Haplotype composition at the color locus is a major genetic determinant of skin color variation in Vitis × labruscana grapes.

Skin color is one of the most important fruit traits in grape, and has become greatly diversified due to hybridization and human selection. Many studies concerning the genetic control of grape color in European species (Vitis vinifera L.), especially the role of MYB-related genes, have been reported. On the other hand, there have been few studies of the MYB-related genes in grapes belonging to V. ×labruscana L.H. Bailey, a subgroup of grapes that originated from the hybridization of V. labrusca with V. vinifera. In the present study, we found a novel functional haplotype, HapE2 (consisting of the genes VlMYBA2 and VlMYBA1-3), in diploid V. ×labruscana. Moreover, we developed a method to determine the haplotype compositions of tetraploid grapes by means of quantitative real-time PCR, and investigated the relationship between haplotype composition and skin color. The color locus in V. ×labruscana grapes usually consists of functional haplotypes (HapE1 and/or HapE2), and non-functional haplotype HapA. The number of functional haplotypes in the genome was found to be correlated with the level of anthocyanin in the skin. Anthocyanin contents of grapes that contained HapE2 were significantly higher than those containing HapE1. These results suggest that the number and kind of functional haplotypes at the color locus are the major genetic factors that determine skin color variation. These findings provide new knowledge about the unique genetic control of color in V. ×labruscana grapes, and should contribute to development of new cultivars that have the desired color and anthocyanin content.