Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is one of the most devastating pathogens for soybeans in China. Among the country-wide 22 strains, SC5 dominates in Huang-Huai and Changjiang valleys. For controlling its damage, the resistance gene was searched through Mendelian inheritance study, gene fine-mapping, and candidate gene analysis combined with qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) analysis. The parents F1, F2, and RILs (recombinant inbred lines) of the cross Kefeng-1 (Resistance, R) × NN1138-2 (Susceptible, S) were used to examine the inheritance of SC5-resistance. The F1 was resistant and the F2 and RILs segregated in a 3R:1S and 1R:1S ratio, respectively, indicating a single dominant gene conferring the Kefeng-1 resistance. Subsequently, the genomic region conferring the resistance was found in "Bin 352-Bin353 with 500 kb" on Chromosome 2 using the phenotyping data of the 427 RILs and a high-density genetic map with 4703 bin markers. In the 500 kb genomic region, 38 putative genes are contained. The association analysis between the SNPs in a putative gene and the resistance phenotype for the 427 RILs prioritized 11 candidate genes using Chi-square criterion. The expression levels of these genes were tested by qRT-PCR. On infection with SC5, 7 out of the 11 genes had differential expression in Kefeng-1 and NN1138-2. Furthermore, integrating SNP-phenotype association analysis with qRT-PCR expression profiling analysis, Glyma02g13495 was found the most possible candidate gene for SC5-resistance. This finding can facilitate the breeding for SC5-resistance through marker-assisted selection and provide a platform to gain a better understanding of SMV-resistance gene system in soybean.
Keywords: Candidate resistance gene; Fine-mapping; Inheritance; Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.); Soybean mosaic virus (SMV); qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction).