Transcriptome modification to the BBAA subgenomes of common wheat since allohexaploidization is largely irreversible

The three subgenomes (B, A and D) of common wheat (2n=6x=42) are largely intact, which makes extraction of the BBAA subgenomes as organismally independent genomes possible. Availability of such novel extracted tetraploid wheat (Extracted-tetra) provides a unique opportunity to study whether and to what extent the BBAA subgenomes of common wheat have been irreversibly modified, as well as its attendant biological consequences, during their evolutionary trajectory as allohexaploidy. We report here that the extracted-tetra is stable in karyotype but with severely deteriorated phenotypes. Microarray-based transcriptome analysis revealed a substantial portion of differentially expressed genes (down- or up-regulation) between extracted and natural tetraploid wheat, Triticum turgidum, which exceeded the transcriptome divergence at tetraploid level, implying reinforced effects of allopolyploidization and domestication at the allohexaploid level. Great majority of the differentially expressed genes showed additive expression in a resynthesized allohexaploid wheat (parented by Extracted-tetra), indicating transcriptome modifications to the BBAA subgenomes are largely irreversible. Analysis of a newly synthesized allohexaploid wheat (parented by T. turgidum) suggests that whereas most of the modified genes are accrued evolutionary changes, some showed immediate regulation post-allohexaploidization and evolutionary perseverance. Homeologue-specific pyrosequencing of 44 genes revealed either concordant or independent expression changes to the B and A homeologues. The Extracted-tetra vs.T. turgidum down-regulated genes showed enrichment for distinct GO categories.

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