Sow longevity is important for efficient and profitable pig farming. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in social genetic effect (SGE) of pigs on stress-tolerance and behavior. The present study aimed to estimate genetic correlations among average daily gain (ADG), stayability (STAY), and number of piglets born alive at the first parity (NBA1) in Korean Yorkshire pigs, using the SGE model. The phenotypic records of ADG and reproductive traits of 33,120 and 11,654 pigs, respectively, were evaluated. The direct effect on ADG had a significantly negative genetic relationship with STAY, whereas the social effect on ADG had a neutral genetic relationship. In addition, the genetic correlation between the social effects on ADG and NBA1 tended to be positive, unlike the direct effects. The genetic correlation of the total effect on ADG with that of STAY was negative but non-significant, owing to the social effect. These results suggested that total genetic effect on growth in the SGE model might reduce the negative effect on sow longevity owing to the growth potential of pigs. We recommend including social effects as selection criteria in breeding programs to obtain satisfactory genetic changes in both growth and longevity.

Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) exceeds about 30% of the world’s cereal production and cultivated over 220 million ha worldwide. Heat stress during the grain filling period gives detrimental effect on crop yields and has emerged as a serious problem throughout the world. Korean wheat cultivars that were released since 1960s were developed for various aims such as winter hardness, earliness, and pest resistance, etc. However, heat stress resistance is an emerging target for wheat breeding nowadays. Selected 11 Korean wheat cultivars (“Baegjoong”, “Dajung”, “Goso”, “Hanbaek”, “Jokyung”, “Joeun”, “Jopum”, “Keumgang”, “Olgeuru”, “Sinmichal”, “Uri”) were exposed to high temperature from DAF (days after flowering) 9~13. In this study, plant responses to heat stress as measured by reduction ratios of total chlorophyll contents, 100 seed weight, shoot dry weight can be translated into degree of tolerance. Therefore, these parameters can be used in wheat breeding for heat tolerance during grain filling period. The obtained results allow us to classify cultivars for heat stress tolerance. Pedigree information of Korean cultivars was shown that wheat line of either tolerant, moderate tolerant, or susceptible trait is succeeded to their descendent, which enable breeders to develop heat stress tolerant wheat by appropriate parental choice.

The control of flowering, transition from vegetative to reproductive stage, is crucial for significant success during plant development. Multiple environmental and developmental signals are transmitted to the shoot apical meristem and converted to local cue to process developmental phage. These crucial process are delicately controlled and regulated by expression of tissue specifically expressed genes involved in inflorescence development. Therefore, it is necessary that molecular mechanism associated with inflorescence development is revealed to understand control of flowering by genome-wide expression pattern of inflorescence specific genes. In this study we used Affymetrix GeneChip Wheat Genome Array for genome-wide analysis of the expressed genes of inflorescence development including apical meristem and developing spikelet to understand the mechanism of floral development in early stage of wheat inflorescence. Moreover, meta-analysis of 1479 microarray dataset of GPL 3802 provided by Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was conducted to determine expression pattern of each probe throughout whole life cycle. Based on meta-analysis, we demonstrate inflorescence specific expressed genes in wheat inflorescence including apical meristem, spikelet meristem to understand the mechanism of floral development of wheat inflorescence.

Seed color is an important factor affecting physiological and developmental process in wheat. One of the plant pigments, anthocyanins are a group of flavonoid compounds well known as pigments responsible for blue, purple, red, or yellow coloration of plant tissues. In this study, we investigated the pigmentation of purple and yellow color seed according to wheat grain developmental stages. The contents of anthocyanin and chlorophyll in the purple and yellow seeds were measured. Chlorophyll contents were changed similarly in both purple and yellow color seed, and no significant difference was observed between them. In purple color seed, the content of anthocyanin was significantly induced compared with yellow color seed. The individual anthocyanin components were investigated by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Cyanidine-3-glucoside (C3G) and peonidine-3-glucoside (P3G) were detected as predominant anthocyanin in purple color wheat. To investigate whether structural genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis were involved in the trait differences between purple and yellow color seed, we examined the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes (CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, ANS, UFGT) and MYB transcription factor in developing wheat grains by using qRT-PCR. This study indicates that the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes and MYB transcription factors correlate with anthocyanin levels of grain.

