Impact of repetitive DNA in the genomic evolution of Cyphomandra clade (Solanaceae)

• Grant number: 16/17096-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: March 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Taxonomy
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Regina Forni Martins
• Grantee: Eliana Regina Forni Martins
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Amanda Teixeira Mesquita ; Raquel Moura Machado

Abstract

The family Solanaceae represents a group of species with worldwide distribution but with great diversity in Neotropical regions. With approximately 2500 species and nearly 100 genus, includes Solanum, one of the largest genus among angiosperms by gathering around 1500 species. Because of the large number of representatives, their morphological diversity and wide distribution, many phylogenetic studies have been conducted in order to better understand the evolutionary relationships among their representatives. For this reason, some modifications have been realized in the phylogeny of the genus such as the inclusion of Cyphomandra species previously distinct genus inside Solanum. The species of Cyphomandra clade are characterized by large chromosomes and high DNA content values (both characteristics considered synapomorphies for the group), contrasting with all other Solanum species cytogenetically studied. These differences in genome size are well documented for angiosperms in general as well for the family Solanaceae. Many studies have shown that diversity in DNA content, can be associated with two major factors, polyploidy events and accumulation of repetitive sequences in the genome. Studies in Solanaceae show a uniformity in some karyotype characters such as number, morphology and symmetry, but large variations when it comes to repetitive DNA fractions. The new generation sequencing (NGS) can help identify such sequences and, combined with bioinformatics tools it is possible to perform detailed analysis of these regions of DNA. Given the above, this work has the general objective of understanding the genomic evolution Cyphomandra clade and its possible sister group through new generation sequencing and genome size. For this, there will be the study of repetitive DNA in these groups to understand which sequences are contributing to the increase in the size of the genome of the species, and the consequences of this increase in the distribution in the chromosomes and evolution. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MESQUITA, AMANDA TEIXEIRA; ROMERO-DA CRUZ, MARIA VICTORIA; SOUSA AZEVEDO, ANA LUISA; FORNI-MARTINS, ELIANA REGINA. Chromosome number and genome size diversity in five Solanaceae genera. Caryologia, v. 72, n. 3, p. 105-115, 2019. (16/17096-9)