fs3.1: A major fruit shape QTL conserved in Capsicum

PubMed ID: 12669791fs3.1 is a major fruit shape (defined as the ratio of fruit length to fruit width) quantitative trait locus (QTL) originally detected in an intraspecific cross of Capsicum annuum between the blocky and elongated-fruited inbreds 'Maor' and 'Perennial', respectively. In addition to increasing fruit shape index, the 'Perennial' allele at fs3.1 increased fruit elongation and decreased fruit width and pericarp thickness. We verified the effect of fs3.1 in backcross inbred lines (BILs) derived from crossing 'Perennial' with 'Maor' and with a second blocky-type inbred line of C. annuum. To determine the effect of the fs3.1 region in additional Capsicum species, we constructed an advanced backcross population from the cross of 'Maor' and the oval-fruited Capsicum frutescens BG 2816 and an F2 of the introgression line IL 152 that contains an introgression of the fs3.1 region from Capsicum chinense PI 152225. QTLs for fruit shape, fruit width, and pericarp thickness, but not for fruit length, were detected in both crosses, indicating the conservation of the fs3.1 region as a QTL affecting fruit shape in pepper. We also tested tomato (Lycopersicon spp.) introgression lines containing the corresponding fs3.1 region from L. pennellii and L. hirsutum, but we did not detect a significant fruit shape QTL in these lines. The effect of fs3.1 on the growth of fruit dimensions varied with the genetic background. By measuring the length and width of ovaries and fruits of near-isogenic C. annuum lines that differ in fs3.1 during fruit development, we determined that fs3.1 controls shape predominantly by increasing the growth rate of the longitudinal axis in the first 2 weeks after pollination. However, in the crosses of C. annuum with C. frutescens and C. chinense, fs3.1 predominantly exerted its effect on the width dimension

QTL analysis of fruit length using rRAMP, WRKY, and AFLP markers in chili pepper

A pepper genetic map was constructed from F(2) mapping population of 93 individuals from a cross between Capsicum annuum 'F68' and C. chinense 'Habanero'. Surrey was made for the map distribution and polymorphism level of these marker groups; reverse random amplification microsatellite polymorphism (rRAMP), WRKY and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). A total of 912 molecular markers [356 rRAMP, 190 WRKY, 305 AFLP, and 61 simple sequence repeats (SSR)] were developed in this study. The rRAMP and WRKY markers were more evenly scattered in the pepper genome than the AFLP and SSR markers, and filled the gaps not populated by the other markers. The interspecific pepper map contained 28 linkage groups with 625 linked markers and covered 3377.2 cM with an average interval of 5.9 cM. On the basis of the map, the fruit length quantitative trait locus (QTL) was analyzed and these QTL regions were detected near rRAMP and WRKY markers on the chromosome 3, 5, 11, and LG3. These marker system, map information, and detected QTLs could be one of basic information for pepper researchclose

Transformation of femtoliter metal cups to oxide cups: Chemical mapping by scanning Auger spectroscopy

Cup-like structures of In, Sn and Nb on Si substrates with femtoliter capacity obtained by pulsed laser ablation, have been subjected to different oxidation treatments and examined employing spatially resolved scanning Auger spectroscopy and microscopy (SR-AES and SAM). The as-prepared cups, when exposed to ambient are found to have a native oxide layer on the surface that could be easily removed by Ar ion sputtering to result in clean metal cups, suitable for functionalization. In the case of In cups, the thin metal layer at the bottom of the cups could be removed easily by sputtering to form In rings. The cups subjected to external oxidation have a thicker oxide layer in comparison to in-situ dosing of oxygen. In the case of Nb cups, the high temperature treatment employed during oxidation resulted in segregation of Si to the surface of the cup. There is also evidence for the formation of metal-silicon alloy at the center of the cups, especially of Sn and Nb, during the oxidation treatment at elevated temperatures