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Genome-wide signatures of coevolution in parasitic and autotrophic plants

dc.contributor.authordeRoux, Chris, author
dc.contributor.authorSloan, Dan, advisor
dc.contributor.authorForsythe, Evan, committee member
dc.contributor.authorBorowiec, Marek, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-01T10:41:55Z
dc.date.available2025-09-01T10:41:55Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractParasitism has repeatedly evolved in flowering plants, resulting in convergent genomic, metabolic, and morphological adaptations. Evolutionary Rate Covariation (ERC) analysis is a phylogenomic method used to uncover gene pairs whose functional interactions are under shared selection pressures. In this study, we applied the ERCnet pipeline to a paired sample of parasites and autotrophic relatives to investigate patterns of gene coevolution common to trophic mode transitions. Few networks of genes sharing ERC exhibited trophic-mode-driven differences in evolutionary rates, suggesting divergent selection pressures on shared interactions. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis yielded underrepresentation of plastid-related genes in coevolving networks. Meanwhile, two smaller networks highlighted the slow evolution of developmental and fatty acid metabolism genes in parasites. Covarying genes involved in the WUSCHEL/CLAVATA3 (WUS/CLV3) signaling pathway, key to shoot development, evolved slowly in parasites, implicating them in body plan reorganization. Additionally, genes involved in fatty acid metabolism were overrepresented in a slow-evolving parasite cluster, hinting at parasite dependence on conserving this pathway while losing photosynthetic plastid functions. These results indicate conservation of gene coevolution patterns between the two trophic modes, with a few notable exceptions. Expanding ERC analysis of parasitic plants to include more species could provide greater insight into divergent and conserved networks of gene interactions.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierdeRoux_colostate_0053N_18979.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/241724
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.25675/3.02044
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2020-
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleGenome-wide signatures of coevolution in parasitic and autotrophic plants
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineBiology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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