Diversification of defensins and NLRs in Arabidopsis species by different evolutionary mechanisms.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genes encoding proteins underlying host-pathogen co-evolution and which are selected for new resistance specificities frequently are under positive selection, a process that maintains diversity. Here, we tested the contribution of natural selection, recombination and transcriptional divergence to the evolutionary diversification of the plant defensins superfamily in three Arabidopsis species. The intracellular NOD-like receptor (NLR) family was used for comparison because positive selection has been well documented in its members. Similar to defensins, NLRs are encoded by a large and polymorphic gene family and many of their members are involved in the immune response.

Results

Gene trees of Arabidopsis defensins (DEFLs) show a high prevalence of clades containing

SUBMITTER: Mondragon-Palomino M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5731061 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature