Dualistic MADS-box evolution forged legume diversity post-WGD
Haiyang Nan1,2, Xinxin Chen1, Jiajia Zhang1
1Engineering Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Technology, Ministry of Education & Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering and Biological Fermentation Engineering for Cold Region & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, College of Heilongjiang Province & School of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|February 2, 2026
Summary
Legume MADS-box gene evolution is complex, driven by whole-genome duplication (WGD) for stability and small-scale duplication (SSD) for innovation. This dual model shapes essential development and adaptation in plants.
Area of Science:
- Plant genomics
- Evolutionary biology
- Molecular genetics
Background:
- The MADS-box gene family is crucial for plant development and adaptation.
- Legume MADS-box gene evolution presents significant complexity.
- Understanding these evolutionary dynamics is key to plant biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary history and duplication mechanisms of MADS-box genes in legumes.
- To elucidate the roles of different duplication types in shaping the MADS-box gene family.
- To analyze gene expression patterns under stress conditions.
Main Methods:
- Pangenomic analysis across 52 legume species.
- Phylogenetic reconstruction of MADS-box genes.
- Transcriptome analysis in soybean and qRT-PCR validation.
Main Results:
- Identified 4,872 MADS-box genes across 16 subfamilies.
- Uncovered a dualistic evolutionary model driven by whole-genome duplication (WGD) and small-scale duplication (SSD).
- WGD expanded the core genome (e.g., ABCDE genes) under purifying selection, while SSD expanded the periphery (Type I genes) under relaxed selection, driving innovation.
Conclusions:
- Established a unified framework for MADS-box gene evolution in legumes.
- Demonstrated how distinct duplication mechanisms and selection pressures shape gene family evolution.
- Highlighted the interplay between evolutionary innovation and developmental stability in MADS-box genes.
Related Concept Videos
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
48.2K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
48.2K
01:54Convergent Evolution
32.9K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
32.9K
01:24Eukaryotic Evolution
41.4K
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
41.4K
02:31Synteny and Evolution
3.8K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
3.8K
01:30Diversity of Archaea I
639
Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms, are classified into five major phyla based on genetic and biochemical characteristics: Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Nanoarchaeota. Among these, the phylum Euryarchaeota is notable for its remarkable diversity in morphology, metabolism, and ecological adaptations.Morphological and Metabolic DiversityMembers of Euryarchaeota exhibit a variety of cellular shapes, including rods and cocci. Their metabolic pathways...
639
01:13Cell Diversity
5.1K
The concept of a cell started with microscopic observations of dead cork tissue by Robert Hooke in 1665. Hooke coined the term "cell" based on the resemblance of the small subdivisions in the cork to the rooms that monks inhabited, called cells. About ten years later, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek became the first person to observe the living and moving cells under a microscope. In the century that followed, the theory that cells represented the basic unit of life developed.
Multicellular...
Multicellular...
5.1K