Fig. 2From: Intraspecific variation of residual heterozygosity and its utility for quantitative genetic studies in maizeQTL analysis of RH hotspots and functional inferences for phenotypes of agronomic traits. (a) Distribution of heterozygosity rates within each RH hotspot. (b) Overview of genome-wide hQTLs for RHR in RH hotspots. Only the 6 populations with detected RH hotspots are illustrated. The blue vertical rectangles indicate the genetic position of the RH hotspots. (c) Phenotypic functions of the RH hotspots with a cis-hQTL. RH hots3 was coordinated by itself per se (i.e., acting as a cis-hQTL), and within the hotspot, the heterozygotes exhibited a significantly greater upper leaf angle (ULA) than any homozygote (P ≤ 0.01). (d-f) Phenotypic role of RH hotspots with a trans-hQTL. The heterozygotes within RH hot2 exhibited a marginally greater tassel branch number (TBN) than any homozygous type (P ≤ 0.05), but two homozygous types showed basically the same TBN (P = 0.08); data represent the mean ± standard error (se.) (d) A trans-hQTL regulates the 5 Mb-distant RH hot2. In this trans-hQTL, the K22 allele results in a significant increase in RHR relative to the BY815 allele at Hot2 (P = 7.2 × 10− 8); data represent the mean ± se. (e) In contrast, the K22 allele leads to a significantly greater tassel branch number (TBN) than the BY815 allele (P = 0.02) (f)Back to article page