Space has many distinguishable characteristics from earth such as strong cosmic radiation, microgravity, supervaccum and weak magnetic field. For this reason, space environments can be used an efficient mutagen for plant breeding nowadays. To identify the affected genes by condition in space with outer space, Brachypodium seeds were placed in the Russia Segment (RS) Biorisk module of International Space Station (ISS). Brachypodium distachyon is a model system for temperature grass, because they represent the characteristics for annual winter grass. Seeds and organs of plants carried by satellite or spacecraft to space can be genetically mutated by exposing space environment. We performed a duplicated RNA sequencing to profile the differentially expressed genes. As a results, about 700 genes were upregulated and 250 genes were downregulated by cosmic environments, respectively. In the molecular function category, protein kinase and transcription activity related genes were upregulated. Among the many transcription factors (TFs), stress related TFs such as ERF, NAC and WRKY were differentially expressed in space exposed samples. In the future, their expression will be identified by using qRT_PCR.

Anthocyanin, a group of purple or reddish flavonoids, have been recognized as health-promoting functional food ingredients due to antioxidant activity. For this reason, plant breeders are trying to increase the anthocyanin contents using methods such as classical breeding and biotechnological approaches. To broaden the mutants population, seeds of colored wheat variety (K4191) were irradiated by using 250 Gy gamma irradiation. Individual 968 M4 plants were grown in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute field. Many mutant phenotypes were shown: seed color variation, abnormal spike shape, awning formation, heading and ripening time, plant height, ripening period, super dwarf, etc. To identify the inheritance traits of colored-wheat, individual lines were maintained the spike base classified by generation. Characteristics per spike and plant were piled up to construct for mutant database. In the future, fixed descent will be analyzed the anthocyanin contents or other phytonutrients by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Expression of seed color-related transcription factors and anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes will be examined.

Gamma irradiation has been used as a tool for plant mutation breeding to select new cultivar with improved characteristics. Generally, the irradiation of seeds with high doses of gamma rays disturbs the synthesis of protein, hormone balance, and enzyme activity. And also, high dose of gamma rays to reduce plant height, number of tiller, and root length, although the effect of gamma-irradiated plants may depend on the species and cultivar or stress conditions. Biological effects of radiations can be divided into two types according to dose range and periods of exposure. Acute irradiation represents exposure to high-dose of irradiation over short period time, whereas the chronic irradiation is comprised of exposure to low doses of radiation over extended period of time. To compare the effects of acute and chronic exposure to ionizing radiation on two wheat cultivars (K4191 and Geumgangmil), we measured their germination rate, seedling height, and root length. In order to understand the influence of antioxidant-related genes and DNA repair-related genes, we used qRT-PCR methods to identify their expression levels. To study the behavior of a radiation-induced free radical, gamma-irradiated seeds were used for ESR spectroscopy. Plant growth pattern was showed positive correlation with ESR results. This study indicates that low level chronic radiation exposure is even more serious effects than short doses of high level radiation according to different wheat cultivar.

Chronic gamma irradiation can be used an alternative mutation breeding methods for induction of many useful mutants. Seedlings of purple-colored wheat plants were irradiated with wide range doses of chronic gamma-rays (20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 70, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250, 300 Gy) during 6 weeks at gamma-phytotron in the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, respectively. To identify the biological responses purple-colored wheat, we examined the plant height, chlorophyll, carotenoid and total anthocyanin contents in leaf. Plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in leaf were decreased when the dose rate increased. Anthocyanin contents were increased with the increase of the radiation dose until 50 Gy treatment. To confirm the real contents of anthocyanin, we also investigated cyanidin-3-glucoside in purple-colored wheat leaf by using UPLC analysis. These results indicate that anthocyanin accumuation was observed under chronic gamma irradiation.

Over the last decades, increasing natural disasters and climate change are considered as the major environmental problems facing the globe. Numerous studies have been indicated it would cause huge losses on agriculture, especially in the grain productivity. Therefore, several alternatives are suggested for boosting up productivity of wheat as one of the main human food crop. One of important strategy is proper management of inflorescence development and DELLA proteins have been elucidated to play pivotal roles in growth of many plant organs. In this study, putative negative regulator of DELLA protein, GAST (Gibberellic acids stimulated transcript) have been isolated to identify their role in the developing spike of wheat. Four genes were isolated from its gene family and designated as TaGAST1, 2, 3, 4. Genomic structure was analyzed to demonstrate chromosomal localization of TaGAST genes and evolutionary relationships were also verified with GAST genes in other plant species. RT-PCR was conducted to detect transcriptional changes of TaGAST genes on external phytohormone. Each of TaGAST genes showed considerable changes in transcription level after GA, ABA, PAC treatment, respectively. Through Yeast two-hybrid assay, one protein for TaGAST1, and four proteins for TaGAST2 was isolated as putative interactive proteins in wheat spikes just before and after emergence.

