Extensive intraspecific gene order and gene structural variations between Mo17 and other maize genomes

Nat Genet. 2018 Sep;50(9):1289-1295. doi: 10.1038/s41588-018-0182-0. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Abstract

Maize is an important crop with a high level of genome diversity and heterosis. The genome sequence of a typical female line, B73, was previously released. Here, we report a de novo genome assembly of a corresponding male representative line, Mo17. More than 96.4% of the 2,183 Mb assembled genome can be accounted for by 362 scaffolds in ten pseudochromosomes with 38,620 annotated protein-coding genes. Comparative analysis revealed large gene-order and gene structural variations: approximately 10% of the annotated genes were mutually nonsyntenic, and more than 20% of the predicted genes had either large-effect mutations or large structural variations, which might cause considerable protein divergence between the two inbred lines. Our study provides a high-quality reference-genome sequence of an important maize germplasm, and the intraspecific gene order and gene structural variations identified should have implications for heterosis and genome evolution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chromosomes, Plant / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics
  • Gene Order / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation / genetics*
  • Genome, Plant / genetics*
  • Hybrid Vigor / genetics
  • Zea mays / genetics*