Balancing selection on an MYB transcription factor maintains the twig trichome color variation in Melastoma normale.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The factors that maintain phenotypic and genetic variation within a population have received long-term attention in evolutionary biology. Here the genetic basis and evolution of the geographically widespread variation in twig trichome color (from red to white) in a shrub Melastoma normale was investigated using Pool-seq and evolutionary analyses.

Results

The results show that the twig trichome coloration is under selection in different light environments and that a 6-kb region containing an R2R3 MYB transcription factor gene is the major region of divergence between the extreme red and white morphs. This gene has two highly divergent groups of alleles, one of which likely originated from introgression from another species in this genus and has risen to high freque

SUBMITTER: Huang G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10210440 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature