Study of Sexual-Linked Genes (<i>OGI</i> and <i>MeGI</i>) on the Performance of Androecious Persimmons (<i>Diospyros kaki</i> Thunb.)
Liyuan Wang,
Weijuan Han,
Songfeng Diao,
Yujing Suo,
Huawei Li,
Yini Mai,
Yiru Wang,
Peng Sun,
Jianmin Fu
Affiliations
Liyuan Wang
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Weijuan Han
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Songfeng Diao
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Yujing Suo
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Huawei Li
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Yini Mai
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Yiru Wang
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Peng Sun
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
Jianmin Fu
Key Laboratory of Non-Timber Forest Germplasm Enhancement & Utilization of State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Non-Timber Forestry Research and Development Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
It is reported that the production of floral sexual phenotype in hexaploid monoecious persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is closely related to a pseudogene called OGI, and a short interspersed nuclear element (SINE)-like insertion (named Kali) in the OGI promoter leads to the gene silence. As a result, DNA methylation level of MeGI promoter determines the development of male or female flowers. However, the molecular mechanism in androecious D. kaki, which only bear male flowers, remains elusive. Here, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), molecular cloning, and bisulfite PCR sequencing technique were carried out using 87 materials, including 56 androecious resources, 15 monoecious, and 16 gynoecious cultivars, to investigate the performance of OGI and MeGI on the specific androecious type of D. kaki in China. In conclusion, the Kali insertion was exactly located in the OGI promoter region, and the OGI gene and the Kali sequence were existing and conserved in androecious D. kaki. Meanwhile, we also demonstrated that the MeGI gene was widespread in our investigated samples. Ultimately, our result convincingly provided evidence that the low expression of OGI is probably ascribed to the presence of Kali displaying strong methylation in the OGI promoter, and low expression of MeGI, as well as high DNA methylation level, in the promoter was closely connected with the production of male flowers; this result was consistent with the monoecious persimmon model. Our findings provide predominant genetic aspects for investigation into androecious D. kaki, and future perfecting the sex-determining mechanisms in persimmon.
