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Polyploid speciation in Zea (Poaceae): cytogenetic insights

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Abstract

Main conclusion

The analysis of meiotic pairing affinities and genomic formulae in species and hybrids of Zea allowed us to speculate an evolutionary model to recreate the ancient polyploidization of maize and allied species.

Abstract

The meiotic pairing affinities and the genomic formulae analysis in Zea species and hybrids obtained in new and previous crosses, together with the molecular data known in the genus, allowed us to speculate an evolutionary model to attempt to recreate the ancient polyploidization process of Zea species. We propose that x = 5 semispecies are the ancestors of all modern species of the genus. The complex evolutionary process that originated the different taxa could be included hybridization between sympatric diploid ancestral semispecies (2n = 10) and recurrent duplication of the hybrid chromosome number, resulting in distinct auto- and allopolyploids. After the merger and doubling of independent genomes would have undergone cytological and genetical diploidization, implying revolutionary changes in genome organization and genic balance processes. Based on the meiotic behaviour of the 2n = 30 hybrids, that showed homoeology between the A subgenomes of all parental species, we propose that this subgenome A would be pivotal in all the species and would have conserved the rDNA sequences and the pairing regulator locus (PrZ). In the hypothetical model postulated here, the ancestral semispecies with the pivotal subgenome A would have had a wide geographic distribution, co-occurring and hybridizing with the semispecies harbouring B subgenomes, thus enabling sympatric speciation.

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Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are provided in this published article or it will be provided from the corresponding author upon a reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Mya:

Million years ago

PrZ:

Pairing regulator locus

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Comisión Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET (PIP 2115CO) and Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBACYT-20020170100614BA).

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Author notes

  1. Graciela Esther González

    Present address: Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CONICET), Laboratorio de Citogenética y Evolución (LaCyE), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CONICET), Laboratorio de Citogenética y Evolución (LaCyE), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Lidia Poggio

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  1. Graciela Esther González
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GG and LP conceived and designed research, conducted experiments, analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Graciela Esther González.

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González, G.E., Poggio, L. Polyploid speciation in Zea (Poaceae): cytogenetic insights. Planta 259, 67 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-024-04345-x

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