Eriksson, Mimmi
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- University of Vienna
- Vienna Graduate School of Population
Abstract
Hybridization and polyploidy are major drivers of plant diversification, often accompanied by shifts in gene expression and genome composition. Small RNAs (smRNAs) are thought to influence such genomic changes, particularly through their interactions with transposable elements (TEs). We quantified smRNAs in established sibling allopolyploids Dactylorhiza majalis and D. traunsteineri and their diploid progenitors to assess how independent allopolyploidization events shaped smRNA landscapes. Despite independent origins, the allotetraploids exhibited substantial overlap in smRNA composition, including transgressive accumulation of smRNAs near genes related to transcriptional regulation, cell division, and stress response. Consistently, TE-associated 24 nt smRNAs more closely resembled the paternal and larger genome, while shorter smRNAs typically reflected the maternal and smaller genome. Nevertheless, distinct patterns were also evident: the older D. majalis showed greater accumulation of smRNAs near genes involved in transcriptional and translational regulation, while the younger D. traunsteineri displayed stronger non-additive patterns, suggesting ongoing resolution of post-polyploid meiotic and mitotic instability. Our results reveal both convergence and divergence in smRNA landscapes among independently formed allopolyploids. Our study highlights the central role of smRNAs in resolving genomic conflict, with possible implications for functional divergence and ecological innovation during polyploid evolution.
Keywords
allopolyploidy; Dactylorhiza; gene regulation; marsh orchids; small RNAs; subgenome dominance; transposable elements
Published in
New Phytologist
2026, article number: PMID 9882884
Publisher: WILEY
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Botany
Evolutionary Biology
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70966
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146252