Genetic and epigenetic signatures for improved breeding of cultivated blueberry

作者：Zejia Wang, Wanchen Zhang, Yangyan Zhou, Qiyan Zhang, Krishnanand P. Kulkarni, Kalpalatha Melmaiee, Youwen Tian, Mei Dong, Zhaoxu Gao, Yanning Su, Hong Yu, Guohui Xu, Yadong Li, Hang He, Qikun Liu, Haiyue Sun · 发表于：Horticulture Research · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1093/hr/uhae138 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Berry genetics and cultivation research、Powdery Mildew Fungal Diseases、Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases

Abstract Blueberry belongs to the Vaccinium genus and is a highly popular fruit crop with significant economic importance. It was not until the early twentieth century that they began to be domesticated through extensive interspecific hybridization. Here, we collected 220 Vaccinium accessions from various geographical locations, including 154 from the United States, 14 from China, eight from Australia, and 29 from Europe and other countries, comprising 164 Vaccinium corymbosum, 15 Vaccinium ashei, 10 lowbush blueberries, seven half-high blueberries, and others. We present the whole-genome variation map of 220 accessions and reconstructed the hundred-year molecular history of interspecific hybridization of blueberry. We focused on the two major blueberry subgroups, the northern highbush blueberry (NHB) and southern highbush blueberry (SHB) and identified candidate genes that contribute to their distinct traits in climate adaptability and fruit quality. Our analysis unveiled the role of gene introgression from Vaccinium darrowii and V. ashei into SHB in driving the differentiation between SHB and NHB, potentially facilitating SHB’s adaptation to subtropical environments. Assisted by genome-wide association studies, our analysis suggested VcTBL44 as a pivotal gene regulator governing fruit firmness in SHB. Additionally, we conducted whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on nine NHB and 12 SHB cultivars, and characterized regions that are differentially methylated between the two sub...