Evolutionary Conservation and Divergence of Gene Coexpression Networks in Gossypium (Cotton) Seeds.

ABSTRACT: The cotton genus (Gossypium) provides a superior system for the study of diversification, genome evolution, polyploidization, and human-mediated selection. To gain insight into phenotypic diversification in cotton seeds, we conducted coexpression network analysis of developing seeds from diploid and allopolyploid cotton species and explored network properties. Key network modules and functional associations were identified related to seed oil content and seed weight. We compared species-specific networks to reveal topological changes, including rewired edges and differentially coexpressed genes, associated with speciation, polyploidy, and cotton domestication. Network comparisons among species indicate that topologies are altered in addition to gene expression profiles, indicating that cha

SUBMITTER: Hu G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5585989 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature