Genetic Causes and Genomic Consequences of Breakdown of Distyly in Linum trigynum

Distyly is an iconic floral polymorphism governed by a supergene, which promotes efficient pollen transfer and outcrossing through reciprocal differences in the position of sexual organs in flowers, often coupled with heteromorphic self-incompatibility. Distyly has evolved convergently in multiple flowering plant lineages, but has also broken down repeatedly, often resulting in homostylous, self-compatible populations with elevated rates of self-fertilization. Here, we aimed to study the genetic causes and genomic consequences of the shift to homostyly in Linum trigynum, which is closely related to distylous Linum tenue. Building on a high-quality genome assembly, we show that L. trigynum harbors a genomic region homologous to the dominant haplotype of the distyly supergene conferring long stamens and short styles in L. tenue, suggesting that loss of distyly first occurred in a short-styled individual. In contrast to homostylous Primula and Fagopyrum, L. trigynum harbors no fixed loss-of-function mutations in coding sequences of S-linked distyly candidate genes. Instead, floral gene expression analyses and controlled crosses suggest that mutations downregulating the S-linked LtWDR-44 candidate gene for male self-incompatibility and/or anther height could underlie homostyly and self-compatibility in L. trigynum. Population genomic analyses of 224 whole-genome sequences further demonstrate that L. trigynum is highly self-fertilizing, exhibits significantly lower genetic diversity genome-wide, and is experiencing relaxed purifying selection and less frequent positive selection on nonsynonymous mutations relative to L. tenue. Our analyses shed light on the loss of distyly in L. trigynum, and advance our understanding of a common evolutionary transition in flowering plants.

Paternal leakage of plastids rescues inter-lineage hybrids in Silene nutans

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Organelle genomes are usually maternally inherited in angiosperms. However, biparental inheritance has been observed, especially in hybrids resulting from crosses between divergent genetic lineages. When it concerns the plastid genome, this exceptional mode of inheritance might rescue inter-lineage hybrids suffering from plastid-nuclear incompatibilities. Genetically differentiated lineages of Silene nutans exhibit strong postzygotic isolation owing to plastid-nuclear incompatibilities, highlighted by inter-lineage hybrid chlorosis and mortality. Surviving hybrids can exhibit variegated leaves, which might indicate paternal leakage of the plastid genome. We tested whether the surviving hybrids inherited the paternal plastid genome and survived thanks to paternal leakage.

METHODS

We characterized the leaf phenotype (fully green, variegated or white) of 504 surviving inter-lineage hybrids obtained from a reciprocal cross experiment among populations of four genetic lineages (W1, W2, W3 and E1) of S. nutans from Western Europe and genotyped 560 leaf samples (both green and white leaves for variegated hybrids) using six lineage-specific plastid single nucleotide polymorphisms.

KEY RESULTS

A high proportion of the surviving hybrids (≤98 %) inherited the paternal plastid genome, indicating paternal leakage. The level of paternal leakage depended on cross type and cross direction. The E1 and W2 lineages as maternal lineages led to the highest hybrid mortality and to the highest paternal leakage from W1 and W3 lineages in the few surviving hybrids. This was consistent with E1 and W2 lineages, which contained the most divergent plastid genomes. When W3 was the mother, more hybrids survived, and no paternal leakage was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

By providing a plastid genome potentially more compatible with the hybrid nuclear background, paternal leakage has the potential to rescue inter-lineage hybrids from plastid-nuclear incompatibilities. This phenomenon might slow down the speciation process, provided hybrid survival and reproduction can occur in the wild.

The decoupled evolution of the organellar genomes of Silene nutans leads to distinct roles in the speciation process

There is growing evidence that cytonuclear incompatibilities (i.e. disruption of cytonuclear coadaptation) might contribute to the speciation process. In a former study, we described the possible involvement of plastid-nuclear incompatibilities in the reproductive isolation between four lineages of Silene nutans (Caryophyllaceae). Because organellar genomes are usually cotransmitted, we assessed whether the mitochondrial genome could also be involved in the speciation process, knowing that the gynodioecious breeding system of S. nutans is expected to impact the evolutionary dynamics of this genome. Using hybrid capture and high-throughput DNA sequencing, we analyzed diversity patterns in the genic content of the organellar genomes in the four S. nutans lineages. Contrary to the plastid genome, which exhibited a large number of fixed substitutions between lineages, extensive sharing of polymorphisms between lineages was found in the mitochondrial genome. In addition, numerous recombination-like events were detected in the mitochondrial genome, loosening the linkage disequilibrium between the organellar genomes and leading to decoupled evolution. These results suggest that gynodioecy shaped mitochondrial diversity through balancing selection, maintaining ancestral polymorphism and, thus, limiting the involvement of the mitochondrial genome in evolution of hybrid inviability between S. nutans lineages.

What is the potential impact of genetic divergence of plastid ribosomal genes between Silene nutans lineages in hybrids? An in silico approach using the 3D structure of the plastid ribosome

Introduction

Following the integration of cyanobacteria into the eukaryotic cells, many genes were transferred from the plastid to the nucleus. As a result, plastid complexes are encoded both by plastid and nuclear genes. Tight co-adaptation is required between these genes as plastid and nuclear genomes differ in several characteristics, such as mutation rate and inheritance patterns. Among these are complexes from the plastid ribosome, composed of two main subunits: a large and a small one, both composed of nuclear and plastid gene products. This complex has been identified as a potential candidate for sheltering plastid-nuclear incompatibilities in a Caryophyllaceae species, Silene nutans. This species is composed of four genetically differentiated lineages, which exhibit hybrid breakdown when interlineage crosses are conducted. As this complex is composed of numerous interacting plastid-nuclear gene pairs, in the present study, the goal was to reduce the number of gene pairs that could induce such incompatibilities.

Method

We used the previously published 3D structure of the spinach ribosome to further elucidate which of the potential gene pairs might disrupt plastid-nuclear interactions within this complex. After modeling the impact of the identified mutations on the 3D structure, we further focused on one strongly mutated plastid-nuclear gene pair: rps11-rps21. We used the centrality measure of the mutated residues to further understand if the modified interactions and associated modified centralities might be correlated with hybrid breakdown.

Results and discussion

This study highlights that lineage-specific mutations in essential plastid and nuclear genes might disrupt plastid-nuclear protein interactions of the plastid ribosome and that reproductive isolation correlates with changes in residue centrality values. Because of this, the plastid ribosome might be involved in hybrid breakdown in this system.

Cytonuclear Genetic Incompatibilities in Plant Speciation

Due to the endosymbiotic origin of organelles, a pattern of coevolution and coadaptation between organellar and nuclear genomes is required for proper cell function. In this review, we focus on the impact of cytonuclear interaction on the reproductive isolation of plant species. We give examples of cases where species exhibit barriers to reproduction which involve plastid-nuclear or mito-nuclear genetic incompatibilities, and describe the evolutionary processes at play. We also discuss potential mechanisms of hybrid fitness recovery such as paternal leakage. Finally, we point out the possible interplay between plant mating systems and cytonuclear coevolution, and its consequence on plant speciation.