Jianquan Li , Fu Jiong

Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Genomics and Applied Biology, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0008
Received: 02 Jan., 2024    Accepted: 06 Feb., 2024    Published: 18 Feb., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Li J.Q., and Jiong F., 2024, Genomic diversity and evolutionary mechanisms in the Oryza genus: a comparative analysis, Genomics and Applied Biology, 15(1): 54-63 (doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0008)

The genus Oryza encompasses a diverse array of species that exhibit significant genomic variation and evolutionary complexity. This systematic study synthesizes current research on the genomic diversity and evolutionary mechanisms within the Oryza genus, providing a comprehensive comparative analysis. Studies have revealed that polyploidy plays a crucial role in the diversification and evolution of Oryza, with homoeologous genomic regions experiencing both independent and parallel evolution. Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships within the genus have been elucidated using various molecular markers, such as inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphism and chloroplast DNA sequences, highlighting the polyphyletic evolution and extensive gene family expansions. Comparative genomic analyses have shown that different Oryza species have experienced dissimilar amplification histories of retrotransposons, leading to remarkable differences in genome sizes. Additionally, gene duplication events, including whole genome duplications and segmental duplications, have contributed to the structural and functional evolution of Oryza genomes. The rapid diversification of AA-genome species, driven by lineage-specific expansions and contractions of gene families, has facilitated adaptations to diverse ecological niches. The genomic diversity and evolutionary mechanisms in the Oryza genus are shaped by a complex interplay of polyploidy, transposable elements, gene duplications, and natural selection. This study underscores the importance of comparative genomic studies in understanding the evolutionary dynamics and potential for crop improvement within the Oryza genus.

Genus Oryza; Genomic diversity; Evolutionary mechanisms; Comparative genomics; Inter-species comparison