Unravelling genomic drivers of speciation in Musa through genome assemblies of wild banana ancestors
Hybridization between wild Musa species and subspecies from Southeast Asia is at the origin of cultivated bananas. The genomes of these cultivars are complex mosaics involving nine genetic groups, including two previously unknown contributors. This study provides continuous genome assemblies for six wild genetic groups, one of which represents one of the unknown ancestor, identified as M.acuminata ssp. halabanensis. The second unknown ancestor partially present in a seventh assembly appears related to M. a. ssp. zebrina. These assemblies provide key resources for banana genetics and for improving cultivar assemblies, including that of the emblematic triploid Cavendish. Comparative and phylogenetic analyses reveal an ongoing speciation process within Musa, characterised by large chromosome rearrangements and centromere differentiation through the integration of different types of repeated sequences, including rDNA tandem repeats. This speciation process may have been favoured by reproductive isolation related to the particular context of climate and land connectivity fluctuations in the Southeast Asian region.
Authors
- Benjamin Noël (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5830-3253)
- Catherine Hervouet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5225-7244)
- Patrick Wincker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7562-3454)
- Karine Labadie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7467-8509)
- Franc‐Christophe Baurens (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5219-8771)
- Gaëtan Droc (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1849-1269)
- Frédéric Salmon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7529-4184)
- Hugo Volkaert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4569-896X)
- Caroline Belser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8108-9910)
- Mathieu Rouard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0284-1885)
- Nabila Yahiaoui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4454-3926)
- Guillaume Martin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1801-7500)
- Benjamin Istace (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1042-4803)
- Corinne Cruaud (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4752-7278)
- Chantal Guiougou
- Jean‐Marc Aury (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1718-3010)
- Fajarudin Ahmad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2662-1318)
- Julie Sardos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5505-9198)
- Angélique D’Hont
- Joël Mahadeo
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR)
- Kasetsart University (TH)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Institut Agro Montpellier (FR)
- Agropolis International (FR)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- Université Paris-Saclay (FR)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- Genoscope (FR)
- Amélioration Génétique et Adaptation des Plantes méditerranéennes et tropicales (FR)
- CEA Paris-Saclay (FR)
- Institut Agro Montpelier (FR)
- Services déconcentrés d'appui à la recherche Occitanie-Montpellier (FR)
- Center for Indonesian Veterinary Analytical Studies (ID)
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (TH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-01-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56329-4
- Citations
- 8
- Primary Topic
- Banana Cultivation and Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 14.00
Funders
- Agropolis Fondation
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement
- FP7 International Cooperation