Ty1-copia retrotransposon-based SSAP marker development in cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.)

Transposable elements: multifunctional players in the plant genome

Transposable elements (TEs) are indispensable components of eukaryotic genomes that play diverse roles in gene regulation, recombination, and environmental adaptation. Their ability to mobilize within the genome leads to gene expression and DNA structure changes. TEs serve as valuable markers for genetic and evolutionary studies and facilitate genetic mapping and phylogenetic analysis. They also provide insight into how organisms adapt to a changing environment by promoting gene rearrangements that lead to new gene combinations. These repetitive sequences significantly impact genome structure, function and evolution. This review takes a comprehensive look at TEs and their applications in biotechnology, particularly in the context of plant biology, where they are now considered "genomic gold" due to their extensive functionalities. The article addresses various aspects of TEs in plant development, including their structure, epigenetic regulation, evolutionary patterns, and their use in gene editing and plant molecular markers. The goal is to systematically understand TEs and shed light on their diverse roles in plant biology.

TEMM: A Curated Data Resource for Transposon Element-Based Molecular Markers in Plants

Transposon elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that can insert themselves into new locations and modify the plant genome. In recent years, they have been used as molecular markers in plant breeding programs. TE-based molecular markers (TE-markers) are divided into two categories depending on the transcription mechanism of the TEs. The first category is retrotransposon-based molecular markers, which include RBIP, IRAP, REMAP, and iPBS. The second group is DNA-based-TE-markers, which include MITE, TE-junction, and CACTA TE-markers. These markers are a good tool for studying genetic diversity and can provide information on plants' phylogenetic and evolutionary history. They can help improve breeding programs to increase agronomic traits and develop new varieties. Overall, TE-markers play an important role in plant genetics and plant breeding and contribute to a better understanding of plant biology. Here, we present TEMM, a curated data resource for TE-markers in plants. Relevant research articles were screened to collect primer sequences and related information. Only articles containing primer sequences are added to the present data resource. TEMM contains 784 primers with their associated PCR reaction programs and their applications in various crops. These include 203 IPBS, 191 RBIP, 140 IRAP, 78 TE-junction, 76 IRAPS, 47 RBIP-IRAP, 16 IRAP-REMAP, 12 REMAP, 12 REMA-IRAP, 6 REMA, and 3 ISBP primers. The data resource is freely available at https://bioinformatics.um6p.ma/TEMM .

Retrotransposons: How the continuous evolutionary front shapes plant genomes for response to heat stress

Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR retrotransposons) are the most abundant group of mobile genetic elements in eukaryotic genomes and are essential in organizing genomic architecture and phenotypic variations. The diverse families of retrotransposons are related to retroviruses. As retrotransposable elements are dispersed and ubiquitous, their "copy-out and paste-in" life cycle of replicative transposition leads to new genome insertions without the excision of the original element. The overall structure of retrotransposons and the domains responsible for the various phases of their replication is highly conserved in all eukaryotes. The two major superfamilies of LTR retrotransposons, Ty1/Copia and Ty3/Gypsy, are distinguished and dispersed across the chromosomes of higher plants. Members of these superfamilies can increase in copy number and are often activated by various biotic and abiotic stresses due to retrotransposition bursts. LTR retrotransposons are important drivers of species diversity and exhibit great variety in structure, size, and mechanisms of transposition, making them important putative actors in genome evolution. Additionally, LTR retrotransposons influence the gene expression patterns of adjacent genes by modulating potential small interfering RNA (siRNA) and RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathways. Furthermore, comparative and evolutionary analysis of the most important crop genome sequences and advanced technologies have elucidated the epigenetics and structural and functional modifications driven by LTR retrotransposon during speciation. However, mechanistic insights into LTR retrotransposons remain obscure in plant development due to a lack of advancement in high throughput technologies. In this review, we focus on the key role of LTR retrotransposons response in plants during heat stress, the role of centromeric LTR retrotransposons, and the role of LTR retrotransposon markers in genome expression and evolution.

