Natural hybridization among three Rhododendron species (Ericaceae) revealed by morphological and genomic evidence

BMC Plant Biology

Ya-Huang Luo¹  Lian-Ming Gao²  Jia-Yun Zou³  Wei Zheng³  Han-Tao Qin³  Li-Jun Yan⁴  Kevin S. Burgess⁵  Ji-Hua Wang⁶ 

[1] CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650201, Kunming, Yunnan, China;CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650201, Kunming, Yunnan, China;Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 674100, Lijiang, Yunnan, China;CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650201, Kunming, Yunnan, China;University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 10049, Beijing, China;CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650201, Kunming, Yunnan, China;University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 10049, Beijing, China;College of Vocational and Technical Education, Yunnan Normal University, 650092, Kunming, Yunnan, China;Department of Biology, Columbus State University, University System of Georgia, 31907-5645, Columbus, GA, USA;The Flower Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 650205, Kunming, China;

关键词: ddRAD sequencing;    Hybrid zone;    Morphological trait;    Genetic structure;    Natural hybridization;    Rhododendron;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12870-021-03312-y

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNatural hybridization can influence the adaptive response to selection and accelerate species diversification. Understanding the composition and structure of hybrid zones may elucidate patterns of hybridization processes that are important to the formation and maintenance of species, especially for taxa that have experienced rapidly adaptive radiation. Here, we used morphological traits, ddRAD-seq and plastid DNA sequence data to investigate the structure of a Rhododendron hybrid zone and uncover the hybridization patterns amongthree sympatric and closely related species.ResultsOur results show that the hybrid zone is complex, where bi-directional hybridization takes place among the three sympatric parental species: R. spinuliferum, R. scabrifolium, and R. spiciferum. Hybrids between R. spinuliferum and R. spiciferum (R. ×duclouxii) comprise multiple hybrid classes and a high proportion of F1 generation hybrids, while a novel hybrid taxon between R. spinuliferum and R. scabrifolium dominated the F2 generation, but no backcross individuals were detected. The hybrid zone showed basically coincident patterns of population structure between genomic and morphological data.ConclusionsNatural hybridization exists among the three Rhododendron species in the hybrid zone, although patterns of hybrid formation vary between hybrid taxa, which may result in different evolutionary outcomes. This study represents a unique opportunity to dissect the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms associated with adaptive radiation of Rhododendron species in a biodiversity hotspot.

【 授权许可】

CC BY