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Cited by 5Chromosomal and Genetic VariationsPlant Reproductive BiologyGenetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals

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A pan-genome framework reveals structural variation and small RNA regulation underlying heterodichogamy in Pterocarya

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Liu, Hao-Sheng, Wang, Wei-Hao, Song, Yan-Feng, Yang, Yang, Zhang, Da-Yong, Bai, Wei-Ning, Zhang, Bo-Wen·2025·Current Biology
DOI 10.1016/j.cub.2025.09.017

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Abstract

Heterodichogamy, characterized by reciprocal timing of male and female flowering, promotes disassortative mating yet remains poorly understood at the genomic level. Here, we investigated this mating system in Pterocarya, a genus within Juglandaceae, using a low-input pan-genome framework that integrates phased assemblies with population resequencing. We identified a deeply divergent 78-kb locus associated with mating morphs in P. stenoptera, marked by repeat-rich structural variants and containing a FAF-like gene linked to floral development. This region also produces small RNAs that potentially regulate key floral and hormonal pathways, suggesting pleiotropic trans-regulatory effects. Comparative analyses reveal that although the loci controlling heterodichogamy in Juglans, Carya, and Pterocarya are non-homologous, they appear to share convergent evolutionary solutions involving tandem repeats or transposable element (TE) insertions. Our study uncovers the genomic basis of heterodichogamy in Pterocarya and underscores the utility of pan-genome approaches for dissecting structural variation-associated traits.

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Metadata

Authors
Liu, H.-S., Wang, W.-H., Song, Y.-F., Yang, Y., Zhang, D.-Y., Bai, W.-N., & Zhang, B.-W.
Affiliations
Beijing Normal University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Zhang, Da-Yong
  • Bai, Wei-Ning
  • Zhang, Bo-Wen
ORCID
Venue
Current Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2025-11
Volume
35
Issue
21
Pages
5179-5191.e5
ISSN
0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.cub.2025.09.017
OpenAlex
W4415259312
Cited by
5
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2
FWCI
2.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Current Biology (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Plant Reproductive Biology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
Keywords
heterodichogamy, Pterocarya stenoptera, pan-genome, structural variants, small RNA regulation, flower development, transposable elements, tandem repeats, convergent evolution, disassortative mating, Juglandaceae
MeSH terms
Genome, Plant, RNA, Plant, Flowers, Genomic Structural Variation

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