Developing Transposable Element Marker System for Molecular Breeding

Transposable element (TE) marker system was developed considering the useful properties of the transposable elements such as their large number in the animal and plant genomes, high rate of insertion polymorphism, and ease of detection. Various methods have been employed for developing a large number of TE markers in several crop plants for genomics studies. Here we describe some of these methods including the recent whole genome search. We also review the application of TE markers in molecular breeding.

Ty1-copia elements reveal diverse insertion sites linked to polymorphisms among flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions

BACKGROUND

Initial characterization of the flax genome showed that Ty1-copia retrotransposons are abundant, with several members being recently inserted, and in close association with genes. Recent insertions indicate a potential for ongoing transpositional activity that can create genomic diversity among accessions, cultivars or varieties. The polymorphisms generated constitute a good source of molecular markers that may be associated with phenotype if the insertions alter gene activity. Flax, where accessions are bred mainly for seed nutritional properties or for fibers, constitutes a good model for studying the relationship of transpositional activity with diversification and breeding. In this study, we estimated copy number and used a type of transposon display known as Sequence-Specific Amplification Polymorphisms (SSAPs), to characterize six families of Ty1-copia elements across 14 flax accessions. Polymorphic insertion sites were sequenced to find insertions that could potentially alter gene expression, and a preliminary test was performed with selected genes bearing transposable element (TE) insertions.

RESULTS

Quantification of six families of Ty1-copia elements indicated different abundances among TE families and between flax accessions, which suggested diverse transpositional histories. SSAPs showed a high level of polymorphism in most of the evaluated retrotransposon families, with a trend towards higher levels of polymorphism in low-copy number families. Ty1-copia insertion polymorphisms among cultivars allowed a general distinction between oil and fiber types, and between spring and winter types, demonstrating their utility in diversity studies. Characterization of polymorphic insertions revealed an overwhelming association with genes, with insertions disrupting exons, introns or within 1 kb of coding regions. A preliminary test on the potential transcriptional disruption by TEs of four selected genes evaluated in three different tissues, showed one case of significant impact of the insertion on gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that specific Ty1-copia families have been active since breeding commenced in flax. The retrotransposon-derived polymorphism can be used to separate flax types, and the close association of many insertions with genes defines a good source of potential mutations that could be associated with phenotypic changes, resulting in diversification processes.

Moving through the Stressed Genome: Emerging Regulatory Roles for Transposons in Plant Stress Response

The recognition of a positive correlation between organism genome size with its transposable element (TE) content, represents a key discovery of the field of genome biology. Considerable evidence accumulated since then suggests the involvement of TEs in genome structure, evolution and function. The global genome reorganization brought about by transposon activity might play an adaptive/regulatory role in the host response to environmental challenges, reminiscent of McClintock's original 'Controlling Element' hypothesis. This regulatory aspect of TEs is also garnering support in light of the recent evidences, which project TEs as "distributed genomic control modules." According to this view, TEs are capable of actively reprogramming host genes circuits and ultimately fine-tuning the host response to specific environmental stimuli. Moreover, the stress-induced changes in epigenetic status of TE activity may allow TEs to propagate their stress responsive elements to host genes; the resulting genome fluidity can permit phenotypic plasticity and adaptation to stress. Given their predominating presence in the plant genomes, nested organization in the genic regions and potential regulatory role in stress response, TEs hold unexplored potential for crop improvement programs. This review intends to present the current information about the roles played by TEs in plant genome organization, evolution, and function and highlight the regulatory mechanisms in plant stress responses. We will also briefly discuss the connection between TE activity, host epigenetic response and phenotypic plasticity as a critical link for traversing the translational bridge from a purely basic study of TEs, to the applied field of stress adaptation and crop improvement.

