mapping populations and employing new molecular markers (EST-SSR and DArT). Objective 3: Develop cultivated oat germplasm with introduced biotic and abiotic stress resistance and high-value traits through introgressing crown rust resistance from wild oat species, exploring heat stress and disease resistance from genes introduced by crosses with corn, and evaluating high-value trait sources through coordination of regional spring oat nurseries. Approach (from AD-416): Monosomic (single chromosome deficient) oat plants needed to complete a full series of 21 lines each deficient for a different oat chromosome will be identified cytologically and with molecular markers among derivatives of oat x corn crosses. Molecular marker linkage groups will be assigned to chromosome using these monosomic lines to develop a comprehensive genomic map for cultivated oat. The QTL identification of race non-specific (partial) crown rust in oat germplasm MN841801-1 will be enhanced with additional field and molecular marker data including the use of new DArT markers, and the effectiveness of marker-assisted selection will be tested for efficiency and effectiveness in transfer of the resistance QTLs into other oat backgrounds. New oat crown rust resistance genes will be introgressed into cultivated oat from wild oat species. Previously produced oat lines containing segments of corn chromosomes will be further developed and evaluated for possible enhanced heat tolerance and disease resistance. Coordination of cooperative regional spring oat performance nurseries will be used to identify optimal current oat genotypes for use as parents in crosses for introgressions and germplasm enhancement. This is a new bridging project that was initiated on April 14, 2013, replacing 3640-21000-025-00D. Bioinformatic research has been initiated to examine how patterns of gene expression change during the course of oat seed development. Of particular interest are those genes that are involved in the production of compounds with health-promoting properties, such as genes of the vitamin E biosynthetic pathway, genes putatively involved in beta-glucan synthesis, and genes for avenanthramide biosynthesis. We are employing a comprehensive oat seed transcriptome we developed previously for this research to monitor patterns of gene expression over time. We have also initiated research to examine the relative expression of duplicated genes in oat, using next generation sequencing technology.
Impacts
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Publications
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