Molecular mapping of QTL and candidate genes governing phytosterol content in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea)

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Plant sterols, also called phytosterols, comprise a group of plant steroidal compounds. They are of interest because they play a crucial role in plant growth and development and as part of the human diet they are known for their blood cholesterol-lowering effects. High phytosterol contents occur in seeds of oilseed crops, the relevance of which remains hitherto unknown. In contrast to Arabidopsis nothing is know about the genes governing phytosterol content in Brassica species. In previous work, a large genetic. variation for phytosterol content has been found among German winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) cultivars. So far no information is available on total phytosterol contents or individual components in Indian mustard B. juncea. Suitable segregating doubled haploid populations of B. napus, and of B. juncea have already been developed and will be used in the present project to map QTL for individual and total seed phytosterol content as well as for other seed quality traits. Key candidate genes of the phytosterol biosynthetic pathway with known sequences from Arabidopsis will be sequenced from the progenitor species Brassica rapa, Brassica nigra and Brassica oleracea to develop locus specific PCR primers. Those locus specific primers will be used to sequence the pertinent alleles in the respective amphidiploid species B. napus and B. juncea. Allelic sequence differences between the parents of the doubled haploid populations will be used to map the candidate genes. Results will reveal if positions of candidate genes overlap with those of QTL for phytosterol content and if genetic variation in phytosterol content is related to variation in other seed quality traits.