An oleate desaturase and a suppressor loci direct high oleic acid content of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) oil in the Pervenets mutant

All the [HOAC] lines derived from the Pervenets mutant carry specific RFLP (oleHOS) revealed by an oleate desaturase cDNA used as a probe. The [LO] (l inoleic) genotypes do not carry oleHOS, but another allele: oleLOR. We stud ied [HOAQ] heredity in two segregating populations. In an F2 population, th e [HOAQ]trait co-segregated with oleHOS. In a recombinant inbred line F6 po pulation, all [HOAC] RI lines carried oIeHOS. The RI lines carrying oleHOS were either [LO] or [HOAQ]. The absence of [HOAC] RI lines with olelOR elim inated the occurrence of a recombination event between the locus carrying o leHOS and the locus carrying Pervenets allele. The [HOAQ] trait is due to 2 independent loci: the locus carrying oleHOS allele and another locus. One allele at this other locus may suppress the effect of oleHOS allele on the [HOAQ] trait. The existence of this suppressor allele has only been suggest ed for sunflower. (C) 2001 Academie des sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.