Identification of a CAPS marker in an eIF4E gene linked to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus resistance in watermelon.

Genes that encode eukaryotic initiation factors (eIF) 4E and iso(4E) have been\nassociated with the recessively inherited resistance to potyviruses in a number of\nplant species. Using previously developed degenerate primers, partial eIF4E and\neIF(iso)4E gene sequence regions were obtained through polymerase chain reaction\nof the genomic DNA templates prepared from the Zucchini yellow mosaic virus\n(ZYMV)-resistant U.S. Plant Introduction (PI) 595203, and the ZYMV-susceptible\n‘New Hampshire Midget’ (NHM). A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was\nidentified in the intron II region of the eIF4E sequence between the resistant and\nsusceptible parental genotypes. F2 and BC1 populations were developed using PI\n595203 and NHM and each plant was phenotyped for resistance to ZYMV and\nresistance was found to be conferred by a single recessive gene. A codominant\nCleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS) marker was created using the\nidentified SNP in the eIF4E gene. This marker was linked to the ZYMV resistance\nlocus (zym) at a linkage distance of 7 cM as estimated with the F2 and BC1\npopulations. A marker in the eIF(iso)4E gene was created and was not linked to the\nZYMV resistance locus.