AUTHOR=Li Ruiqiong , Zou Jianan , Sun Dongming , Jing Yan , Wu Depeng , Lian Ming , Teng Weili , Zhan Yuhang , Li Wenbin , Zhao Xue , Han Yingpeng 

TITLE=Fine-Mapping and Functional Analyses of a Candidate Gene Controlling Isoflavone Content in Soybeans Seed

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.865584

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.865584

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Isoflavones, one of the most important secondary metabolites produced by soybeans (<italic>Glycine max</italic> (L.) Merr.), are important for a variety of biological processes, and are beneficial for human health. To identify genetic loci underlying soybean isoflavone content, a mapping population containing 119 F<sub>5:18</sub> recombinant inbred lines, derived by crossing soybean cultivar “Zhongdou27” with “Dongong8004,” was used. We identified 15 QTLs associated with isoflavone contents. A novel loci, qISO19-1, was mapped onto soybean chromosome 19 and was fine-mapped to a 62.8 kb region using a BC<sub>2</sub>F<sub>2</sub> population. We considered <italic>GmMT1</italic> as a candidate gene for the qISO19-1 locus due to the significant positive correlation recovered between its expression level and isoflavone content in the seeds of 43 soybean germplasms. Overexpression of <italic>GmMT1</italic> in <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> and soybean cultivars increased isoflavone contents. Transgenic soybeans overexpressing <italic>GmMT1</italic> also exhibited improved resistance to pathogenic infection, while transgenic <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> resisted salt and drought stress.</p>