Fine mapping of Hch1, the causal D-genome gene for hybrid chlorosis in interspecific crosses between tetraploid wheat and Aegilops tauschii

Hybrid chlorosis, one of the reproductive barriers between tetraploid wheat and its D-genome progenitor, Aegilops tauschii, inhibits normal growth of synthetic wheat hexaploids. Hybrid chlorosis appears to be due to an epistatic interaction of two loci from the AB and D wheat genomes. Our previous study assigned the causal D-genome gene for hybrid chlorosis, Hch1, to the short arm of chromosome 7D. Here, we constructed a fine map of 7DS near Hch1 using 280 F2 individuals from a cross of two wheat synthetic lines, one showing normal growth and the other showing hybrid chlorosis. The hybrid chlorosis phenotype was controlled by a single dominant allele of the Hch1 locus in the synthetic hexaploids. Hch1 was closely linked to four new markers within 0.2 cM, and may be localized near or within the two Ae. tauschii scaffolds containing the linked markers on 7DS. Comparative analysis of the Hch1 chromosomal region for Ae. tauschii, barley and Brachypodium showed that a local inversion occurred in the region proximal to Hch1 during the divergence between barley and Ae. tauschii, and that the Hch1 region on wheat 7DS is syntenic to Brachypodium chromosome 1. These observations provide useful information for further studies toward map-based cloning of Hch1.