TY - JOUR

T1 - Genome biogeography reveals the intraspecific spread of adaptive mutations for a complex trait

AU - Olofsson, Jill K.

AU - Bianconi, Matheus

AU - Besnard, Guillaume

AU - Dunning, Luke T.

AU - Lundgren, Marjorie R.

AU - Holota, Helene

AU - Vorontsova, Maria S.

AU - Hidalgo, Oriane

AU - Leitch, Ilia J.

AU - Nosil, Patrik

AU - Osborne, Colin P.

AU - Christin, Pascal-Antoine

PY - 2016/12

Y1 - 2016/12

N2 - Physiological novelties are often studied at macro-evolutionary scales such that their micro-evolutionary origins remain poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that key components of a complex trait can evolve in isolation and later be combined by gene flow. We use C-4 photosynthesis as a study system, a derived physiology that increases plant productivity in warm, dry conditions. The grass Alloteropsis semialata includes C-4 and non-C-4 genotypes, with some populations using laterally acquired C-4 -adaptive loci, providing an outstanding system to track the spread of novel adaptive mutations. Using genome data from C-4 and non-C-4 A. semialata individuals spanning the species' range, we infer and date past migrations of different parts of the genome. Our results show that photosynthetic types initially diverged in isolated populations, where key C-4 components were acquired. However, rare but recurrent subsequent gene flow allowed the spread of adaptive loci across genetic pools. Indeed, laterally acquired genes for key C-4 functions were rapidly passed between populations with otherwise distinct genomic backgrounds. Thus, our intraspecific study of C-4-related genomic variation indicates that components of adaptive traits can evolve separately and later be combined through secondary gene flow, leading to the assembly and optimization of evolutionary innovations.

AB - Physiological novelties are often studied at macro-evolutionary scales such that their micro-evolutionary origins remain poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that key components of a complex trait can evolve in isolation and later be combined by gene flow. We use C-4 photosynthesis as a study system, a derived physiology that increases plant productivity in warm, dry conditions. The grass Alloteropsis semialata includes C-4 and non-C-4 genotypes, with some populations using laterally acquired C-4 -adaptive loci, providing an outstanding system to track the spread of novel adaptive mutations. Using genome data from C-4 and non-C-4 A. semialata individuals spanning the species' range, we infer and date past migrations of different parts of the genome. Our results show that photosynthetic types initially diverged in isolated populations, where key C-4 components were acquired. However, rare but recurrent subsequent gene flow allowed the spread of adaptive loci across genetic pools. Indeed, laterally acquired genes for key C-4 functions were rapidly passed between populations with otherwise distinct genomic backgrounds. Thus, our intraspecific study of C-4-related genomic variation indicates that components of adaptive traits can evolve separately and later be combined through secondary gene flow, leading to the assembly and optimization of evolutionary innovations.

KW - adaptation

KW - C-4 photosynthesis

KW - gene flow

KW - lateral gene transfer

KW - phylogeography

KW - C-4 PHOTOSYNTHESIS EVOLUTION

KW - GRASS ALLOTEROPSIS-SEMIALATA

KW - GENERATION SEQUENCING DATA

KW - NUCLEAR-DNA CONTENT

KW - POPULATION-STRUCTURE

KW - FLOW-CYTOMETRY

KW - GENE FLOW

KW - PLANTS

KW - PHYLOGENY

KW - ANATOMY

U2 - 10.1111/mec.13914

DO - 10.1111/mec.13914

M3 - Journal article

VL - 25

SP - 6107

EP - 6123

JO - Molecular Ecology

JF - Molecular Ecology

SN - 0962-1083

IS - 24

ER -