Extensive and Biased Inter-Genomic Non-Reciprocal DNA Exchanges Shaped a Nascent Polyploid Genome, Gossypium (cotton)

Genome duplication is thought to be central to the evolution of morphological complexity, and some polyploids enjoy a variety of capabilities that transgress those of their diploid progenitors.  Comparison of genomic sequences from several tetraploid (A_tD_t) Gossypium species and genotypes with putative diploid A and D genome progenitor species revealed that unidirectional DNA exchanges between homeologous chromosomes (i.e., homeologous gene conversion events or HeGCE) were the predominant mechanism responsible for allelic differences between the Gossypium tetraploids and their diploid progenitors, far outnumbering random mutations. HeGCE gradually subsided, declining to rates similar to random mutation during radiation of the polyploid into multiple clades and species. Despite occurring in a common nucleus, preservation of HeGCE is asymmetric in the two tetraploid subgenomes. A_t to D_t conversion is far more abundant than the reciprocal, is enriched in heterochromatin, is highly correlated with GC content and transposon distribution, and may silence abundant A-genome-derived retrotransposons. D_t to A_t conversion is abundant in euchromatin and genes, frequently reversing losses of gene function. The long-standing observation that the non-spinnable-fibered D genome contributes to the superior yield and quality of tetraploid cotton fibers may be explained by accelerated D_t to A_t conversion during cotton domestication and improvement, increasing dosage of alleles from the spinnable-fibered A genome. HeGCE may provide an alternative to (rare) reciprocal DNA exchanges between chromosomes in heterochromatin, where genes have ~5x greater abundance of D_t to A_tconversion than does adjacent intergenic DNA. Spanning exon-to-gene-sized regions, HeGCE is a natural non-invasive means of gene transfer with the precision of transformation, potentially  important in genetic improvement of many crop plants.