Identification of SNP Markers Associated with Oleic Acid QTLs in Soybean.

Increasing the amount of oleic acid in soybean oil would reduce the need for hydrogenation, a process that creates unhealthy trans fatty acids.  A previous study mapped oleic acid QTLs from N00-3350 (~550 g kg^-1 oleic acid) soybean to linkage groups (LG) A1, D2, G, L, and O.  The objectives of this study were to develop high throughput assays to detect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from fatty acid pathway genes and sequence-tagged sites in regions of the soybean genome associated with oleic acid QTLs.   A F_2:3 population consisting of 188 individuals from the cross of a glyphosate-resistant backross conversion of Boggs, G99-G725, (~206 g kg^-1 oleic acid) x N00-3350 was screened using melting curve analysis of fluorescent labeled SimpleProbes.  A set of 32 genotypes which represent 95% of the genes in the genetic base of North American soybean were also screened.  SNPs from fatty acid candidate genes have been identified on LG A1, D2, G, and O.  The assays developed for detecting SNP markers associated with oleic acid QTLs are based on melting curve analysis.  These markers provide a high-throughput and rapid SNP genotyping method which can be used to accelerate the development of mid-oleic acid content soybean cultivars.