The effect of parental conflict in imprinting genes in A. lyrata
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Genomic imprinting is a form of gene regulation resulting in the unequal expression of the two parental alleles. A common assumption is that the parental conflict over resource allocation to the offspring promotes positive directional on imprinted genes, but most studies addressing this question have focused on autogamous species, where parental conflict is expected to be low. Moreover, parental conflict is expected to promote coevolution between imprinted genes, but this has never been tested so far.
We investigated and compared footprints of selection on imprinted genes in allogamous and autogamous populations of Arabidopsis lyrata . We then searched for signs of coevolution based on phylogenetic across the Brassicaceae family approaches.
The imprinted genes upregulated on endosperm present a general increase in the evolutionary rate in the Brassicaceae family associated with an ancient signal of negative selection. In allogamous populations, this signal of negative selection is weaker and associated only on PEG. However, in autogamous populations, the selection on imprinted genes appeared to be relaxed. Finally, we found signals of coevolution between some imprinted genes.
The parental conflict in endosperm of allogamous populations promotes negative selection on imprinted genes and coevolution between some genes.
