Diversification and independent domestication of Asian and European pears
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Level 5 by design analogy (basic plant genomics and evolutionary analysis with no human data).
OpenAlex W2805369755 · doi:10.1186/s13059-018-1452-y
What was done
Whole-genome resequencing was performed on 113 cultivated and wild pear (*Pyrus*) accessions from global collections. Investigators identified 18,302,883 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to analyze phylogenetics, population structure, gene flow, and selective sweeps, integrating findings with previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and gene expression data.
What was found
Analysis of 18,302,883 SNPs across 113 accessions supported a dispersal model originating in southwest China, moving through central and western Asia, and reaching Europe. The data revealed independent domestication events for Asian and European pears. Balancing selection and rapid evolution were identified at *S-RNase* genes linked to self-incompatibility. Distinct selective sweep signatures between Asian and European lineages co-localized with QTLs and differentially expressed genes associated with fruit flesh texture, sugar, acidity, aroma, and stone cells.
Why it matters
This work clarifies the evolutionary dispersal and independent domestication routes of Asian and European pears, mapping selection signals to specific fruit quality traits to aid molecular breeding efforts.
Limits
The sample was restricted to 113 accessions to represent thousands of cultivated varieties and dozens of wild species. Inferences connecting selective sweeps to specific fruit phenotypes rely largely on co-localization with existing QTL and expression datasets rather than prospective functional validation.
Cited by
- supports Modern cultivated fruits such as Honeycrisp apples, pineapples, pears, and peaches have been hybridized and bred to have significantly higher sugar and fructose content than ancestral or indigenous varieties.