Abstract:
Blue grained wheat contained a higher quantity of natural anthocyanin compounds while normal commercial
wheat does not have. Though the genes related to several colours of wheat have been identified, the major genes in
blue wheat are still unrevealed. Hence, combining the SNP mapping, and transcriptome analysis, pivotal genes
regulating blue grain trait was identified. SNP genotyping was carried out in an F2 blue and white wheat
population. The blue trait was controlled by a gene/locus located between two SNP markers of IWB 18525 and
IWB16381 on the 4D chromosome. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that 40 structural differentially
expressed genes (DEGs) related to anthocyanin biosynthesis had significant expression differences between blue
and non-blue samples. Among them, 12 DEGs expressed only in blue samples while 2 DEGs were specific to blue
wheat. Only two F3’5’H genes located in 4D (Traes_4DL_27C195FDE, Traes_4DL_5A3D8F519) were consistent
with the location results performed in SNP genotyping. Further, F3’5’H is considered as the main enzyme for
Delphinidin compounds, cause for blue colouration. Hence, two genes encoding F3’5’H in the 4D chromosome
preferentially account for the blue pigmentation in wheat.
