Genomic, Marker-Assisted, and Pedigree-BLUP Selection Methods for β-Glucan Concentration in Elite Oat

β-glucan, a soluble fiber found in oat (Avena sativa L.) grain, is good for human health, and selection for higher levels of this compound is regarded as an important breeding objective. Recent advances in oat DNA markers present an opportunity to investigate new selection methods for polygenic traits such as β-glucan concentration. Our objectives in this study were to compare genomic, marker-assisted, and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP)–based phenotypic selection for short-term response to selection and ability to maintain genetic variance for β-glucan concentration. Starting with a collection of 446 elite oat lines from North America, each method was conducted for two cycles. The average β-glucan concentration increased from 4.57 g/100 g in Cycle 0 to between 6.66 and 6.88 g/100 g over the two cycles. The averages of marker-based selection methods in Cycle 2 were greater than those of phenotypic selection (P \u3c 0.08). Progenies with the highest β-glucan came from the marker-based selection methods. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) for higher β-glucan concentration resulted in a later heading date. We also found that marker-based selection methods maintained greater genetic variance than did BLUP phenotypic selection, potentially enabling greater future selection gains. Overall, the results of these experiments suggest that genomic selection is a superior method for selecting a polygenic complex trait like β-glucan concentration

On the Perturbative Solutions of Bohmian Quantum Gravity

In this paper we have solved the Bohmian equations of quantum gravity, perturbatively. Solutions up to second order are derived explicitly, but in principle the method can be used in any order. Some consequences of the solution are disscused.Comment: 14 Pages, RevTeX. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Analytic Solutions of The Wheeler-DeWitt Equation in Spherically Symmetric Space-time

We study the quantum theory of the Einstein-Maxwell action with a cosmological term in the spherically symmetric space-time, and explored quantum black hole solutions in Reissner-Nordstrom-de Sitter geometry. We succeeded to obtain analytic solutions to satisfy both the energy and momentum constraints.Comment: LaTeX file, 15 page

Phenotypic Diversity for Seed Mineral Concentration in North American Dry Bean Germplasm of Middle American Ancestry

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds are a major protein, carbohydrate, and mineral source in the human diet of peoples in multiple regions of the world. Seed mineral biofortification is an ongoing objective to improve this important food source. The objective of this research was to assess the seed mineral concentration of five macroelements and eight microelements in a large panel (n = 277) of modern race Durango and race Mesoamerica genotypes to determine if variability existed that could be exploited for targeted seed biofortification. Varieties that derive from these races are found in many diets throughout the world. The panel was grown in replicated trials under typical production conditions in the major bean growing regions of the United States, and a subset of the panel was also grown in replicated trials at three locations under control and terminal drought conditions. Except for K, seed mineral concentrations were higher for race Mesoamerica genotypes. Significantly higher seed concentrations for the majority of the minerals were observed for white-seeded genotypes and race Durango genotypes with the now preferred indeterminate, upright growth habit. Modern genotypes (since 1997) had equal or increased mineral concentrations compared with older genotypes. Drought affected mineral content differentially, having no effect on the microelement content but increased Co, Fe, and Ni concentrations. The correlation of Ca and Mn concentrations suggests that these elements may share seed deposition mechanisms. The high heritability for seed mineral concentration implies that breeding progress can be achieved by parental selection from this panel

Genetic Relationships of Crown Rust Resistance, Grain Yield, Test Weight, and Seed Weight in Oat

Integrating selection for agronomic performance and quantitative resistance to crown rust, caused by Puccinia coronata Corda var. avenae W.P. Fraser & Ledingham, in oat (Avena sativa L.) requires an understanding of their genetic relationships. This study was conducted to investigate the genetic relationships of crown rust resistance, grain yield, test weight, and seed weight under both inoculated and fungicide-treated conditions. A Design II mating was performed between 10 oat lines with putative partial resistance to crown rust and nine lines with superior grain yield and grain quality potential. Progenies from this mating were evaluated in both crown rust-inoculated and fungicide-treated plots in four Iowa environments to estimate genetic effects and phenotypic correlations between crown rust resistance and grain yield, seed weight, and test weight under either infection or fungicide-treated conditions. Lines from a random-mated population derived from the same parents were evaluated in three Iowa environments to estimate heritabilities of, and genetic correlations between, these traits. Resistance to crown rust, as measured by area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), was highly heritable (H = 0.89 on an entry-mean basis), and was favorably correlated with grain yield, seed weight, and test weight measured in crown rust-inoculated plots. AUDPC was unfavorably correlated or uncorrelated with grain yield, test weight, and seed weight measured in fungicide-treated plots. To improve simultaneously crown rust resistance, grain yield, and seed weight under both lower and higher levels of crown rust infection, an optimum selection index can be developed with the genetic parameters estimated in this stud

Dioctahedral mixed K-Na-micas and paragonite in diagenetic to low-temperature metamorphic terrains: bulk rock chemical, thermodynamic and textural constraints

Abstract Metamorphic mineral assemblages in low-temperature metaclastic rocks often contain paragonite and/or its precursor metastable phase (mixed K-Na-white mica). Relationships between the bulk rock major element chemistries and the formation of paragonite at seven localities from Central and SE-Europe were studied, comparing the bulk chemical characteristics with mineral assemblage, mineral chemical and metamorphic petrological data. Considerable overlaps between the projection fields of bulk chemistries of the Pg-free and Pg-bearing metaclastic rocks indicate significant differences between the actual (as analyzed) and effective bulk chemical compositions. Where inherited, clastic, inert phases/constituents were excluded, it was found that a decrease in Na/(Na+Al*) and in K/(K+Al*) ratios of rocks favors the formation and occurrence of Pg and its precursor phases (Al* denotes here the atomic quantity of aluminum in feldspars, white micas and “pure” hydrous or anhydrous aluminosilicates). In contrast to earlier suggestions, enrichment in Na and/or an increase in Na/K ratio by themselves do not lead to formation of paragonite. Bulk rock chemistries favorable to formation of paragonite and its precursor phases are characterized by enrichment in Al and depletion in Na, K, Ca (and also, Mg and Fe2+). Such bulk rock chemistries are characteristic of chemically “mature” (strongly weathered) source rocks of the pelites and may also be formed by synand post-sedimentary magmatism-related hydrothermal (leaching) activity. What part of the whole rock is active in determining the effective bulk chemistry was investigated by textural examination of diagenetic and anchizone-grade samples. It is hypothesized that although solid phases act as local sources and sinks, transport of elements such as Na through the grain boundaries have much larger communication distances. Sodium-rich white micas nucleate heterogeneously using existing phyllosilicates as templates and are distributed widely on the thin section scale. The results of modeling by THERMOCALC suggest that paragonite preferably forms at higher pressures in low-T metapelites. The stability fields of Pg-bearing assemblages increase, the Pg-in reaction line is shifted towards lower pressures, while the stability field of the Chl-Ms-Ab-Qtz assemblage decreases and is shifted towards higher temperatures with increasing Al* content and decreasing Na/(Na+Al*) and K/(K+Al*) ratios

Genome-wide association analyses identify 13 new susceptibility loci for generalized vitiligo

We previously reported a genome-wide association study (GWAS) identifying 14 susceptibility loci for generalized vitiligo. We report here a second GWAS (450 individuals with vitiligo (cases) and 3,182 controls), an independent replication study (1,440 cases and 1,316 controls) and a meta-analysis (3,187 cases and 6,723 controls) identifying 13 additional vitiligo-associated loci. These include OCA2-HERC2 (combined P = 3.80 × 10 ), MC1R (P = 1.82 × 10 ), a region near TYR (P = 1.57 × 10 ), IFIH1 (P = 4.91 × 10 ), CD80 (P = 3.78 × 10 ), CLNK (P = 1.56 × 10 ), BACH2 (P = 2.53 × 10 ), SLA (P = 1.58 × 10 ), CASP7 (P = 3.56 × 10 ), CD44 (P = 1.78 × 10 ), IKZF4 (P = 2.75 × 10 ), SH2B3 (P = 3.54 × 10 ) and TOB2 (P = 6.81 × 10 ). Most vitiligo susceptibility loci encode immunoregulatory proteins or melanocyte components that likely mediate immune targeting and the relationships among vitiligo, melanoma, and eye, skin and hair coloration