Molecular evolution of anthocyanin pigmentation genes following losses of flower color.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Phenotypic transitions, such as trait gain or loss, are predicted to carry evolutionary consequences for the genes that control their development. For example, trait losses can result in molecular decay of the pathways underlying the trait. Focusing on the Iochrominae clade (Solanaceae), we examine how repeated losses of floral anthocyanin pigmentation associated with flower color transitions have affected the molecular evolution of three anthocyanin pathway genes (Chi, F3h, and Dfr).

Results

We recovered intact coding regions for the three genes in all of the lineages that have lost floral pigmentation, suggesting that molecular decay is not associated with these flower color transitions. However, two of the three genes (Chi, F3h) show significantly elevated dN/d

SUBMITTER: Ho WW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4862180 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature