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Gene Function Rather than Reproductive Mode Drives the Evolution of RNA Helicases in Sexual and Apomictic Boechera.
- Source :
-
Genome biology and evolution [Genome Biol Evol] 2020 May 01; Vol. 12 (5), pp. 656-673. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- In higher plants, sexual and asexual reproductions through seeds (apomixis) have evolved as alternative strategies. Evolutionary advantages leading to coexistence of both reproductive modes are currently not well understood. It is expected that accumulation of deleterious mutations leads to a rapid elimination of apomictic lineages from populations. In this line, apomixis originated repeatedly, likely from deregulation of the sexual pathway, leading to alterations in the development of reproductive lineages (germlines) in apomicts as compared with sexual plants. This potentially involves mutations in genes controlling reproduction. Increasing evidence suggests that RNA helicases are crucial regulators of germline development. To gain insights into the evolution of 58 members of this diverse gene family in sexual and apomictic plants, we applied target enrichment combined with next-generation sequencing to identify allelic variants from 24 accessions of the genus Boechera, comprising sexual, facultative, and obligate apomicts. Interestingly, allelic variants from apomicts did not show consistently increased mutation frequency. Either sequences were highly conserved in any accession, or allelic variants preferentially harbored mutations in evolutionary less conserved C- and N-terminal domains, or presented high mutation load independent of the reproductive mode. Only for a few genes allelic variants harboring deleterious mutations were only identified in apomicts. To test if high sequence conservation correlates with roles in fundamental cellular or developmental processes, we analyzed Arabidopsis thaliana mutant lines in VASA-LIKE (VASL), and identified pleiotropic defects during ovule and reproductive development. This indicates that also in apomicts mechanisms of selection are in place based on gene function.<br /> (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)
- Subjects :
- Brassicaceae growth & development
Evolution, Molecular
Genotype
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Phenotype
Plant Proteins metabolism
RNA Helicases metabolism
Apomixis
Brassicaceae enzymology
Brassicaceae genetics
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Genome, Plant
Plant Proteins genetics
RNA Helicases genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1759-6653
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Genome biology and evolution
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32302391
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa078