Chromosome-Level Reference Genome and Population Genomic Analysis Provide Insights into the Evolution and Improvement of Domesticated Mulberry (Morus alba)

Feng Jiao; Rongsong Luo; Xuelei Dai; Hui Liu; Gang Yu; Shuhua Han; Xin Lu; Chao Su; Qi Chen; Qinxia Song; Caiting Meng; Fanghong Li; Hongmei Sun; Rui Zhang; Tian Hui; Yonghua Qian; Aichun Zhao; Yu Jiang

doi:10.1016/j.molp.2020.05.005

Chromosome-Level Reference Genome and Population Genomic Analysis Provide Insights into the Evolution and Improvement of Domesticated Mulberry (Morus alba)

Mol Plant. 2020 Jul 6;13(7):1001-1012. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.05.005. Epub 2020 May 16.

Authors

Feng Jiao¹, Rongsong Luo², Xuelei Dai³, Hui Liu¹, Gang Yu¹, Shuhua Han¹, Xin Lu¹, Chao Su¹, Qi Chen¹, Qinxia Song¹, Caiting Meng¹, Fanghong Li¹, Hongmei Sun¹, Rui Zhang¹, Tian Hui¹, Yonghua Qian⁴, Aichun Zhao⁵, Yu Jiang⁶

Affiliations

¹ The Sericultural and Silk Research Institute, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
² Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
⁴ The Sericultural and Silk Research Institute, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chong Qing 400716, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 32422187
DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.05.005

Abstract

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is the sole plant consumed by the domesticated silkworm. However, the genome of domesticated mulberry has not yet been sequenced, and the ploidy level of this species remains unclear. Here, we report a high-quality, chromosome-level domesticated mulberry (Morus alba) genome. Analysis of genomic data and karyotype analyses confirmed that M. alba is a diploid with 28 chromosomes (2n = 2x = 28). Population genomic analysis based on resequencing of 134 mulberry accessions classified domesticated mulberry into three geographical groups, namely, Taihu Basin of southeastern China (Hu mulberry), northern and southwestern China, and Japan. Hu mulberry had the lowest nucleotide diversity among these accessions and demonstrated obvious signatures of selection associated with environmental adaptation. Further phylogenetic analysis supports a previous proposal that multiple domesticated mulberry accessions previously classified as different species actually belong to one species. This study expands our understanding of genome evolution of the genus Morus and population structure of domesticated mulberry, which would facilitate mulberry breeding and improvement.

Keywords: comparative genomics; de novo assembly; domesticated mulberry; environment adaption; population genomics; sericulture.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chromosomes, Plant*
DNA, Plant
Evolution, Molecular*
Gene-Environment Interaction
Genes, Plant
Genetic Variation
Genetics, Population
Genome, Plant*
Morus / genetics*
Plant Breeding
Ploidies
Reference Values
Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

DNA, Plant