Construction of a linkage map based on retrotransposon insertion polymorphisms in sweetpotato via high-throughput sequencing

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an outcrossing hexaploid species with a large number of chromosomes (2n = 6x = 90). Although sweetpotato is one of the world's most important crops, genetic analysis of the species has been hindered by its genetic complexity combined with the lack of a whole genome sequence. In the present study, we constructed a genetic linkage map based on retrotransposon insertion polymorphisms using a mapping population derived from a cross between 'Purple Sweet Lord' (PSL) and '90IDN-47' cultivars. High-throughput sequencing and subsequent data analyses identified many Rtsp-1 retrotransposon insertion sites, and their allele dosages (simplex, duplex, triplex, or double-simplex) were determined based on segregation ratios in the mapping population. Using a pseudo-testcross strategy, 43 and 47 linkage groups were generated for PSL and 90IDN-47, respectively. Interestingly, most of these insertions (~90%) were present in a simplex manner, indicating their utility for linkage map construction in polyploid species. Additionally, our approach led to savings of time and labor for genotyping. Although the number of markers herein was insufficient for map-based cloning, our trial analysis exhibited the utility of retrotransposon-based markers for linkage map construction in sweetpotato.

Efficient screening of long terminal repeat retrotransposons that show high insertion polymorphism via high-throughput sequencing of the primer binding site

Retrotransposons have been used frequently for the development of molecular markers by using their insertion polymorphisms among cultivars, because multiple copies of these elements are dispersed throughout the genome and inserted copies are inherited genetically. Although a large number of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon families exist in the higher eukaryotic genomes, the identification of families that show high insertion polymorphism has been challenging. Here, we performed an efficient screening of these retrotransposon families using an Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencing platform with comprehensive LTR library construction based on the primer binding site (PBS), which is located adjacent to the 5' LTR and has a motif that is universal and conserved among LTR retrotransposon families. The paired-end sequencing library of the fragments containing a large number of LTR sequences and their insertion sites was sequenced for seven strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) cultivars and one diploid wild species (Fragaria vesca L.). Among them, we screened 24 families with a "unique" insertion site that appeared only in one cultivar and not in any others, assuming that this type of insertion should have occurred quite recently. Finally, we confirmed experimentally the selected LTR families showed high insertion polymorphisms among closely related cultivars.

A rapid and enhanced DNA detection method for crop cultivar discrimination

In many crops species, the development of a rapid and precise cultivar discrimination system has been required for plant breeding and patent protection of plant cultivars and agricultural products. Here, we successfully evaluated strawberry cultivars via a novel method, namely, the single tag hybridization (STH) chromatographic printed array strip (PAS) using the PCR products of eight genomic regions. In a previous study, we showed that genotyping of eight genomic regions derived from FaRE1 retrotransposon insertion site enabled to discriminate 32 strawberry cultivars precisely, however, this method required agarose/acrylamide gel electrophoresis, thus has the difficulty for practical application. In contrast, novel DNA detection method in this study has some great advantages over standard DNA detection methods, including agarose/acrylamide gel electrophoresis, because it produces signals for DNA detection with dramatically higher sensitivity in a shorter time without any preparation or staining of a gel. Moreover, this method enables the visualization of multiplex signals simultaneously in a single reaction using several independent amplification products. We expect that this novel method will become a rapid and convenient cultivar screening assay for practical purposes, and will be widely applied to various situations, including laboratory research, and on-site inspection of plant cultivars and agricultural products.

Efficient DNA fingerprinting based on the targeted sequencing of active retrotransposon insertion sites using a bench-top high-throughput sequencing platform

In many crop species, DNA fingerprinting is required for the precise identification of cultivars to protect the rights of breeders. Many families of retrotransposons have multiple copies throughout the eukaryotic genome and their integrated copies are inherited genetically. Thus, their insertion polymorphisms among cultivars are useful for DNA fingerprinting. In this study, we conducted a DNA fingerprinting based on the insertion polymorphisms of active retrotransposon families (Rtsp-1 and LIb) in sweet potato. Using 38 cultivars, we identified 2,024 insertion sites in the two families with an Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. Of these insertion sites, 91.4% appeared to be polymorphic among the cultivars and 376 cultivar-specific insertion sites were identified, which were converted directly into cultivar-specific sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using these insertion sites, which corresponded well with known pedigree information, thereby indicating their suitability for genetic diversity studies. Thus, the genome-wide comparative analysis of active retrotransposon insertion sites using the bench-top MiSeq sequencing platform is highly effective for DNA fingerprinting without any requirement for whole genome sequence information. This approach may facilitate the development of practical polymerase chain reaction-based cultivar diagnostic system and could also be applied to the determination of genetic relationships.

