Figures (4)  Tables (4)
    • Figure 1. 

      Transverse cross-sections of apple slices showing range in (a) flesh colouration, and (b) flesh browning disorder for Type 1 red-fleshed apple. The weighted cortical intensity (WCI) scores (0−9 scale) and the proportion of the cortex area showing symptoms of flesh browning disorder are also displayed.

    • Figure 2. 

      The distribution of weighted cortex intensity (WCI) scores (a) and the internal flesh browning disorder IFBD%; (b) in the population of ~900 apple seedlings. The green and red circles highlight the individuals used to form the 'low' and 'high' pools of samples.

    • Figure 3. 

      G'-statistics across the linkage groups (LG) showing significant association with the flesh browning disorder (FBD) in apple The horizontal red lines indicate the significance threshold. The putative candidate genes (refer to Table 1) underpinning various G' peaks are also shown.

    • Figure 4. 

      G’-statistics across the linkage groups (LG) showing significant association with the weighted cortex intensity (WCI) in apple. The horizontal red lines indicate the significance threshold. The putative candidate genes (refer to Table 2) underpinning various G' peaks are also shown.

    • ChrGenomic region (Mb)Putative genes functions
      221.9–23.5Ethylene-responsive element binding factor 13 (MdERF13: MD02G1213600);
      33.1–4.9cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) enzyme (MD03G1051100, MD03G1050900 and MD03G1051000); MdWRKY2: MD03G1044400; MdWRKY33 (MD03G1057400)
      38.2–9.6ascorbate peroxidase 1 (MdAPX1: MD03G1108200, MD03G1108300)
      314.7–16.6senescence-related MdNAC90 (MD03G1148500)
      336.5–37.5Ethylene response sensor 1 (MdERS1: MD03G1292200); flavonoid biosynthesis protein MdMYB12 (MD03G1297100); Heat shock protein DnaJ (MD03G1296600, MD03G1297000); pectin methylesterase (MdPME) inhibitor protein (MD03G1290800, MD03G1290900, MD03G1291000).
      411.0–13.0phenylalanine and lignin biosynthesis protein MdMYB85 (MD04G1080600)
      422.1–24.4MYB domain protein 1 (MD04G1142200); HSP20-like protein (MD04G1140600); UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) proteins UGT85A7 (MD04G1140700, MD04G1140900); UGT85A3 (MD04G1140800); UGT (MD04G1141000, MD04G1141300); UGT85A2 (MD04G1141400); UGT85A4 (MD04G1141500); DNAJ heat shock protein (MD04G1153800, MD04G1153900, MD04G1154100)
      427.6–29.6HCT/HQT regulatory genes MD04G1188000 and MD04G1188400
      629.8–31.7Volz et al. (2013) QTL for IFBD; anthocyanin regulatory proteins MdMYB86 (MD06G1167200); triterpene biosynthesis transcription factor MdMYB66 (MD06G1174200); Cytochrome P450 (MD06G1162600; MD06G1162700, MD06G1162800, MD06G1163100, MD06G1163300, MD06G1163400, MD06G1163500, MD06G1163600, MD06G1163800, MD06G1164000, MD06G1164100, MD06G1164300, MD06G1164400, MD06G1164500, MD06G1164700)
      713.9–15.9heat shock protein 70B (MD07G1116300)
      717.4–19.0Drought-stress WRKY DNA-binding proteins (MdWRKY56: MD07G1131000, MD07G1131400)
