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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: Leaf Trait Analysis for Climate and Ecology Reconstruction in Modern and Ancient Plant Communities

Author Spotlight: Leaf Trait Analysis for Climate and Ecology Reconstruction in Modern and Ancient Plant Communities

Published on: October 25, 2024

Leaf shape in Populus tremula is a complex, omnigenic trait.

Niklas Mähler¹, Bastian Schiffthaler¹, Kathryn M Robinson¹

¹Department of Plant Physiology Umeå Plant Science Centre Umeå University Umeå Sweden.

Ecology and Evolution

|November 19, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Leaf shape variation in Eurasian aspen is genetically complex, influenced by many small gene expression changes. Identified genes suggest relaxed selection, aligning with the omnigenic model.

Keywords:

GWAS Populus tremula complex trait leaf shape natural variation omnigenic

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Published on: October 12, 2015

Area of Science:

Plant genetics
Evolutionary biology
Genomics

Background:

Leaf shape is crucial for plant classification and exhibits significant variation within species.
Understanding the genetic basis of leaf shape variation is essential for plant breeding and evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize the genetic architecture of leaf shape variation in Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula).
To identify candidate genes underlying leaf shape diversity and their regulatory mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) for leaf physiognomy traits in Populus tremula.
RNA-Seq and gene co-expression network analyses during leaf development.
Integration of population-wide expression data, eQTL analysis, and differential gene expression analysis.

Main Results:

Leaf shape variation is genetically complex, likely controlled by numerous small-effect gene expression variations.
Genes associated with leaf shape were peripheral in co-expression networks and showed signatures of relaxed selection.
No clear adaptive significance was identified for the observed leaf shape variation.

Conclusions:

Leaf shape in Eurasian aspen is a complex trait influenced by polygenic effects on gene expression.
The genetic architecture of leaf shape variation is consistent with the omnigenic model, suggesting widespread gene expression regulation.
The findings provide insights into the evolutionary processes shaping plant morphology.