Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Multiple genetic pathways for seed shattering in the grasses.

Wanlong Li1, Bikram S Gill

  • 1Wheat Genetics Resource Center, Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-5502, USA.

Functional & Integrative Genomics
|January 13, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Shattering genes controlling seed dispersal in grasses evolved independently. This study mapped wheat spikelet disarticulation genes, revealing distinct genetic pathways for shattering across cereal crops like wheat, barley, and rice.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Efficacy and long-term effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation on negative symptoms in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Brain communications·2026
Same author

Ectopic recombination: a novel mechanism of EPSPS gene amplification in glyphosate-resistant Chloris truncata.

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology·2025
Same author

A molecular cytogenetic perspective on chromosome biology and crop improvement.

The plant genome·2025
Same author

Genomics-enabled dissection of sea wheatgrass genome for advancing wheat genetic resources.

TAG. Theoretical and applied genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik·2025
Same author

Aneusomaty in glyphosate-resistant Amaranthus palmeri and its hybrid with Amaranthus tuberculatus.

Genes & genomics·2025
Same author

Appearance of transient heteromorphic large chromosome in glyphosate-resistant Amaranthus tuberculatus.

Chromosome research : an international journal on the molecular, supramolecular and evolutionary aspects of chromosome biology·2025

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Plant Science

Background:

  • Seed shattering is a crucial mechanism for seed dispersal in wild plants.
  • Convergent domestication of cereal crops is thought to result from independent mutations in homologous genes.
  • Understanding the genetic basis of shattering is key to cereal domestication and crop improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic relationships of spikelet disarticulation genes in Triticeae (wheat and its relatives) with those in other grass species.
  • To map the genetic loci responsible for different types of spikelet disarticulation (B-type and W-type) in wheat and its wild relatives.
  • To explore the evolutionary pathways of seed shattering in grasses.

Main Methods:

  • Gene mapping of spikelet disarticulation genes (Br1 for W-type, Br2 for B-type) in various Triticeae species, including Triticum timopheevii, Aegilops speltoides, and Aegilops tauschii.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilizing molecular markers (e.g., Xpsr598, Xpsr1196, Xmwg2013, Xpsr170) to delimit gene locations on specific chromosome arms.
  • Comparative analysis of mapped gene locations with genetic data from other grass species like barley, maize, rice, and sorghum.

    • Main Results:

    • The Br1 gene (W-type disarticulation) was mapped to chromosome 3A in T. timopheevii and 3S in Ae. speltoides; Br1 in Ae. speltoides controls both spike and W-type disarticulation.
    • The Br2 gene (B-type disarticulation) was mapped to chromosome 3D in Ae. tauschii.
    • Orthologs for Br1 and Br2 were not found in barley, maize, rice, or sorghum, suggesting diverse genetic mechanisms for shattering.

    Conclusions:

    • Spikelet disarticulation in wheat is controlled by distinct orthologous loci (Br1 and Br2) on group-3 chromosomes.
    • The absence of Br1 and Br2 homologs in other major cereal crops indicates multiple, independent genetic origins for seed shattering.
    • These findings have significant implications for understanding the evolution of polyploid wheat and the domestication process of cereal crops.