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September 22, 2019

Multiple convergent supergene evolution events in mating-type chromosomes.

Authors: Branco, Sara and Carpentier, Fantin and Rodríguez de la Vega, Ricardo C and Badouin, Hélène and Snirc, Alodie and Le Prieur, Stéphanie and Coelho, Marco A and de Vienne, Damien M and Hartmann, Fanny E and Begerow, Dominik and Hood, Michael E and Giraud, Tatiana

Convergent adaptation provides unique insights into the predictability of evolution and ultimately into processes of biological diversification. Supergenes (beneficial gene linkage) are striking examples of adaptation, but little is known about their prevalence or evolution. A recent study on anther-smut fungi documented supergene formation by rearrangements linking two key mating-type loci, controlling pre- and post-mating compatibility. Here further high-quality genome assemblies reveal four additional independent cases of chromosomal rearrangements leading to regions of suppressed recombination linking these mating-type loci in closely related species. Such convergent transitions in genomic architecture of mating-type determination indicate strong selection favoring linkage of mating-type loci into cosegregating supergenes. We find independent evolutionary strata (stepwise recombination suppression) in several species, with extensive rearrangements, gene losses, and transposable element accumulation. We thus show remarkable convergence in mating-type chromosome evolution, recurrent supergene formation, and repeated evolution of similar phenotypes through different genomic changes.

Journal: Nature communications
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04380-9
Year: 2018

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