terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Congress on Grapevine and Wine Sciences 9 2ICGWS-2023 9 Identification of a stable epi-allele associated with flower development and low bunch compactness in a somatic variant of Tempranillo Tinto

Identification of a stable epi-allele associated with flower development and low bunch compactness in a somatic variant of Tempranillo Tinto

Abstract

Grapevine cultivars are vegetatively propagated to preserve their varietal characteristics. However, spontaneous somatic variations that occur and are maintained during cycles of vegetative growth offer opportunities for the natural improvement of traditional grape cultivars. One advantageous trait for winegrowing is reduced bunch compactness, which decreases the susceptibility to pests and fungal diseases and favor an even berry ripening. In this study, we examined a loose bunch somatic variant of Tempranillo Tinto cultivar (TT) to elucidate the molecular basis underlying this variation. The variant displayed a masculinized flower phenotype, characterized by an underdeveloped yet functional gynoecium, with reduced development of the style, stigma and septum, as compared to the complete hermaphroditic flowers typically observed in TT. Genetic analysis of its self-progeny demonstrated the co-segregation of the masculinized flower phenotype with the hermaphrodite allele of the grape sex locus (SDR)[1]. While genome re-sequencing did not identify any genetic variation within the SDR locus, an RNA-seq analysis identified one SDR-located gene over-expressed in the somatic variant compared to a control TT clone. The hermaphrodite allele was specifically over-expressed in the variant. Both Illumina WGBS and Nanopore epigenomic analyses identified a hermaphrodite allele-specific hyper-methylated region upstream of the upregulated gene. Analysis of chromatin conformation capture (3C) revealed a three-dimensional rearrangement of the locus, including the presence of a novel 36 kb chromatin loop delimiting the hyper-methylated region, which could be responsible for the over-expression and the phenotype. These findings indicate that somatic epi-alleles in the SDR locus can determine variation in gynoecium development leading to decreased fruit set and looser bunches in grapevine.

Acknowledgements: This study is part of the projects BIO-2017-86375-R and PID2020-120183RB-I00, and PRE-2018-086017 grant funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”. This study is also part of the vWISE project.

1)  Massonnet, M., Cochetel, N., Minio, A., Vondras, A. M., Lin, J., Muyle, A., Garcia, J. F., Zhou, Y., Delledonne, M., Riaz, S., Figueroa-Balderas, R., Gaut, B. S., & Cantu, D. (2020). The genetic basis of sex determination in grapes. Nature Communications, 11(1), 1–12. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16700-z

DOI:

Publication date: October 4, 2023

Issue: ICGWS 2023

Type: Article

Authors

Alañón, Noelia1*; Ferradás, Yolanda2; Lijavetzky, Diego3; Ferrero, Lucía4; Martínez-Zapater, José Miguel1; Ariel, Federico4; Carbonell-Bejerano, Pablo1; Ibáñez, Javier1

1 Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (ICVV, CSIC-CAR-UR), Departamento de Viticultura, Logroño, Spain
2 Departamento de Biología Funcional, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
3 Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza (IBAM), CONICET, FCA-UNCuyo, Almirante Brown 500, M5528AHB, Chacras de Coria, Mendoza, Argentina
4 Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Colectora Ruta Nacional 168km 0, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina

Contact the author*

Keywords

bunch compactness, somatic variation, flower development, chromatin conformation, epiallele

Tags

2ICGWS | ICGWS | ICGWS 2023 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Uncovering the interplay between Copper and SO2 tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.20.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

Nitrogen forms and Iron deficiency: how do Grapevine rootstocks responses change?

Grapevine rootstocks provide protection against environmental biotic and abiotic stresses. Nitrogen (N) and iron (Fe) are growth-limiting factors in many crop plants due to their effects on the chlorophyll and photosynthetic characteristics. Iron nutrition of plants can be significantly affected by different nitrogen forms through altering the uptake ratio of cations and anions, and changing rhizosphere pH. The aim of this study was to investigate the response mechanisms of grapevine rootstocks due to the interaction between different nitrogen forms and iron uptake.

Genetic prospecting of rainfed viticulture in the region with the largest cultivated area in Chile

The Maule region hosts up to a third of the total area of vineyards in Chile, in an environment where ancient practices inherited from the colonial past coexist with modernity and dynamism that include technified irrigation and fine vines. In the dry land of Maule there is a viticulture that has subsisted with ancient vines and traditions transmitted over generations, and there is little clarity about the origin and classification of the Maule viticulture, giving rise to the use of different concepts as synonyms to describe the ancient, minority, patrimonial or Criollas vines. In order to characterize and protect the ancient material, we studied the genetic diversity of a territorial collection that covers 80% of the communes of the region, prioritizing plants established more than 40-60 years ago.

Preliminary study of the influence of ripening on the polysaccharide content of different red grape varieties

Grape skin has a barrier and protective function in grapes. Cell wall of grape skins is mainly composed of polysaccharides such as pectins, celulloses and hemicelluloses and structural proteins. Terroir, variety and changes during ripening can affect the content of polysaccharides in grapes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of polysaccharides (PS) in grapes along the ripening process. Three red grape varieties were studied: Garnacha (G), Tempranillo (T) and Prieto Picudo (PP).

Selecting green cover species in the under-trellis zone of Lower Austrian vineyards

The under-trellis zone of vineyards is a sensitive area through which vines cover a significant portion of their nutrient and water needs. Mechanical and chemical methods are applied to suppress competing and tall-growing weeds to ensure optimal vine growth conditions. In addition to higher operating costs and depending on the soil conditions, these practices might lead to a long-term reduction in soil fertility and biodiversity. The presented study aims to analyse the suitability and interspecies competition of a selected green cover mixture of five local herbaceous species as potential green cover mixture in the under-trellis area of Lower Austrian vineyards.