Abstract Detail

Population Genetics/Genomics

Phillips, Alyssa [1], AuBuchon-Elder, Taylor [2], Seetharam, Arun [3], Hufford, Matthew [4], Kellogg, Elizabeth [5], Forrestel, Elisabeth J. [6], Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey [7].

Implications of whole genome duplication on local adaptation in Andropogon gerardi.

Polyploidy is prevalent across the green tree of life and is thought to play a key role in speciation and rapid adaptation. Many studies have shown that gene duplications and changes in cell size following whole genome duplication (WGD) can affect plant biochemistry, physiology and, ultimately, environmental response. Although progress has been made in understanding the functional impacts of WGD, it’s unclear how it alters population-level processes. Utilizing a new reference genome and an on-going common garden experiment, we are studying how ploidy affects local adaptation in Andropogon gerardi, commonly known as big bluestem. A. gerardi is a mixed ploidy North American grass species composed of two cytotypes (6x, 9x) that grow sympatrically but are unequally distributed across its broad range. The 9x cytotype dominates drier western populations while the 6x cytotype is dominant in wetter eastern populations. Preliminary results suggest leaf traits, such as leaf stomatal density and leaf length, vary greatly across A. gerardi populations and are associated with a precipitation gradient. This study connects the demographic history of polyploid origins to functional trait differences between cytotypes. More broadly, it will contribute to the understanding of how WGDs influence adaptation.

1 - UC Davis, Evolution And Ecology, 2320 Storer Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
2 - 1313 Trelane Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63126, United States
3 - Iowa State University, Genome Informatics Facility, 2237 Osborn Ave, 448 Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
4 - Ecology, Evolution, And Organismal Biology, 339A Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, United States
5 - Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO, 63132, United States
6 - UC Davis, Department of Viticulture and Enology, 2144 Robert Mondavi Institute North, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
7 - UC Davis, Evolution & Ecology, 1 Shields Ave., Dept. Of Evolution And Ecology, University Of Cali, Davis, CA, 95616, United States

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P3, Population Genetics/Genomics Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 21st, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM(EDT)
Number: P3PG002
Abstract ID:251
Candidate for Awards:None