Population Genomics of Domesticated Cucurbita ficifolia Reveals a Recent Bottleneck and Low Gene Flow with Wild Relatives.

ABSTRACT: Cucurbita ficifolia is a squash grown from Mexico to Bolivia. Its ancestor is unknown, but it has limited compatibility with wild xerophytic Cucurbita from Mexico's highlands. We assembled the reference genome of C. ficifolia and assessed the genetic diversity and historical demography of the crop in Mexico with 2524 nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We also evaluated the gene flow between C. ficifolia and xerophytic taxa with 6292 nuclear and 440 plastome SNPs from 142 individuals sampled in 58 sites across their area of sympatry. Demographic modelling of C. ficifolia supports an eight-fold decrease in effective population size at about 2409 generations ago (95% CI = 464-12,393), whereas plastome SNPs support the expansion of maternal linea

SUBMITTER: Aguirre-Dugua X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10707961 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature