Abstract Detail

Comparative Genomics/Transcriptomics

Determining the genomic architecture of Thalictrum sexual dimorphism.

Among plants, Thalictrum L. (Ranunculaceae) is an interesting group to examine the evolution and genetic mechanisms of flowering plant sex determination since it may manifest homeotic sex determination and the phylogeny suggests two independent origins of dioecy. We explore the genetic underpinnings of unisexuality in T. dasycarpum and T. dioicum, which are representatives of each non-sister dioecious clade, by using a relatively quick and easy k-mer-based sorting method of Illumina short read sequencing to locate sex-specific genomic regions. We then use the sex-specific genomic regions to infer the architecture of sex determination in each species and evaluate whether similar or distinct genomic regions determine sex in each independent origin of dioecy. Our findings show that both T. dasycarpum and T. dioicum have XY sex determination systems and have utilized separate regions of the genome to achieve dioecy. This study provides evidence that Thalictrum has great promise for studying sex-determination in angiosperms and understanding the predictability of evolution.

1 - University of Wisconsin-Madison, Botany, 430 Lincoln Dr, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States
2 - University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Botany, Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States

Keywords:
Dioecy
sex determination
genomics
Evolution
homeotic
eudicot
Sexual system
k-mer
short read data.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: CGT3004
Abstract ID:857
Candidate for Awards:None