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The Genomic Architecture and Evolutionary Fates of Supergenes
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences. Stockholm University, Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab).ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9725-8523
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences. Stockholm University, Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab).ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4142-2579
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences. Stockholm University, Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab).ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6435-4604
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences. Stockholm University, Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab).ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6020-5102
Number of Authors: 42021 (English)In: Genome Biology and Evolution, E-ISSN 1759-6653, Vol. 13, no 5, article id evab057Article, review/survey (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Supergenes are genomic regions containing sets of tightly linked loci that control multi-trait phenotypic polymorphisms under balancing selection. Recent advances in genomics have uncovered significant variation in both the genomic architecture as well as the mode of origin of supergenes across diverse organismal systems. Although the role of genomic architecture for the origin of supergenes has been much discussed, differences in the genomic architecture also subsequently affect the evolutionary trajectory of supergenes and the rate of degeneration of supergene haplotypes. In this review, we synthesize recent genomic work and historical models of supergene evolution, highlighting how the genomic architecture of supergenes affects their evolutionary fate. We discuss how recent findings on classic supergenes involved in governing ant colony social form, mimicry in butterflies, and heterostyly in flowering plants relate to theoretical expectations. Furthermore, we use forward simulations to demonstrate that differences in genomic architecture affect the degeneration of supergenes. Finally, we discuss implications of the evolution of supergene haplotypes for the long-term fate of balanced polymorphisms governed by supergenes.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2021. Vol. 13, no 5, article id evab057
Keywords [en]
balancing selection, degeneration, hemizygosity, inversion, recombination suppression, structural variation
National Category
Biological Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-196361DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab057ISI: 000661527400006PubMedID: 33739390OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-196361DiVA, id: diva2:1591844
Available from: 2021-09-07 Created: 2021-09-07 Last updated: 2024-07-04Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Genomic studies of mating system variation in flowering plants
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Genomic studies of mating system variation in flowering plants
2022 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The striking diversity of reproductive strategies that flowering plants exhibit remains one of the most intriguing conundrums in evolutionary biology. Pollination-related traits and mating system strategies have a major impact on the processes shaping plant evolution through their effects on genetic diversity and selection. In this thesis, I use population genomic methods to investigate the genetic underpinnings and genomic impact of cross- and self-fertilization in flowering plants. I first study the evolution and breakdown of the supergene that governs the balanced floral polymorphism of distyly in a wild flaxseed species (Linum tenue). Then I assess the consequences of shifts to self-fertilization on the intensity of sexual selection that populations experience, using the crucifer species Arabis alpina as a model. In chapters I, II and III, I investigated how the evolution of supergenes is impacted by their genetic architecture. Building on a de novo genome assembly, I used population genomic data to identify and characterize the distyly supergene in Linum tenue (chapter II). I found that the dominant allele at the distyly S-locus is defined by the presence of a 260-kb region carried in hemizygosity by thrum individuals. Importantly, the hemizygous region harbors, among others, a strong candidate gene for style length. S-linked genes did not exhibit signatures of relaxed purifying selection, consistent with expectations from previous empirical studies and forward simulations (chapter I) in suggesting that hemizygosity might slow down genetic degeneration of non-recombining haplotypes. In the light of similar studies conducted in independently evolved distylous lineages (reviewed in chapter I), our results indicate that distyly supergenes show convergent evolution at the molecular level. By conducting comparative studies of the genome sequences of L. tenue and closely related homostylous L. trigynum (chapter III), I identified candidate mutations for distyly breakdown at S-linked genes. I also investigated the genome-wide effects of the evolutionary transition to homostyly and self-fertilization in L. trigynum. I found that L. trigynum populations are highly inbred, and show significantly lower genetic diversity and more marked population structure than the obligately outcrossing L. tenue. However, I found only weak signatures of relaxed purifying selection in L. trigynum at the genome-wide scale, suggesting that self-fertilization has not had a major effect on the impact of selection. Finally, by analyzing whole-genome sequences from individuals of populations of A. alpina with contrasting mating strategies, I investigated if shifts to self-fertilization have a particularly marked impact on the evolution of genes involved in pollen-pollen competition (chapter IV). The results indicate that the reduced intensity of sexual selection that self-fertilizing populations experience translate into more pronounced signatures of relaxed purifying selection on genes expressed in male gametophyte components. Overall, this thesis contributes to our understanding of the genetic basis and evolution of plant reproductive strategies, and how they impact selection both locally and broadly across the genome.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 2022. p. 65
Keywords
mating system evolution, cross- and self-fertilization, distyly, supergenes, complex phenotypic polymorphism, convergent evolution, homostyly, loss-of-function mutation, intrasexual competition, pollen, purifying selection, Linum, Arabis alpina
National Category
Evolutionary Biology
Research subject
Ecology and Evolution
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-210927 (URN)978-91-8014-098-0 (ISBN)978-91-8014-099-7 (ISBN)
Public defence
2022-12-16, Vivi Täckholmsalen (Q-salen), NPQ-huset, Svante Arrhenius väg 20, Stockholm, 09:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2022-11-23 Created: 2022-11-01 Last updated: 2022-12-12Bibliographically approved

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Gutiérrez-Valencia, JuanitaHughes, P. WilliamBerdan, Emma L.Slotte, Tanja

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