Evolutionary genetics of an S-like polymorphism in Papaveraceae with putative function in self-incompatibility
Timothy Paape1, Takashi Miyake, Naoki Takebayashi
1College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America. paap0008@umn.edu
Plos One
|September 14, 2011
Summary
Researchers identified 87 new S-allele sequences in Papaveraceae, revealing high variability and complex evolution of self-incompatibility systems. This diversity suggests ongoing evolutionary dynamics in plant reproduction.
Area of Science:
- Plant reproductive biology
- Molecular evolution
- Genetics
Background:
- Papaver rhoeas exhibits a unique gametophytic self-incompatibility (SI) system.
- Previous studies identified limited S-allele diversity despite evidence for many alleles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize novel S-alleles within the Papaveraceae family.
- To investigate the evolutionary dynamics and sequence variability of S-alleles.
Main Methods:
- RT-PCR was used to amplify S-allele sequences from multiple Papaveraceae species.
- Hand pollination experiments were conducted to correlate genotypes with SI phenotypes.
- Sequence divergence and genealogical analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- 87 unique putative stigmatic S-allele sequences were identified across five species.
- A strong correlation was observed between putative S-genotypes and SI phenotypes.
- Papaver S-alleles showed high sequence divergence compared to other Papaveraceae, with limited shared ancestral polymorphism.
Conclusions:
- Identified sequences likely represent functional S-alleles or closely linked paralogs.
- The study highlights the significant complexity and evolutionary dynamics of self-incompatibility in Papaveraceae.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the evolution of these systems.
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