      723.6–25.2MdPAL2 (MD07G1172700); drought-stress gene NGA1 (MD07G1162400); DNAJ heat shock family protein (MD07G1162300, MD07G1162200), stress-response protein (MdNAC69: MD07G1163700, MD07G1164000)
      97.9–11.8MD09G1110500 involved in ascorbate oxidase (AO); MdUGT proteins (MD09G1141200, MD09G1141300, MD09G1141500, MD09G1141600, MD09G1141700, MD09G1141800, MD09G1142000, MD09G1142500, MD09G1142600, MD09G1142800, MD09G1142900, MD09G1143000, MD09G1143200, MD09G1143400) involved in flavonoids biosynthesis; heat shock proteins 89.1 (MD09G1122200) and HSP70 (MD09G1137300); Ethylene-forming enzyme MD09G1114800; Anthocyanin regulatory protein MdNAC42 (MD09G1147500, MD09G1147600)
      914.9–16.5triterpene biosynthesis transcription factor protein MdMYB66 (MD09G1183800);
      111.7–3.0ethylene response factor proteins (MdEIN-like 3: MD11G1022400)
      1138.6–40.6Senescence-related gene 1 (MD11G1271400, MD11G1272300, MD11G1272000, MD11G1272100, MD11G1272300, MD11G1272400, and MD11G1272500); Chalcone-flavanone isomerase (CHI) protein (MD11G1273600) and MdbHLH3 (MD11G1286900, MDP0000225680); cytochrome P450 enzyme (MD11G1274000, MD11G1274100, MD11G1274200, MD11G1274300, MD11G1274500, and MD11G1274600); heat shock transcription factor A6B (MdHSFA6B: MD11G1278900) – involved in ABA-mediated heat response and flavonoid biosynthesis.
      122.2–3.5heat shock protein 70-1 ((MD12G1025600, MD12G1025700 and MD12G1026300) and heat shock protein 70 (MD12G1025800 and MD12G1025900 and MD12G1026000); ethylene (MD12G1032000) and auxin-responsive (MD12G1027600) proteins.
      127.2–8.4DNAJ heat shock domain-containing protein (MD12G1065200 and MD12G1067400)
      1327.5–30.5MD13G1257800 involved in polyphenol 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL)
      1337.5–39.5pectin methyl esterase inhibitor superfamily protein MdPMEI (MD13G1278600)
      1425.4–27.5Drought-stress response gene MdWRKY45 (MD14G1154500); chalcone synthase (CHS) family proteins (MD14G1160800 and MD14G1160900); triterpene biosynthesis transcription factor MdMYB66 (MD14G1180700, MD14G1181000, MD14G1180900); anthocyanin biosynthesis protein (MdMYB86: MD14G1172900); cytochrome P450 proteins (MD14G1169000, MD14G1169200, MD14G1169600, MD14G1169700)
      150–1.5Ethylene synthesis proteins (MD15G1020100, MD15G1020300 and MD15G1020500); dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR) gene (MD15G1024100)
      154.6–6.8MdMYB73 (MD15G1076600, MD15G1088000) modulates malate transportation/accumulation via interaction with MdMYB1/10; MdNAC52: MD15G1079400) regulates anthocyanin/PA; heat shock transcription factor B4 (MD15G1080700); stress-response protein MdWRKY7 (MD15G1078200)
      1553.5–54.9MdC3H (MD15G1436500) involved in chlorogenic acid biosynthesis; MdEIN3 (MD15G1441000) involved in regulating ethylene synthesis and anthocyanin accumulation
      168.9–10.9SAUR-like auxin-responsive protein (MD16G1124300) and MdNAC83: (MD16G1125800) associated with fruit ripening; MD16G1140800 regulates proanthocyanidin; MdPAE genes (MD16G1132100, MD16G1140500) regulates ethylene production.

      Table 1. 

      A list of the genomic regions associated with internal flesh browning disorder (FBD) in apples. Putative candidate genes residing within these regions are also listed using GDDH13v1.1 reference genome assembly.

    • ChrGenomic region (Mb)Putative genes functions
      211.2–13.2UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) proteins (MD02G1153000, MD02G1153100, MD02G1153200, MD02G1153300; MD02G1153400; MD02G1153500; MD02G1153700; MD02G1153800; MD02G1153900);
      40–1.2Chalcone synthase (CHS) genes (MD04G1003000; MD04G1003300 and MD04G1003400); DNAJ heat shock protein (MD04G1003500); MdERF (MD04G1009000) involved in regulating PA biosynthesis.
      69.5–11.0Ubiquitin protein (MD06G1061100); stress-response WRKY protein MdWRKY21 (MD06G1062800);
      612.1–13.6pectin methylesterase inhibitor superfamily protein (MdPME: MD06G1064700); phenylalanine and lignin biosynthesis gene (MdMYB85)
      616.0–17.6MD06G1071600 (MDP0000360447) involved in leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX) synthesis
      624.0–26.0UDP-glycosyltransferase proteins (MD06G1103300, MD06G1103400, MD06G1103500 and MD06G1103600); auxin response factor 9 (MdARF9: MD06G1111100) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70; MD06G1113000).
      74.1–5.6Ethylene insensitive 3 protein (MdEIN3: MD07G1053500 and MD07G1053800) involved in proanthocyanidins (PA) biosynthesis; ubiquitin-specific protease (MD07G1051000, MD07G1051100, MD07G1051200, MD07G1051500, MD07G1051300, MD07G1051700 and MD07G1051800).
      1015.9–18.3bHLH proteins (MD10G1098900, MD10G1104300, and MD10G1104600); UGT protein (MD10G1101200); UGT 74D1 (MD10G1110800), UGT 74F1 (MD10G1111100), UGT 74F2 (MD10G1111000).
      1035.6–38.6Stress-response WRKY proteins (MdWRKY28: MD10G1266400; MdWRKY65: MD10G1275800). ethylene responsive factors (MdERF2: MD10G1286300; MdERF4: MD10G1290400, and MdERF12: MD10G1290900) and a NAC domain protein (MdNAC73: MD10G1288300); polyphenol oxidase (PPO) genes ((MD10G1298200; MD10G1298300; MD10G1298400; MD10G1298500; MD10G1298700; MD10G1299100; MD10G1299300; MD10G1299400).
      1524.8–26.8heat shock factor 4 (MD15G1283700), drought-stress response WRKY protein 7 (MdWRKY7: MD15G1287300), MdMYB73 (MD15G1288600) involved in ubiquitination and malate synthesis
      1531.7–34.2MYB domain protein 93 (MdMYB93: MD15G1323500) regulates flavonoids and suberin accumulation (Legay et al. 2016); ubiquitin -specific protease 3 (MD15G1318500),
      161.5–3.4MYB domain proteins (MD16G1029400) regulates anthocyanin; senescence-associated gene 12 (MD16G1031600); ethylene response factor proteins (MdERF118: MD16G1043500, and MD16G1047700 (MdRAV1); MdMYB62 ( MD16G1040800) flavonol regulation; malate transporter MdMa2 (MD16G1045000: MDP0000244249), Ubiquitin-like superfamily protein (MD16G1036000),
      165.4–7.4MdMYB88 (MD16G1076100) regulates phenylpropanoid synthesis and ABA-mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis; MdMYB66 (MD16G1093200) regulates triterpene biosynthesis, MdWRKY72 (MD16G1077700) mediates ultraviolet B-induced anthocyanin synthesis.

      Table 2. 

      A list of the genomic regions significantly associated with the weighted cortex intensity (WCI) in apples. Putative candidate genes residing within these regions are also listed using GDDH13v1.1 reference genome assembly.

