Pangenome analysis provides insight into the evolution of the orange subfamily and a key gene for citric acid accumulation in citrus fruits

Yue Huang, Jiaxian He, Yuantao Xu, Weikang Zheng, Shaohua Wang, Peng Chen, Bin Zeng, Shuizhi Yang, Xiaolin Jiang, Zishuang Liu, Lun Wang, Xia Wang, Shengjun Liu, Zhihao Lu, Ziang Liu, Huiwen Yu, Jianqiang Yue, Junyan Gao, Xianyan Zhou, Chunrui LongXiuli Zeng, Yong Jie Guo, Wen Fu Zhang, Zongzhou Xie, Chunlong Li, Zhaocheng Ma, Wenbiao Jiao, Fei Zhang, Robert M. Larkin, Robert R. Krueger, Malcolm W. Smith, Ray Ming, Xiuxin Deng, Qiang Xu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The orange subfamily (Aurantioideae) contains several Citrus species cultivated worldwide, such as sweet orange and lemon. The origin of Citrus species has long been debated and less is known about the Aurantioideae. Here, we compiled the genome sequences of 314 accessions, de novo assembled the genomes of 12 species and constructed a graph-based pangenome for Aurantioideae. Our analysis indicates that the ancient Indian Plate is the ancestral area for Citrus-related genera and that South Central China is the primary center of origin of the Citrus genus. We found substantial variations in the sequence and expression of the PH4 gene in Citrus relative to Citrus-related genera. Gene editing and biochemical experiments demonstrate a central role for PH4 in the accumulation of citric acid in citrus fruits. This study provides insights into the origin and evolution of the orange subfamily and a regulatory mechanism underpinning the evolution of fruit taste.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1964-1975
Number of pages12
JournalNature Genetics
Volume55
Issue number11
Early online dateOct 2 2023
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics

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