Genomes of the Banyan Tree and Pollinator Wasp Provide Insights into Fig-Wasp Coevolution
Journal
Cell
Journal Volume
183
Journal Issue
4
Pages
875
Date Issued
2020-11-12
Author(s)
Zhang, Xingtan
Wang, Gang
Zhang, Shengcheng
Chen, Shuai
Wang, Yibin
Wen, Ping
Ma, Xiaokai
Shi, Yan
Qi, Rui
Yang, Yang
Liao, Zhenyang
Lin, Jing
Lin, Jishan
Xu, Xiuming
Chen, Xuequn
Xu, Xindan
Deng, Fang
Zhao, Lihua
Lee, Yi lun
Wang, Rong
Chen, Xiao Yong
Zhang, Jisen
Tang, Haibao
Chen, Jin
Ming, Ray
Abstract
Banyan trees are distinguished by their extraordinary aerial roots. The Ficus genus includes species that have evolved a species-specific mutualism system with wasp pollinators. We sequenced genomes of the Chinese banyan tree, F. microcarpa, and a species lacking aerial roots, F. hispida, and one wasp genome coevolving with F. microcarpa, Eupristina verticillata. Comparative analysis of the two Ficus genomes revealed dynamic karyotype variation associated with adaptive evolution. Copy number expansion of auxin-related genes from duplications and elevated auxin production are associated with aerial root development in F. microcarpa. A male-specific AGAMOUS paralog, FhAG2, was identified as a candidate gene for sex determination in F. hispida. Population genomic analyses of Ficus species revealed genomic signatures of morphological and physiological coadaptation with their pollinators involving terpenoid- and benzenoid-derived compounds. These three genomes offer insights into and genomic resources for investigating the geneses of aerial roots, monoecy and dioecy, and codiversification in a symbiotic system. Comparative analyses of two Ficus genomes with and without aerial roots reveal insights into the genomic basis of aerial root formation and population genomic analyses of Ficus species alongside the genome of a coevolving wasp pollinator enhance our understanding of their species-specific mutualism.
Subjects
aerial root | auxin | population genomics | sex determination | volatile organic compound
SDGs
Publisher
CELL PRESS
Type
journal article