Transposon fingerprinting using low coverage whole genome shotgun sequencing in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) and related species

Background

Transposable elements (TEs) and other repetitive elements are a large and dynamically evolving part of eukaryotic genomes, especially in plants where they can account for a significant proportion of genome size. Their dynamic nature gives them the potential for use in identifying and characterizing crop germplasm. However, their repetitive nature makes them challenging to study using conventional methods of molecular biology. Next generation sequencing and new computational tools have greatly facilitated the investigation of TE variation within species and among closely related species.

Results

(i) We generated low-coverage Illumina whole genome shotgun sequencing reads for multiple individuals of cacao (Theobroma cacao) and related species. These reads were analysed using both an alignment/mapping approach and a de novo (graph based clustering) approach. (ii) A standard set of ultra-conserved orthologous sequences (UCOS) standardized TE data between samples and provided phylogenetic information on the relatedness of samples. (iii) The mapping approach proved highly effective within the reference species but underestimated TE abundance in interspecific comparisons relative to the de novo methods. (iv) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique patterns of TE abundance indicating that the TE composition of the genome is evolving actively within this species. (v) LTR/Gypsy elements are the most abundant, comprising c.10% of the genome. (vi) Within T. cacao the retroelement families show an order of magnitude greater sequence variability than the DNA transposon families. (vii) Theobroma grandiflorum has a similar TE composition to T. cacao, but the related genus Herrania is rather different, with LTRs making up a lower proportion of the genome, perhaps because of a massive presence (c. 20%) of distinctive low complexity satellite-like repeats in this genome.

Conclusions

(i) Short read alignment/mapping to reference TE contigs provides a simple and effective method of investigating intraspecific differences in TE composition. It is not appropriate for comparing repetitive elements across the species boundaries, for which de novo methods are more appropriate. (ii) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique spectra of TE composition indicating active evolution of TE abundance within this species. TE patterns could potentially be used as a “fingerprint” to identify and characterize cacao accessions.

Locus-dependent selection in crop-wild hybrids of lettuce under field conditions and its implication for GM crop development

Gene escape from crops has gained much attention in the last two decades, as transgenes introgressing into wild populations could affect the latter's ecological characteristics. However, different genes have different likelihoods of introgression. The mixture of selective forces provided by natural conditions creates an adaptive mosaic of alleles from both parental species. We investigated segregation patterns after hybridization between lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and its wild relative, L. serriola. Three generations of hybrids (S1, BC1, and BC1S1) were grown in habitats mimicking the wild parent's habitat. As control, we harvested S1 seedlings grown under controlled conditions, providing very limited possibility for selection. We used 89 AFLP loci, as well as more recently developed dominant markers, 115 retrotransposon markers (SSAP), and 28 NBS loci linked to resistance genes. For many loci, allele frequencies were biased in plants exposed to natural field conditions, including over-representation of crop alleles for various loci. Furthermore, Linkage disequilibrium was locally changed, allegedly by selection caused by the natural field conditions, providing ample opportunity for genetic hitchhiking. Our study indicates that when developing genetically modified crops, a judicious selection of insertion sites, based on knowledge of selective (dis)advantages of the surrounding crop genome under field conditions, could diminish transgene persistence.

Comparison of anonymous and targeted molecular markers for the estimation of genetic diversity in ex situ conserved Lactuca

The anonymous marker systems microsatellites (simple sequence repeats), amplified fragment length polymorphisms and sequence-specific amplified polymorphisms were compared with the targeted marker systems sequence-related amplified polymorphisms, target region amplification polymorphisms and nucleotide binding site profiling for their ability to describe the genetic diversity in a selected set of 80 Lactuca accessions. The accessions were also described morphologically, and all characterisation methods were evaluated against the genetic diversity assessed by a panel of three crop experts. The morphological data showed a low level of association with the molecular data, and did not display a consistently better relationship with the experts' assessments in comparison with the molecular data. In general, the diversity described by the targeted molecular markers did not differ markedly from that of the anonymous markers, resulting in only slight differences in performance when related to the expert-based assessments. It was argued that markers targeted to specific gene sequences may still behave as anonymous markers and that the type of marker system used is irrelevant when at low taxonomic levels a clear genetic structure is absent due to intensive breeding activities.

High-throughput retrotransposon-based fluorescent markers: improved information content and allele discrimination

BACKGROUND

Dense genetic maps, together with the efficiency and accuracy of their construction, are integral to genetic studies and marker assisted selection for plant breeding. High-throughput multiplex markers that are robust and reproducible can contribute to both efficiency and accuracy. Multiplex markers are often dominant and so have low information content, this coupled with the pressure to find alternatives to radio-labelling, has led us to adapt the SSAP (sequence specific amplified polymorphism) marker method from a 33P labelling procedure to fluorescently tagged markers analysed from an automated ABI 3730 xl platform. This method is illustrated for multiplexed SSAP markers based on retrotransposon insertions of pea and is applicable for the rapid and efficient generation of markers from genomes where repetitive element sequence information is available for primer design. We cross-reference SSAP markers previously generated using the 33P manual PAGE system to fluorescent peaks, and use these high-throughput fluorescent SSAP markers for further genetic studies in Pisum.

RESULTS

The optimal conditions for the fluorescent-labelling method used a triplex set of primers in the PCR. These included a fluorescently labelled specific primer together with its unlabelled counterpart, plus an adapter-based primer with two bases of selection on the 3' end. The introduction of the unlabelled specific primer helped to optimise the fluorescent signal across the range of fragment sizes expected, and eliminated the need for extensive dilutions of PCR amplicons. The software (GeneMarker Version 1.6) used for the high-throughput data analysis provided an assessment of amplicon size in nucleotides, peak areas and fluorescence intensity in a table format, so providing additional information content for each marker. The method has been tested in a small-scale study with 12 pea accessions resulting in 467 polymorphic fluorescent SSAP markers of which 260 were identified as having been mapped previously using the radio-labelling technique. Heterozygous individuals from pea cultivar crosses were identifiable after peak area data analysis using the fluorescent SSAP method.

CONCLUSION

As well as developing a rapid, and high-throughput marker method for genetic studies, the fluorescent SSAP system improved the accuracy of amplicon scoring, increased the available marker number, improved allele discrimination, and was sensitive enough to identify heterozygous loci in F1 and F2 progeny, indicating the potential to develop high-throughput codominant SSAPs.

Genetic mapping of the apospory-specific genomic region in Pennisetum squamulatum using retrotransposon-based molecular markers

Pennisetum squamulatum reproduces by apomixis, a type of asexual reproduction through seeds. Apomixis in P. squamulatum is transmitted as a dominant Mendelian trait, and a genomic region, the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR), is sufficient for inheritance of the trait. The ASGR is physically large (>50 Mb), highly heterochromatic, hemizygous, and recombinationally suppressed. These characteristics have hindered high-resolution genetic mapping and map-based cloning of apomixis genes. In this study, the long terminal repeat (LTR) regions of ASGR-abundant retrotransposons in the genome of P. squamulatum and ASGR-linked bacterial artificial chromosome clones were identified and sequenced for designing LTR-specific primers. Two hundred and ninety single-dose sequence specific amplified polymorphism (SSAP) markers were generated from 38 primer combinations. The SSAP markers combined with two previous ASGR-mapped markers were used for genetic linkage analysis and construction of a genetic map resulting in the formation of 27 linkage groups at LOD 10, one of which contained >60% of the SSAP markers. After removing identical markers (identical band scoring) on the largest linkage group, 46 markers were finally used for genetic mapping at LOD 10. The markers distributed across 10 different loci covering 19 cM; however, 45 markers were distributed within 9 cM. Six markers were recovered and sequenced. Five markers were successfully converted into sequence characterized amplified regions (SCARs). Segregation of SCAR markers was not always consistent with the SSAP markers of origin suggesting a greater level of error in the SSAP map resulting in an inflated map distance for the ASGR. One SCAR marker (Pst 56-1205-400) detected expression of an ASGR retrotransposon in root, anther, leaf and ovary of P. squamulatum, although sequencing of the RT-PCR product failed to find a functional open reading frame for the transcript.

