Abstract
Sexuality is one of the fundamental mechanisms that work towards maintaining genetic diversity within a species. In diploid persimmons (Diospyros spp.), separated sexuality, the presence of separate male and female individuals (dioecy), is controlled by the Y chromosome-encoded small-RNA gene, OGI. On the other hand, sexuality in hexaploid Oriental persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is more plastic, with OGI-bearing genetically male individuals, able to produce both male and female flowers (monoecy). This is thought to be linked to the partial inactivation of OGI by a retrotransposon insertion, resulting in DNA methylation of the OGI promoter region. To identify the genetic factors regulating branch sexual conversion, genome-wide correlation/association analyses were conducted using ddRAD-Seq data from an F1 segregating population, and using both quantitative and diploidized genotypes, respectively. We found that allelic ratio at the Y-chromosomal region, including OGI, was correlated with male conversion based on quantitative genotypes, suggesting that OGI can be activated in cis in a dosage-dependent manner. Genome-wide association analysis based on diploidized genotypes, normalized for the effect of OGI allele dosage, detected three fundamental loci associated with male conversion. These loci underlie candidate genes, which could potentially act epigenetically for the activation of OGI expression.
Highlights
Sexuality is a fundamental mechanism that acts for the maintenance of genetic diversity within a species
Plant biologists have thrived to understand the evolutionary steps associated with transitions into or out of dioecy since the first findings of genetic sex determination in flowering
Considering the nature of polysomic inheritance, we developed genome-wide correlation/association analyses for polyploid persimmon using two different models (Fig. 1B): (i) an additive model using quantitative genotypes in the form of allelic ratio, and (ii) a diploidized additive model using diploidized genotypes.[21]
Summary
Sexuality is a fundamental mechanism that acts for the maintenance of genetic diversity within a species. Hermaphroditism is thought to be ancestral and most common in flowering plants. A minority of species have subsequently, and independently, evolved separated sexuality, with separate male and female individuals (dioecy).[1,2] These species represent up to 5% of angiosperm species.[3,4] Plant biologists have thrived to understand the evolutionary steps associated with transitions into or out of dioecy since the first findings of genetic sex determination in flowering.
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