TY - JOUR
T1 - Macroalgal deep genomics illuminate multiple paths to aquatic, photosynthetic multicellularity
AU - Nelson, David R.
AU - Mystikou, Alexandra
AU - Jaiswal, Ashish
AU - Rad Menendez, Cecilia
AU - Preston, Michael J
AU - De Boever, Frederik
AU - El Assal, Diana C
AU - Daakour, Sarah
AU - Lomas, Michael W.
AU - Twizere, Jean-Claude
AU - Green, David
AU - Ratcliff, William C
AU - Salehi-Ashtiani, Kourosh
N1 - © 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/4/12
Y1 - 2024/4/12
N2 - Macroalgae are multicellular, aquatic autotrophs that play vital roles in global climate maintenance and have diverse applications in biotechnology and eco-engineering, which are directly linked to their multicellularity phenotypes. However, their genomic diversity and the evolutionary mechanisms underlying multicellularity in these organisms remain uncharacterized. In this study, we sequenced 110 macroalgal genomes from diverse climates and phyla, and identified key genomic features that distinguish them from their microalgal relatives. Genes for cell adhesion, extracellular matrix formation, cell polarity, transport, and cell differentiation distinguish macroalgae from microalgae across all three major phyla, constituting conserved and unique gene sets supporting multicellular processes. Adhesome genes show phylum- and climate-specific expansions that may facilitate niche adaptation. Collectively, our study reveals genetic determinants of convergent and divergent evolutionary trajectories that have shaped morphological diversity in macroalgae and provides genome-wide frameworks to understand photosynthetic multicellular evolution in aquatic environments.
AB - Macroalgae are multicellular, aquatic autotrophs that play vital roles in global climate maintenance and have diverse applications in biotechnology and eco-engineering, which are directly linked to their multicellularity phenotypes. However, their genomic diversity and the evolutionary mechanisms underlying multicellularity in these organisms remain uncharacterized. In this study, we sequenced 110 macroalgal genomes from diverse climates and phyla, and identified key genomic features that distinguish them from their microalgal relatives. Genes for cell adhesion, extracellular matrix formation, cell polarity, transport, and cell differentiation distinguish macroalgae from microalgae across all three major phyla, constituting conserved and unique gene sets supporting multicellular processes. Adhesome genes show phylum- and climate-specific expansions that may facilitate niche adaptation. Collectively, our study reveals genetic determinants of convergent and divergent evolutionary trajectories that have shaped morphological diversity in macroalgae and provides genome-wide frameworks to understand photosynthetic multicellular evolution in aquatic environments.
KW - macroalgae
KW - multicellularity
KW - comparative genomics
KW - evolution
KW - adhesome
KW - endogenous viral elements
U2 - 10.1016/j.molp.2024.03.011
DO - 10.1016/j.molp.2024.03.011
M3 - Article
SN - 1674-2052
VL - 17
JO - Molecular Plant
JF - Molecular Plant
ER -