Rye has important genes for biotic and abiotic stress resistance. Introduction of these genes to wheat by breeding wheat-rye translocation have been intensively used in wheat breeding program. Rye chromatin 1RS and/or 2RL show superior performance in unfavorable environments. In order to develop high yielding wheat, we applied various molecular breeding strategies. To develop EST-derived 1RS specific markers, we used comparative genomics with public sequence databases of Poaceae family. Putative rye chromatin specific sequences were used to design 1RS specific markers. To identify genes related to water deficiency, cDNA AFLP analysis was used in PEG treated seedlings of 1RS RILs. For functional analysis of identified genes and markers, we used Brachypodium distachyon, as a new model plant of temperate grasses. B. distachyon were recently applied for transformation and we constructed Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system. Integration of those strategies and conventional breeding method would enhance the usefulness of rye chromatins for wheat improvement.

Brachypodium distachyon is rapidly emerged in biological study and has been currently used as a model system for genetics and functional studies for crop improvement and biofuel production. Phosphinothricin (PPT) has been widely used as a selectable agent, which raises ammonium content and induces toxicity in non-transformed plant cells. However PPT selection is not much effective on Brachypodium callus consequently reducing transformation efficiency. In order to identify the efficient conditions of PPT selection, calli obtained from mature seeds of Brachypodium (PI 254867) were cultured on the callus inducing medium (CIM) or regeneration medium (ReM) containing serial dilutions of the PPT (0, 2, 5, 10, and 15 mg/l) in dark or light condition. Callus growth and ammonium content of each treatment were measured 2 weeks after the treatment. Although callus growth and ammonium content did not show much difference in CIM, slow callus growth and increased ammonium accumulation were found in ReM. No significant difference of ammonium accumulation in response to PPT was found between dark and light conditions. In order to identify major factors affecting increased ammonium accumulation, callus was cultured on the media in combined with phytohormones (2,4-D or kinetin) and carbon sources (sucrose or maltose) containing with PPT (5 mg/l). The highest ammonium content in callus was found in the kinetin and maltose media.

Glutamine synthetase (GS) plays important roles in plants like assimilation of ammonium and detoxification of the ammonium released from many metabolic processes such as amino acid degradation or photorespiration. Using ATP, ammonia is combined with glutamate to yield glutamine by the action of GS. Phosphinothricin (PPT) is widely used as a herbicide because it competes with glutamate to bind the active site of GS. PPT has been used to produce transgenic Brachypodium distachyon callus and plants as a selectable agent. PPT treatment raises ammonium content and induces toxicity in non-transformed cells. To find out efficient condition for selecting transformed callus, ammonium content were measured in this study. Non-transformed callus were derived from mature seeds of Brachypodium distachyon (Bd21). The callus were cultured on the callus inducing media (CIM) or regeneration media (RM) containing serial dilutions of the PPT (2, 5, 10 and 15 mg/l) with or without light. Ammonium content was measured 2 weeks after PPT application. Ammonium toxicity associated with PPT treatment was dose-dependent on RM whereas PPT treatment was not significantly influenced on CIM. There is no influence on dark or light condition. Additionally, callus were cultured on the media containing phytohormones combined with PPT (5 mg/l) and the most affecting element causing increased ammonium content has been identified. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by a grant (No. 20070301-034-016-007) from BioGreen 21 Program, RDA, Republic of Korea.

Rye (Secale cereale L.) chromatins have been used to introduce agronomically important traits into wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Wheat-rye translocations in the form of 1RS.1AL, 1RS.1BL, 2BS.2RL have been developed for an important genetic source of disease and pest resistance. The long arm of rye chromosome 2 (2RL) has valuable genes that confer resistance to pests such as biotype L of Hessian fly, powdery mildew, leaf and stem rust. Here, we report the generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from Hessian fly infested wheat-rye translocation. RNAs were isolated from young seedlings infested by Hessian fly. cDNA library was constructed using Clontech cDNA library construction kit. Random sequencing of candidate clones were performed. The EST clones might be useful to clone target gene sequences and would provide clues on molecular interaction between wheat and Hessian fly.