A Citrullus genus super-pangenome reveals extensive variations in wild and cultivated watermelons and sheds light on watermelon evolution and domestication
A Citrullus genus super-pangenome reveals extensive variations in wild and cultivated watermelons and sheds light on watermelon evolution and domestication
Abstract Sweet watermelon (Citrullus lanatus subsp. vulgaris) is among the most important vegetable crops in the world. Wild relatives are important resources for watermelon breeding. Here we report high-quality reference genomes of three wild watermelons, C. mucosospermus, C. amarus and C. colocynthis, and the divergence and genome evolution of different Citrullus species. Using genomic data from 547 watermelon accessions spanning four Citrullus species, we construct a super-pangenome to represent the Citrullus gene repertoire and provide a catalogue of orthologous relationships among species. Gene presence/absence variation analysis uncovers many disease resistance genes that are missing in cultivated watermelons, as well as genes with significantly different occurrence frequencies between populations that might underlie watermelon evolution and domestication. We revisit watermelon domestication using the recently identified wild progenitor, Kordofan melon, which provides insights into the domestication of fruit bitterness, sweetness and flesh coloration. The Citrullus super-pangenome provides a valuable resource for breeding and biological discovery, and our comparative genomic analyses shed additional light on watermelon evolution and domestication.
Wu Shan、Branham Sandra、Kousik Chandrasekar、Wechter W. Patrick、Sun Honghe、Xu Yong、Gao Lei、Fei Zhangjun、McGregor Cecilia、Levi Amnon
Boyce Thompson InstituteCoastal Research and Educational Center, Clemson UniversityUSDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable LaboratoryCoastal Research and Educational Center, Clemson UniversityBoyce Thompson Institute||Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell UniversityNational Engineering Research Center for Vegetables, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry SciencesBoyce Thompson Institute||CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBoyce Thompson Institute||USDA-ARS Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and HealthDepartment of Horticulture, University of GeorgiaUSDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory
农业科学研究植物学遗传学
Wu Shan,Branham Sandra,Kousik Chandrasekar,Wechter W. Patrick,Sun Honghe,Xu Yong,Gao Lei,Fei Zhangjun,McGregor Cecilia,Levi Amnon.A Citrullus genus super-pangenome reveals extensive variations in wild and cultivated watermelons and sheds light on watermelon evolution and domestication[EB/OL].(2025-03-28)[2025-04-25].https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.08.544282.点此复制
评论