武汉大学朱玉贤团队与美国农业部农业科学研究院南方平原试验中心John Z. Yu等研究人员，合作揭示了棉花基因组的进化历程。该项研究成果于2020年4月13日在线发表于《自然—遗传学》。

Title: Genome sequence of Gossypium herbaceum and genome updates of Gossypium arboreum and Gossypium hirsutum provide insights into cotton A-genome evolution

Author: Gai Huang, Zhiguo Wu, Richard G. Percy, Mingzhou Bai, Yang Li, James E. Frelichowski, Jiang Hu, Kun Wang, John Z. Yu, Yuxian Zhu

Issue&Volume: 2020-04-13

Abstract: Upon assembling the first Gossypium herbaceum (A1) genome and substantially improving the existing Gossypium arboreum (A2) and Gossypium hirsutum ((AD)1) genomes, we showed that all existing A-genomes may have originated from a common ancestor, referred to here as A0, which was more phylogenetically related to A1 than A2. Further, allotetraploid formation was shown to have preceded the speciation of A1 and A2. Both A-genomes evolved independently, with no ancestor–progeny relationship. Gaussian probability density function analysis indicates that several long-terminal-repeat bursts that occurred from 5.7million years ago to less than 0.61million years ago contributed compellingly to A-genome size expansion, speciation and evolution. Abundant species-specific structural variations in genic regions changed the expression of many important genes, which may have led to fiber cell improvement in (AD)1. Our findings resolve existing controversial concepts surrounding A-genome origins and provide valuable genomic resources for cotton genetic improvement.

DOI: 10.1038/s41588-020-0607-4

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-020-0607-4