Abstract
Introduction: The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a biodiversity hotspot, recognized globally for its unusually high levels of endemism. The origins of this biodiversity are a long-standing topic of research. The largest “Cape clade,” Erica, radiated dramatically in the CFR, its ca. 690 species arising within 10–15 Ma. Notable between- and within-species flower color variation in Erica may have contributed to the origins of species diversity through its impact on pollinator efficiency and specificity.Methods: We investigate the expression and function of the genes of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway that controls floral color in 12 Erica species groups using RT-qPCR and UPLC-MS/MS.Results: Shifts from ancestral pink- or red- to white- and/or yellow flowers were associated with independent losses of single pathway gene expression, abrogation of the entire pathway due to loss of the expression of a transcription factor or loss of function mutations in pathway genes.Discussion: Striking floral color shifts are prevalent amongst the numerous species of Cape Erica. These results show independent origins of a palette of mutations leading to such shifts, revealing the diverse genetic basis for potentially rapid evolution of a speciation-relevant trait.
Highlights
The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a biodiversity hotspot, recognized globally for its unusually high levels of endemism
RT-qPCR and UPLC-MS/MS could not distinguish between pinkand red flowered species, likely due a combination of factors: it may well be that the shift between pink- and red flowers is due to a minor shift in anthocyanin intensity (Grotewold, 2006), a modification of the anthocyanin pigment with covalent metal ions (Akbari et al, 2012; Akbari et al, 2013), changes in vacuolar pH (Akbari et al, 2012; Akbari et al, 2013) or even cell shape (Kay et al, 1981; Noda et al, 1994; Bailes and Glover, 2018), or even the influence of other pigments, such as carotenoids (Tanaka et al, 2008), that might yet be detected in species of Erica
Numerous mutations were identified as probable causes of floral color shifts in the Erica species studied
Summary
The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a biodiversity hotspot, recognized globally for its unusually high levels of endemism. The origins of this biodiversity are a long-standing topic of research. The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) at the southern tip of Africa is a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot (Mittermeier et al, 2004) It has levels of species richness not normally seen outside of the tropics, with ca.000 plant species of which ca. Most Erica species are found in the CFR, where ca. 690 of the ca. 865 species in the genus occur
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