    • TraitChr (genomic region: Mb)Gene namePredicted gene IDPutative function
      IFBDChr6 (29.8–31.7 Mb)MdMYB66MD06G1174200Suberin/triterpene deposition
      IFBDChr14 (25.4–27.5 Mb)MdMYB66MD14G1180700, MD14G1181000, MD14G1180900Suberin/triterpene deposition
      IFBDChr4 (7.0–8.1 Mb)MdMYB66MD04G1060200Suberin/triterpene deposition
      IFBDChr9 (14.9–16.5 Mb)MdMYB66MD09G1183800Suberin/triterpene deposition
      IFBDChr6 (29.8–31.7 Mb)MdMYB86MD06G1167200Anthocyanin regulation
      IFBDChr14 (25.4–27.5 Mb)MdMYB86MD14G1172900Anthocyanin regulation
      IFBDChr6 (29.8–31.7 Mb)MdMYB98MD06G1172900Drought stress response
      IFBDChr14 (25.4–27.5 Mb)MdMYB98MD14G1179000Drought stress response
      IFBDChr6 (29.8–31.7 Mb)Cytochrome P450MD06G1162600, MD06G1162700, MD06G1162800, MD06G1163100, MD06G1163300, MD06G1163400, MD06G1163500, MD06G1163600, MD06G1163800, MD06G1164000, MD06G1164100, MD06G1164300, MD06G1164400, MD06G1164500, MD06G1164700Flavonoid and triterpenic metabolism
      IFBDChr14 (25.4–27.5 Mb)Cytochrome P450MD14G1169000, MD14G1169200, MD14G1169600, MD14G1169700Flavonoid and triterpenic metabolism
      IFBDChr3 (14.7–16.6 Mb)MdNAC90MD03G1148500Senescence-related
      IFBDChr11 (16.5–18.5 Mb)MdNAC90MD11G11679000Senescence-related
      IFBDChr14 (25.4–27.5 Mb)MdNAC83MD14G1150900Senescence/ripening-related
      IFBDChr16 (8.9–10.9 Mb)MdNAC83MD16G1125800Senescence/ripening-related
      IFBDChr17 (0–0. 7 Mb)MdNAC83MD17G1010300Senescence/ripening-related
      IFBDChr3 (14.7–16.6 Mb)Germin-like protein 10MD03G1148000Polyphenol oxidase
      IFBDChr11 (16.5–18.5 Mb)Germin-like protein 10MD11G1167000, MD11G1167100, MD11G1167400, MD11G1169200Polyphenol oxidase
      IFBDChr1 (26.9–28.5 Mb)MdWRKY55MD01G1168500Drought stress response
      IFBDChr7 (30.3–31.9 Mb)MdWRKY55MD07G1234600Drought stress response
      IFBDChr1 (26.9–28.5 Mb)MdWRKY70MD01G1168600Drought stress response
      IFBDChr7 (30.3–31.9 Mb)MdWRKY70MD07G1234700Drought stress response
      IFBDChr4 (7.0–8.1 Mb)MdERF1MD04G1058000Ethylene responsive factor
      IFBDChr6 (5.5–7.3 Mb)MdERF1MD06G1051800Ethylene responsive factor
      IFBDChr4 (7.0–8.1 Mb)MdERF5MD04G1058200Ethylene responsive factor
      IFBDChr6 (5.5–7.3 Mb)MdERF5MD06G1051900Ethylene responsive factor
      IFBDChr13 (18.0–20.0 Mb)MdERF1BMD13G1213100Ethylene response factor 1
      IFBDChr16 (20.4–22.4 Mb)MdERF1BMD16G1216900Ethylene response factor 1
      WCIChr13 (2.6–4.4 Mb)MdRAV1MD13G1046100Ethylene responsive factor
      WCIChr16 (1.5–3.4 Mb)MdRAV1MD16G1047700Ethylene responsive factor
      WCIChr13 (2.6–4.4 Mb)MdMYB62MD13G1039900Flavonol biosynthesis
      WCIChr16 (1.5–3.4 Mb)MdMYB62MD16G1040800Flavonol biosynthesis
      IFBDChr9 (7.9–11.8 Mb)MdNAC42MD09G1147500, MD09G1147600Anthocyanin accumulation
      WCIChr17 (11.4–12.4 Mb)MdNAC42MD17G1134400Anthocyanin accumulation
      IFBDChr9 (7.9–11.8 Mb)HSP 70MD09G1137300Heat stress response
      WCIChr17 (11.4–12.4 Mb)HSP 70MD17G1127600Heat stress response
      IFBDChr4 (11.0–13.0 Mb)MdMYB85MD04G1080600Phenylalanine and lignin biosynthesis
      WCIChr6 (12.1–13.6 Mb)MdMYB85MD06G1064300Phenylalanine and lignin biosynthesis
      IFBDChr15 (13.2–14.2 Mb)MdEBF1MD15G1171800Ethylene inhibition
      WCIChr8 (15.2–17.2 Mb)MdEBF1MD08G1150200Ethylene inhibition
      IFBDChr15 (53.5–54.9 Mb)MdEIN3MD15G1441000Ethylene insensitive 3 protein
      WCIChr8 (30.3–31.6 Mb)MdEIN3MD08G1245800Ethylene insensitive 3 protein
      IFBDChr11 (1.7–3.0 Mb)MdEIN3MD11G1022400Ethylene insensitive 3 protein
      WCIChr7 (4.1–5.6 Mb)MdEIN3MD07G1053500, MD07G1053800Ethylene insensitive 3 protein
      IFBDChr15 (4.6–6.8 Mb)MdMYB73MD15G1076600, MD15G1088000Cold-stress response & malate accumulation
      WCIChr15 (24.8–26.8 Mb)MdMYB73MD15G1288600Cold-stress response & malate accumulation
      IFBDChr15 (4.6–6.8M b)MdWRKY7MD15G1078200Anthocyanin accumulation
      WCIChr15 (24.8–26.8 Mb)MdWRKY7MD15G1287300Anthocyanin accumulation
      IFBDChr15 (43.5–45.5 Mb)MdMYB93MD15G1369700Flavonoid & suberin accumulation
      WCIChr15 (31.7–34.2 Mb)MdMYB93MD15G1323500Flavonoid & suberin accumulation

