Abstract
CYCLOIDEA-like genes are involved in the symmetry gene network, limiting cell proliferation in the dorsal regions of bilateral flowers in core eudicots. CYC-like and closely related TCP genes (acronym for TEOSINTE BRANCHED1, CYCLOIDEA, and PROLIFERATION CELL FACTOR) have been poorly studied in Asparagales, the largest order of monocots that includes both bilateral flowers in Orchidaceae (ca. 25.000 spp) and radially symmetrical flowers in Hypoxidaceae (ca. 200 spp). With the aim of assessing TCP gene evolution in the Asparagales, we isolated TCP-like genes from publicly available databases and our own transcriptomes of Cattleya trianae (Orchidaceae) and Hypoxis decumbens (Hypoxidaceae). Our matrix contains 452 sequences representing the three major clades of TCP genes. Besides the previously identified CYC specific core eudicot duplications, our ML phylogenetic analyses recovered an early CIN-like duplication predating all angiosperms, two CIN-like Asparagales-specific duplications and a duplication prior to the diversification of Orchidoideae and Epidendroideae. In addition, we provide evidence of at least three duplications of PCF-like genes in Asparagales. While CIN-like and PCF-like genes have multiplied in Asparagales, likely enhancing the genetic network for cell proliferation, CYC-like genes remain as single, shorter copies with low expression. Homogeneous expression of CYC-like genes in the labellum as well as the lateral petals suggests little contribution to the bilateral perianth in C. trianae. CIN-like and PCF-like gene expression suggests conserved roles in cell proliferation in leaves, sepals and petals, carpels, ovules and fruits in Asparagales by comparison with previously reported functions in core eudicots and monocots. This is the first large scale analysis of TCP-like genes in Asparagales that will serve as a platform for in-depth functional studies in emerging model monocots.
Highlights
As currently circumscribed the order Asparagales is a species-rich group comprising ca. 50% of all monocots, corresponding to 10–15% of flowering plants (Chase et al, 2009, 2016; Chen et al, 2013; Givnish et al, 2016)
Exhaustive search from available databases retrieved 452 TCP Class I and Class II sequences from flowering plants. From these 138 belong to the Orchidaceae, including 18 homologs from C. trianae; and 110 sequences belong to non-Orchidaceae Asparagales, including 15 homologs from H. decumbens (Supplementary Table 1)
The A. trichopoda AtrTCP4 together with all other isolated PROLIFERATION CELL FACTOR (PCF)-like genes were used as the outgroup
Summary
As currently circumscribed the order Asparagales is a species-rich group comprising ca. 50% of all monocots, corresponding to 10–15% of flowering plants (Chase et al, 2009, 2016; Chen et al, 2013; Givnish et al, 2016). In the inner floral whorls bilateral symmetry is evident by the formation of a gynostemium that results from the congenital fusion between the single fertile stamen (sometimes two fertile stamens) and stigmas (Rudall and Bateman, 2002; Pabón-Mora and González, 2008; Endress, 2016). Such floral elaboration has been linked to extremely specialized pollination mechanisms and the exceedingly high diversification rates in Orchidaceae (Gong and Huang, 2009; MondragónPalomino and Theißen, 2009; Mondragón-Palomino, 2013)
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