Searching the genome: How the spider orchid Ophrys sphegodes adapts to potential pollinators through sexual deception [05.08.24]
Understanding the genetic mechanisms of adaptation to pollinators is a central question in plant evolutionary biology. The prominent role of pollinators in flower evolution is related to their dual function: enabling sexual reproduction and imposing selection on floral traits. This is particularly evident in plant species with a specialised pollination mechanism associated with floral traits that evolved to attract one or a few functionally alike pollinator species. Therefore, pollinator-mediated evolution of floral traits is considered a major force driving angiosperm diversity by contributing to their radiation. It has been hypothesised that radiations are facilitated by entering a new ecological niche with little or no competition from similar species (ecological opportunity), and the genetic potential allowing the necessary adaptations to evolve (genetic variation), ultimately leading to rapid bursts of speciation. Population genomics identified candidate regions that may drive pollinator-induced selection and motivated research into the genes in these regions. The study just has been published in Nature Communications and was led by Philipp Schlüter from the University of Hohenheim.
From: Genome of the early spider-orchid Ophrys sphegodes provides insights into sexual deception and pollinator adaptation
Original Paper
Russo A. (a-c), Alessandrini M. (a), El Baidouri M.(d-f), Frei D.(g), Galise T.R.(h), Gaidusch L.(a), Oertel H.F. (a), Garcia Morales S.E. (a), Potente G. (c), Tian Q. (i,j), Smetanin D. (b), Bertrand J.A.M.(d-f), Onstein R.E.(i,k), Panaud O.(d-f), Frey J.E.(g), Cozzolino S.(h), Wicker T.(b), Xu S.(l), Grossniklaus U.(b), Schlüter P.M.(a,c), 2024, Genome of the early spider-orchid Ophrys sphegodes provides insights into sexual deception and pollinator adaptation. Nat Commun 15, 6308 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50622-4
Affiliations
- a Department of Plant Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- b Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Centre, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- c Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Centre, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- d Université Perpignan Via Domitia, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, UMR5096, France
- e CNRS, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, UMR5096, France
- f EMR269 MANGO, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Perpignan, France
- g Department of Methods Development and Analytics, Agroscope, Wädenswil, Switzerland
- h Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- i Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
- j Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- k German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle – Jena – Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- l Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Abstract
Pollinator-driven evolution of floral traits is thought to be a major driver of angiosperm speciation and diversification. Ophrys orchids mimic female insects to lure male pollinators into pseudocopulation. This strategy, called sexual deception, is species-specific, thereby providing strong premating reproductive isolation. Identifying the genomic architecture underlying pollinator adaptation and speciation may shed light on the mechanisms of angiosperm diversification. Here, we report the 5.2 Gb chromosome-scale genome sequence of Ophrys sphegodes. We find evidence for transposable element expansion that preceded the radiation of the O. sphegodes group, and for gene duplication having contributed to the evolution of chemical mimicry. We report a highly differentiated genomic candidate region for pollinator-mediated evolution on chromosome 2. The Ophrys genome will prove useful for investigations into the repeated evolution of sexual deception, pollinator adaptation and the genomic architectures that facilitate evolutionary radiations. © The Author(s) 2024.
More Information about the Hohenheim Author
 | Prof. Dr. Philipp Schlüterhttps://peb.uni-hohenheim.de/en/
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