AUTHOR=Zhou Yimei , Zhao Meng , Shen Qinghui , Zhang Mengyi , Wang Chenhao , Zhang Yutong , Yang Qinrong , Bo Yongming , Hu Zhongyuan , Yang Jinghua , Zhang Mingfang , Lyu Xiaolong 

TITLE=Genetic mapping reveals a candidate gene CmoFL1 controlling fruit length in pumpkin

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1408602

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1408602

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Fruit length (FL) is an important economical trait that affects fruit yield and appearance. Pumpkin (<italic>Cucurbita moschata</italic> Duch) contains a wealth genetic variation in fruit length. However, the natural variation underlying differences in pumpkin fruit length remains unclear. In this study, we constructed a F<sub>2</sub> segregate population using KG1 producing long fruit and MBF producing short fruit as parents to identify the candidate gene for fruit length. By bulked segregant analysis (BSA-seq) and Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) approach of fine mapping, we obtained a 50.77 kb candidate region on chromosome 14 associated with the fruit length. Then, based on sequence variation, gene expression and promoter activity analyses, we identified a candidate gene (<italic>CmoFL1</italic>) encoding E3 ubiquitin ligase in this region may account for the variation of fruit length. One SNP variation in promoter of <italic>CmoFL1</italic> changed the GT1CONSENSUS, and DUAL-LUC assay revealed that this variation significantly affected the promoter activity of <italic>CmoFL1</italic>. RNA-seq analysis indicated that <italic>CmoFL1</italic> might associated with the cell division process and negatively regulate fruit length. Collectively, our work identifies an important allelic affecting fruit length, and provides a target gene manipulating fruit length in future pumpkin breeding.</p>