A detailed synteny map of the eggplant genome based on conserved ortholog set II (COSII) markers

We report herein the mapping of 115 PCR-based orthologous markers, including 110 conserved ortholog set or COSII markers, on the reference RFLP map of eggplant. The result permitted inference of a detailed syntenic relationship between the eggplant and tomato genomes. Further, the position of additional 522 COSII markers was inferred in the eggplant map via eggplant-tomato synteny, bringing the total number of markers in the eggplant genome to 869. Since divergence from their last common ancestor approximately 12 million years ago, the eggplant and tomato genomes have become differentiated by a minimum number of 24 inversions and 5 chromosomal translocations, as well as a number of single gene transpositions possibly triggered by transposable elements. Nevertheless, the two genomes share 37 conserved syntenic segments (CSSs) within which gene/marker order is well preserved. The high-resolution COSII synteny map described herein provides a platform for cross-reference of genetic and genomic information (including the tomato genome sequence) between eggplant and tomato and therefore will facilitate both applied and basic research in eggplant.