Multiple hybridization events and repeated evolution of homoeologue expression bias in parthenogenetic, polyploid New Zealand stick insects.

ABSTRACT: During hybrid speciation, homoeologues combine in a single genome. Homoeologue expression bias (HEB) occurs when one homoeologue has higher gene expression than another. HEB has been well characterized in plants but rarely investigated in animals, especially invertebrates. Consequently, we have little idea as to the role that HEB plays in allopolyploid invertebrate genomes. If HEB is constrained by features of the parental genomes, then we predict repeated evolution of similar HEB patterns among hybrid genomes formed from the same parental lineages. To address this, we reconstructed the history of hybridization between the New Zealand stick insect genera Acanthoxyla and Clitarchus using a high-quality genome assembly from Clitarchus hookeri to call variants and phase alleles. These analyse

SUBMITTER: Choi SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12288827 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature