African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Full Length Research Paper

In silico prediction and segregation analysis of putative virus defense genes based on SSR markers in sweet potato F1 progenies of cultivars ‘New Kawogo’ and ‘Resisto’

Alexander Ssamula
  • Alexander Ssamula
  • Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Google Scholar
Anthony Okiror
  • Anthony Okiror
  • Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Google Scholar
Liat Avrahami-Moyal
  • Liat Avrahami-Moyal
  • Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization-The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
  • Google Scholar
Yehudit Tam
  • Yehudit Tam
  • Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization-The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
  • Google Scholar
Amit Gal-On
  • Amit Gal-On
  • Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization-The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
  • Google Scholar
Victor Gaba
  • Victor Gaba
  • Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization-The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
  • Google Scholar
Settumba B. Mukasa
  • Settumba B. Mukasa
  • Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
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Peter Wasswa
  • Peter Wasswa
  • Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
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  •  Received: 04 December 2018
  •  Accepted: 22 March 2019
  •  Published: 17 April 2019

Abstract

In sweet potato, an anti-virus defense mechanism termed reversion has been postulated to lead to virus freedom from once infected plants. The objectives of this study were to identify anti-virus defense genes and evaluate their segregation in progenies. Reference genes from different plant species were used to assemble transcript sequences of each sweet potato defense gene in silico. Sequences were used for evaluate phylogenetic relationships with similar genes from different plant species, mining   respective defense genes and thereafter developing simple sequence repeats (SSRs) for segregation analysis. Eight potential defense genes were identified: RNA dependent RNA polymerases 1, 2, 5, and 6; Argonaute 1, and Dicer-like 1, 2, and 4. Identified genes were differentially related to those of other plants and were observed on different chromosomes. The defense genes contained mono-, di-, tri-, tetra, penta-, and hexa-nucleotide repeat motifs. The SSR markers within progenies were segregated in disomic, co-segregation, nullisomic, monosomic, and trisomic modes. These findings indicate the possibility of deriving and utilizing SSRs using published genomic information. Furthermore, and given that the SSR markers were derived from known genes on defined chromosomes, this work will contribute to future molecular breeding and development of resistance gene analogs in this economically important crop.

 

Key words: In silico, segregation, simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers, sweet potato defense genes, virus.