| Malting quality of barley is a complex but important trait for the malting and brewing industries. Several malting quality QTLs have been located on the chromosome 4H of barley. However, the genes associated with these QTLs regions are unknown. The Ac/Ds transposon system was used to dissect these malting quality QTLs. New single-copy Ds insertion lines (TNPs) were generated through sequential re-activation of Ds transposon in the candidate parental lines -- TNP-29 and -79, in which the Ds insertion sites were mapped in the vicinity of the malting quality QTLs on chromosome 4H. Reactivation of Ds was carried out by crossing these TNPs with AcTPase expressing plants as well as through in-vitro expression of AcTPase in immature barley embryos. Furthermore, a new PCR based approach -- HE-TAIL PCR was devised to expedite the detection of new transposition events. This study will contribute to a better understanding of genes involved in the barley malting quality. |