      Table 3. 

      A list of homologues genes/genomic regions associated with the internal flesh browning disorder (IFBD) and red flesh (WCI) in apples. Putative candidate genes residing within these regions are also listed using GDDH13v1.1 reference genome assembly.

    • Mutations in GWAS apple populationPredicted gene functionExpression in R6 and ‘Royal Gala’ apples
      GeneMissense
      SNPs
      SNP
      Stop
      Upstream
      variants
      DatasetLocusAnnotation and TAIR IDAverage
      RPKM
      R6 flesh
      Average RPKM
      WT flesh
      log2Fold
      Change
      MD02G11322001FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr02:9450615-11289014flavanone 3-hydroxylase
      (F3H, TT6, F3'H) AT3G51240
      387752.47
      MD02G11336003FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr02:9450615-11289014fatty acid desaturase 5
      (FAD5) AT3G15850
      18109.98
      MD02G11537001WCI Table 2Chr02:11278254-13234556UDP-Glycosyltransferase, lignin related AT2G1856010385341.03
      MD03G10592002FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr03:3177994-4910866Peroxidase AT5G053402514.21
      MD03G1143300422FBD Table 1Chr03:14797661-16611554bZIP transcription factor (DPBF2, AtbZIP67) AT3G44460114852-2.80
      MD03G1147700121FBD Table 1Chr03:14797661-16611554Rho GTPase activating protein AT5G22400205891.29
      MD04G1003400331WCI Table 2Chr04:1-1284894Chalcone synthase (CHS, TT4) AT5G1393014433122.34
      MD04G120410063FBD Table 1Chr04:27629536-29612282lipoxygenase 1 (LOX1, ATLOX1) AT1G550205462681.09
      MD06G1160700129FBD Table 1Chr06:29862341-31737341peptide met sulfoxide reductase AT4G251302121254562.04
      MD06G116140014FBD Table 1Chr06:29862341-31737341Pectin lyase-like protein AT5G63180614129530-2.22
      MD07G1240700126FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr07:30357332-31979025Fe superoxide dismutase 2 AT5G511001051826-3.99
      MD07G13069006FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr07:34607570-36531467UDP-glucosyl transferase 78D2 AT5G170506771112.78
      MD08G12491002WCI Supplemental Table S3Chr08:30486569-31607516HSP20-like chaperone (ATHSP22.0) AT4G102503186456.12
      MD09G111400032FBD Table 1Chr09:7999212-11883202fatty acid desaturase 5 (FAD5) AT3G158507608.68
      MD09G11468001FBD Table 1Chr09:7999212-11883202PHYTOENE SYNTHASE (PSY) AT5G1723038456160901.32
      MD10G132810045FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr10:40235258-41736791ethylene-forming enzyme (ACO4) AT1G050108769033910331.21
      MD15G10236001FBD Table 1Chr15:1-1487288jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (JMT) AT1G19640472111552.07
      MD15G10241008FBD Table 1Chr15:1-1487288dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR, TT3, M318) AT5G428008723091.63
      MD17G11334004WCI Supplemental Table S3Chr17:11422073-12433463PHYTOENE SYNTHASE (PSY) AT5G172306001721.87
      MD17G12606002FBD Supplemental Table S3Chr17:31098955-32776972dehydroascorbate reductase 1 (DHAR3) AT5G167101867−1.78

      Table 4. 

      List of candidate genes associated with WCI or FBD in the XP-GWA and R6:MdMYB10 apple datasets.