Unveiling the evolutionary history of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) through genome sequencing and assembly of European and North American subspecies.

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) produces tiny red berries that are tart and nutty in flavor. It grows widely in the circumpolar region, including Scandinavia, northern parts of Eurasia, Alaska, and Canada.

Genomics of plant speciation.

Studies of plants have been instrumental for revealing how new species originate. For several decades, botanical research has complemented and, in some cases, challenged concepts on speciation developed via the study of other organisms while also revealing additional ways in which species can form. Now, the ability to sequence genomes at an unprecedented pace and scale has allowed biologists to settle decades-long debates and tackle other emerging challenges in speciation research.

The rate of chromosomal inversion fixation in plant genomes is highly variable.

Chromosomal inversions are theorized to play an important role in adaptation by preventing recombination, but testing this hypothesis requires an understanding of the rate of inversion fixation. Here, we use chromosome-level whole-genome assemblies for 32 genera of plants to ask how fast inversions accumulate and what factors affect this rate. We find that on average species accumulate 4-25 inversions per million generations, but this rate is highly variable, and we find no correlation between sequence divergence or repeat content and the number of inversions or the proportion of genome that was inverted and only a small correlation with chromosome size.

Predicted impacts of climate change on wild and commercial berry habitats will have food security, conservation and agricultural implications.

Climate change is now a reality and is altering ecosystems, with Canada experiencing 2-4 times the global average rate of warming. This will have a critical impact on berry cultivation and horticulture. Enhancing our understanding of how wild and cultivated berries will perform under changing climates will be essential to mitigating impacts on ecosystems, culture and food security.