Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Centromeres ensure faithful chromosome segregation and genome stability, yet their DNA evolves rapidly, presenting a long-standing centromere paradox. Here we characterise the genomic and epigenomic architecture of >1,300 candidate centromeres from 111 high-quality Quercus (oak) genomes. We show that lineage-specific expansion of QuCEN146 satellite drives centromere turnover in oaks by displacing ancestral LTR-rich sequences into flanking regions, with genetic drift facilitating fixation of satellite-rich centromeres. Population-scale analyses in Q. serrata reveal extensive variation in satellite rich centromeres, generated by array expansion and contraction, strand-orientation shifts, and interspecific introgression. By contrast, LTR rich centromeres of Q. variabilis exhibit extremely low polymorphism and high collinearity across populations, sustained by suppressed local recombination, linked selection, and constrained LTR dynamics. We further demonstrate chromosome-independent evolutionary patterns for both satellite-rich and LTR-rich centromeres. Collectively, these findings demonstrate how evolutionary processes drive centromere turnover and shape contrasting centromeric sequence landscapes in forest trees.
Authors: Qiong-Qiong Lin, Yi-Ye Liang, Wei-Shu Yan, Yong-Hang Run, Han-Li You, Biao-Feng Zhou, Shao-Jun Ling, Zhao Shen, Jing-Shu Wang, Jing-Wei Niu, Wen-Ji Luo, Liang-Jing Qiao, Sheng-Chen Shan, Lina Elshaer, Audrey Tucker, Chen Feng, Yong Shi, Rebekah Mohn, Yu Liang, Nai-Li Zhang, Xiao-Juan Liu, Andrew Hipp, Paul S. Manos, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Par K. Ingvarsson, Ian Henderson, Douglas Soltis, Pamela S Soltis, Ke-Ping Ma, Zhu-Kuan Chen, Wen-Li Zhang, Baosheng Wang
Institutions: South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Botany, Nanjing Agricultural University, Yangzhou University, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Lushan Botanical Garden, Morton Arboretum, Beijing Forestry University, Duke University, Harvard University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G3810143632
OpenAlex ID: W7225429411