Dear colleagues,

Biology Thursday seminar continues 15th of May, 12:15, in zoom (link below), with

Sonia Celestini, Charles University, Prague:

"Exploring convergent adaptation to serpentine soil in three Brassicaceae species"

The highly stressful serpentine soil provides a natural laboratory for studying repeated adaptation to extreme environments. While shared phenotypic traits in serpentine-adapted plants are well known, the extent of shared genetic mechanisms remains unclear. In this study, we explored local and repeated serpentine adaptation in two understudied Alyssum species (A. gmelinii and A. spruneri). We combined transplant experiments, genome sequencing, and scans for selection to identify candidate genes. Our results reveal parallel serpentine adaptation at both phenotypic and genomic levels, involving genes for ion transport, nutrient and water uptake, and reproduction. Importantly, we also found convergence in adaptive genes and pathways with A. arenosa, a species from a different Brassicaceae tribe. Together, this suggests that genetic responses to serpentine stress can be conserved even across ~20 million years of evolutionary divergence.

Sonia will also be available for discussion after her talk. If you would like to book a short discussion with her, please contact Tiina (tiina.mattila@oulu.fi)

See you online,

Heikki



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