Integration of responses within and across Arabidopsis natural accessions uncovers loci controlling root systems architecture

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Sep 10;110(37):15133-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1305883110. Epub 2013 Aug 26.

Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity is presumed to be involved in adaptive change toward species diversification. We thus examined how candidate genes underlying natural variation across populations might also mediate plasticity within an individual. Our implementation of an integrative "plasticity space" approach revealed that the root plasticity of a single Arabidopsis accession exposed to distinct environments broadly recapitulates the natural variation "space." Genome-wide association mapping identified the known gene PHOSPHATE 1 (PHO1) and other genes such as Root System Architecture 1 (RSA1) associated with differences in root allometry, a highly plastic trait capturing the distribution of lateral roots along the primary axis. The response of mutants in the Columbia-0 background suggests their involvement in signaling key modulators of root development including auxin, abscisic acid, and nitrate. Moreover, genotype-by-environment interactions for the PHO1 and RSA1 genes in Columbia-0 phenocopy the root allometry of other natural variants. This finding supports a role for plasticity responses in phenotypic evolution in natural environments.

Keywords: GWAS; GxE interaction; QTL; RootScape; morphometrics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological
  • Arabidopsis / anatomy & histology*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / physiology
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics*
  • Biological Evolution
  • Genes, Plant*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Roots / anatomy & histology
  • Plant Roots / physiology
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • PHO1 protein, Arabidopsis