Envelope-like retrotransposons in the plant kingdom: evidence of their presence in gymnosperms (Pinus pinaster)

Retroviruses differ from retrotransposons due to their infective capacity, which depends critically on the encoded envelope. Some plant retroelements contain domains reminiscent of the env of animal retroviruses but the number of such elements described to date is restricted to angiosperms. We show here the first evidence of the presence of putative env-like gene sequences in a gymnosperm species, Pinus pinaster (maritime pine). Using a degenerate primer approach for conserved domains of RNaseH gene, three clones from putative envelope-like retrotransposons (PpRT2, PpRT3, and PpRT4) were identified. The env-like sequences of P. pinaster clones are predicted to encode proteins with transmembrane domains. These sequences showed identity scores of up to 30% with env-like sequences belonging to different organisms. A phylogenetic analysis based on protein alignment of deduced aminoacid sequences revealed that these clones clustered with env-containing plant retrotransposons, as well as with retrotransposons from invertebrate organisms. The differences found among the sequences of maritime pine clones isolated here suggest the existence of different putative classes of env-like retroelements. The identification for the first time of env-like genes in a gymnosperm species may support the ancestrality of retroviruses among plants shedding light on their role in plant evolution.

Advances in molecular marker techniques and their applications in plant sciences

Detection and analysis of genetic variation can help us to understand the molecular basis of various biological phenomena in plants. Since the entire plant kingdom cannot be covered under sequencing projects, molecular markers and their correlation to phenotypes provide us with requisite landmarks for elucidation of genetic variation. Genetic or DNA based marker techniques such as RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism), RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA), SSR (simple sequence repeats) and AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) are routinely being used in ecological, evolutionary, taxonomical, phylogenic and genetic studies of plant sciences. These techniques are well established and their advantages as well as limitations have been realized. In recent years, a new class of advanced techniques has emerged, primarily derived from combination of earlier basic techniques. Advanced marker techniques tend to amalgamate advantageous features of several basic techniques. The newer methods also incorporate modifications in the methodology of basic techniques to increase the sensitivity and resolution to detect genetic discontinuity and distinctiveness. The advanced marker techniques also utilize newer class of DNA elements such as retrotransposons, mitochondrial and chloroplast based microsatellites, thereby revealing genetic variation through increased genome coverage. Techniques such as RAPD and AFLP are also being applied to cDNA-based templates to study patterns of gene expression and uncover the genetic basis of biological responses. The review details account of techniques used in identification of markers and their applicability in plant sciences.

Ty1-copiaretrotransposon-based SSAP marker development and its potential in the genetic study of cucurbits

Three long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences of Ty1-copia retrotransposons were identified in cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) and named Tcs 1, Tcs 2, and Tcs 3. A sequence-specific amplification polymorphism (SSAP) marker system based on these LTR sequences displayed a higher level of polymorphism than AFLPs in cucumber. This marker system could also detect loci in other Cucumis species for genetic diversity analysis. The three Tcs LTRs existed within the exons of genes because of the effective amplification band patterns from the cDNA templates. The potential usefulness of the SSAP marker system in studies of the evolution of genes or genomes was verified after exploring loci changes in first and second generations of a synthetic allotetraploid in Cucumis. This study is the first report of the development of a retrotransposon-based marker system and the SSAP technique in cucurbits.

Genetic diversity analysis in Vicia species using retrotransposon-based SSAP markers

Twelve different Ty1-copia and Ty3-gypsy group LTR retrotransposons were compared for their usefulness in SSAP marker development in two agriculturally important Vicia species. Three of the retrotransposons, PDR1, Tps19 and Tvf4, yielded useful SSAP marker systems in V. faba, and V. narbonensis. Another, Tvf1 was a good source of SSAP markers in V. narbonensis alone. The optimized SSAP marker systems were applied to the analysis of two diverse Vicia germplasm sets. Two hundred and two polymorphic Tvf1 SSAP markers were scored in 56 V. narbonensis samples and 196 polymorphic markers derived from the other three most useful retrotransposons were scored in a collection of 20 V. faba samples. The marker data were then used to construct phylogenetic trees. The trees for both species tend to show long-branch lengths, with rather little fine structure. Some V. narbonensis accessions cluster by geographical origin but many do not and a given geographical region is often represented by multiple diverse groups in the tree, suggesting a deep and ancient structure for the diversity of V. narbonensis that spans its current geographic range. The tree for the V. faba accessions also shows very limited clustering with geographical origin and no obvious correlation between diversity and morphology-based taxonomic groupings for the species.

Sequence-specific amplification polymorphisms (SSAPs): a multi-locus approach for analyzing transposon insertions

Multiple copies of transposable elements, inserted at random around the host genome, can be used as molecular markers. Sequence-specific amplification polymorphisms (SSAPs) amplify the region between a PCR primer site near the end of an element and an adjacent restriction site in the flanking genomic DNA. Each amplified insertion is revealed as a band on a sequencing gel or capillary electrophoresis, and a genomic DNA sample produces a characteristic fingerprint of bands. Here, we explain the SSAP marker development method, which can be performed for any species, with recommendations for experimental parameters in several plant species. It takes about 1-2 weeks to complete the whole SSAP marker procedure.

Retrotransposon-based S-SAP as a platform for the analysis of genetic variation and linkage in globe artichoke

A high copy number of retrotransposon sequences are present and widely dispersed in plant genomes. Their activity generates a considerable degree of sequence polymorphism. Here, we report the cloning of CYRE-5, a long-terminal repeat carrying retrotransposon-like sequence in Cynara cardunculus L., and its exploitation to develop a DNA fingerprinting assay across 22 accessions, including both cultivated (globe artichoke and cultivated cardoon) and wild (wild cardoon) types. The effectiveness of the sequence-specific amplified polymorphism (S-SAP) platform is compared with that of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). A genetic linkage analysis, based on a hybrid population between 2 globe artichoke varietal types, resulted in the inclusion of 29 S-SAP loci in the core genetic map, confirming their dispersed distribution across the globe artichoke genome.

A detailed linkage map of lettuce based on SSAP, AFLP and NBS markers

Molecular markers based upon a novel lettuce LTR retrotransposon and the nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) family of disease resistance-associated genes have been combined with AFLP markers to generate a 458 locus genetic linkage map for lettuce. A total of 187 retrotransposon-specific SSAP markers, 29 NBS-LRR markers and 242 AFLP markers were mapped in an F(2) population, derived from an interspecific cross between a Lactuca sativa cultivar commonly used in Europe and a wild Lactuca serriola isolate from Northern Europe. The cross has been designed to aid efforts to assess gene flow from cultivated lettuce into the wild in the perspective of genetic modification biosafety. The markers were mapped in nine major and one minor linkage groups spanning 1,266.1 cM, with an average distance of 2.8 cM between adjacent mapped markers. The markers are well distributed throughout the lettuce genome, with limited clustering of different marker types. Seventy-seven of the AFLP markers have been mapped previously and cross-comparison shows that the map from this study corresponds well with the previous linkage map.