Chromosome fusions repatterned recombination rate and facilitated reproductive isolation during Pristionchus nematode speciation.

ABSTRACT: Large-scale genome-structural evolution is common in various organisms. Recent developments in speciation genomics revealed the importance of inversions, whereas the role of other genome-structural rearrangements, including chromosome fusions, have not been well characterized. We study genomic divergence and reproductive isolation of closely related nematodes: the androdioecious (hermaphroditic) model Pristionchus pacificus and its dioecious sister species Pristionchus exspectatus. A chromosome-level genome assembly of P. exspectatus using single-molecule and Hi-C sequencing revealed a chromosome-wide rearrangement relative to P. pacificus. Strikingly, genomic characterization and cytogenetic studies including outgroup species Pristionchus occultus indicated two independent fusions involvi

SUBMITTER: Yoshida K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9998273 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature