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Results for “domestication selection”

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PubMed2026

High-Density Genome-Wide Association Mapping Identifies Candidate Loci Associated with Maize Stalk Cell Wall Composition.

Maize (Zea mays L.) stalk cell wall composition is a key determinant of forage digestibility, lodging resistance, and biomass utilization efficiency. Although previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci associated with lignin (LIG), cellulose (CEL), and hemicellulose (HC), advances in genomic resources provide an opportunity to revisit existing phenotypic datasets at substantially higher resolution. Here, we re-analyzed a maize association panel consisting of 341 diverse inbred lines using an expanded genotype dataset containing 10.77 million SNPs, two derived compositional indices (CEL/HC and [LIG/(CEL + HC)], and six complementary GWAS models. Across all traits and models, we identified 855 unique significant SNPs associated with 579 candidate genes. Among the traits examined, LIG/(CEL + HC) yielded the greatest number of associations, suggesting that indices representing the relative balance among cell wall components may better capture the genetic architecture of cell wall composition than individual component measurements alone. Integration of multiple GWAS models with functional enrichment, haplotype, and selective sweep analyses prioritized three biologically relevant candidate genes encoding a MYB58 transcription factor, the glycosyltransferase Xt9, and a putative xyloglucan 6-xylosyltransferase. Haplotype analysis revealed significant effects of Xt9 and the xyloglucan 6-xylosyltransferase on cell wall composition, while selective sweep analysis identified Xt9 as a target of repeated selection during maize domestication, ecological adaptation, and modern breeding. Although these candidate genes provide promising targets for future investigation, the associations identified here are based on a single association panel and require functional and independent population validation. Collectively, our results demonstrate how high-density genotyping combined with complementary GWAS models can refine candidate associations and generate testable hypotheses from existing phenotypic datasets.

cell wall composition↗

PubMed2026

Pleiotropic mutation in a tendril TCP gene underlies the yield-enhancing multiple-flowering trait in summer squash (Cucurbita pepo).

Crop yield is a focal point in plant breeding. Regulation of lateral budding through apical dominance was a central target of crop domestication, directly affecting crop production. The young fruits of Cucurbita pepo, summer squash, are produced on plants characterized by apical dominance and differentiation of a single flower bud per leaf axil. A single recessive mutation, mf, results in differentiation of more than one flower per leaf axil, thereby directly increasing production because of the continual day-to-day harvest of the summer squash crop. Positional cloning of the Cucurbita pepo mf (Cpmf) gene denoted a frameshift mutation in a TCP transcription factor, Cp4.1LG13g07780, as causative for the increase in axillary flowering. Cpmf is an ortholog of a tendril-development TCP gene in other cucurbits, and likewise, the recessive allele of Cpmf is associated with distorted tendril development. Gene function is context dependent, and we propose that multiple flowering is a unique pleiotropic attribute of mutation in a tendril-development gene of C. pepo. Characterization of a C. pepo collection confirmed a significant association of the Cpmf mutation with multiple flowering and showed that the mutant allele is absent in ancestral C. pepo and one of its two cultivated subspecies. The beneficial mutation occurred and was selected after the domestication of the other subspecies, during its cultivation for young fruit production. We demonstrate the discovery of a causative yield-increasing sequence variant and its practical utilization in breeding. Our findings provide a molecular target for creation of high-yielding, multiple-flowering summer squash cultivars through marker-assisted breeding or precise genome editing.

Cucurbita↗

PubMed2026

Flavonoid biosynthesis mediated by GmF3Hs contributes to drought tolerance in soybean.

Flavonoids are central to abiotic stress responses, yet the specific signaling roles and evolutionary dynamics of flavonoid biosynthetic intermediates in crop drought adaptation remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that dihydrokaempferol (DHK) and dihydroquercetin (DHQ), specific intermediate products of the soybean flavanone 3-hydroxylases GmF3H1/2, function as potent signaling molecules that mitigate drought stress. Exogenous DHK/DHQ promoted abscisic acid-dependent stomatal closure and enhanced drought tolerance across diverse dicot species, including soybean and tobacco, highlighting a broadly conserved stress-mitigating signaling mechanism. CRISPR/Cas9-generated gmf3hs double mutants exhibited severe drought hypersensitivity due to compromised redox homeostasis and defective stomatal regulation, which could be specifically rescued by DHK/DHQ application. Furthermore, the loss of GmF3H triggered a distinct reproductive trade-off under stress, leading to increased pod initiation but severe filling defects. Multiomics network analysis revealed extensive rewiring of broader stress-responsive pathways and identified upstream transcription factors, among which GmPHL11 directly binds to and activates the GmF3H1 promoter; overexpression of GmPHL11 promoted DHK accumulation and enhanced drought stress tolerance in soybean hairy roots. Finally, population genomic analyses demonstrated that the GmF3H1H1 haplotype, which confers superior enzymatic activity and robust root growth under drought stress, might have undergone positive selection during soybean domestication. Collectively, our findings redefine the role of GmF3H-derived specific intermediates as potent signaling molecules, providing comprehensive mechanistic and evolutionary insights into flavonoid-mediated drought resilience, developmental trade-offs, and molecular breeding in crops.

Drought Resistance↗

PubMed2025

Integrated multi-omics analyses provide new insights into genomic variation landscape and regulatory network candidate genes associated with walnut endocarp.

Persian walnut (Juglans regia) is an economically important nut oil tree; the fruit has a hard endocarp/shell to protect seeds, thus playing a key role in its evolution, and the shell thickness is an important trait for walnut breeding. However, the genomic landscape and the gene regulatory networks associated with walnut shell development remain to be systematically elucidated. Here, we report a high-quality genome assembly of the walnut cultivar 'Xiangling' and construct a graphic structure pan-genome of eight Juglans species to reveal the genetic variations at the genome level. We re-sequence 285 accessions to characterize the genomic variation landscape. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we identified 19 loci associated with more than 268 loci that underwent selection during walnut domestication and improvement. Multi-omics analyses, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, DNA methylation, and spatial transcriptomics across eleven developmental stages, revealed several candidate genes related to secondary cell biosynthesis and lignin accumulation. This integrated multi-omics approach revealed several candidate genes associated with secondary cell biosynthesis and lignin accumulation, such as UGP, MYB308, MYB83, NAC043, NAC073, CCoAOMT1, CCoAOMT7, CHS2, CESA7, LAC7, COBL4, and IRX12. Overexpression of JrUGP and JrMYB308 in Arabidopsis thaliana confirmed their roles in lignin biosynthesis and cell wall thickening. Consequently, our comprehensive multi-omics findings offer novel insights into walnut genetic variation and network regulation of endocarp development and shell thickness, which enable further genome-informed breeding strategies for walnut cultivar improvement.

Juglans↗

PubMed2025

Genome-wide association study reveals that TaODORANT1 negatively contributes to thousand grain weight by affecting starch synthesis in wheat.

Thousand grain weight (TGW) is one of the most important factors that control grain weight and crop yield. To date, dozens of wheat genes related to TGW have been isolated; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms governing grain development in wheat (Triticum aestivum) remain largely unknown. Benefiting from whole-genome resequencing and genome-wide association study, we identified an R2R3-type myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factor, TaODORANT1, which was tightly associated with TGW. TaODORANT1 was specifically and highly expressed during the wheat grain developing stage. Knockout of TaODORANT1 led to an increase in TGW and starch content, as well as affected the expression of starch synthesis-related genes. Loss of function of TaODORANT1 altered the molecular structure and physiochemical properties of grain starch. Haplotype analysis showed that favorable Hap IV of TaODORANT1-A and favorable Hap I of TaODORANT1-B were significantly associated with the production of larger grains and higher TGW, respectively. Moreover, TaODORANT1 was a crucial targeted gene continuously selected in wheat domestication and breeding, and its orthologous genes might have retained similar functions in response to grain development. Our results highlight the importance of TaODORANT1 in affecting TGW, presenting potential targets for improving yield in wheat.

Triticum↗

PubMed2026

Effects of domestication on the body morphology and genetic diversity of the yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus).

The yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) is a significant economic fish along the southeast coast of China. Recently, the drastic decline in the wild populations, exacerbated by overfishing and climate change, has heightened our reliance on aquaculture. However, the current lack of research on its domestication hinders effective conservation of wild populations and balanced management alongside the aquaculture industry. Studies on body characteristics have shown that wild yellowfin seabream possess a higher body, while cultured ones exhibit a wider body. Whole-genome SNP analysis revealed moderate genetic differentiation between cultured and wild populations. Further analyses of linkage disequilibrium, heterozygosity, and genetic diversity revealed that the degree of SNP linkage was lower in the wild population compared to the cultured population. In contrast, heterozygosity and nucleotide polymorphisms were significantly higher in the wild population (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Additionally, over 300 candidate genes were identified in each cultured population through genomic selection signature analysis, with 67 key genes shared among all three, which were linked to growth and development (ghrb, ghsra, and cfl1), immune response (aire, cd36, and igbp1), and salinity adaptation (abcc3, clic4, and kcnk15). Enrichment analysis indicated that the key candidate genes were significantly enriched in pathways related to protein kinase activity, ion binding and growth hormone synthesis, secretion and action (FDR < 0.05). The findings provide valuable insights into the variation in body size of yellowfin seabream under domestication selection and offer an important theoretical basis for the genetic improvement of yellowfin seabream.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Genotypic and phenotypic consequences of domestication in dogs.

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are genomic regions that arise when identical haplotypes are inherited from a shared ancestor. In this study, we explored ROH across 556 whole-genome sequences from domesticated and non-domesticated dogs. Then, we leveraged ROH from 466 breed dogs, representing 13 breed groups and 13 phenotypic traits, to investigate associations between genetic diversity and non-disease phenotypes. We identified significant associations between the ROH-based inbreeding coefficient (FROH) and multiple phenotypes. These include three quantitative traits (height, weight, lifespan) and ten morphological and coat-related traits. After correcting for population structure, we identified more than 45 genes associated with quantitative traits that exceeded suggestive or genome-wide significance (GWS) thresholds. We also observed distinct patterns of inbreeding across dog populations, including elevated levels of long ROH in modern breed dogs relative to more ancient breeds, consistent with intensive breeding practices during Victorian-era breed formation. Together, our results demonstrate how domestication, demographic bottlenecks, and selective breeding have shaped patterns of homozygosity and contributed to the genetic architecture of complex traits in dogs, highlighting an important role for non-additive genetic variation and polygenicity.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Natural variation in GmSOP5 regulates seed oil and protein content during soybean domestication.

Seed oil content, protein content, and yield are agronomically important, correlated traits that determine the economic value of soybean (Glycine max). However, improving seed quality and yield simultaneously is challenging because gains in one breeding target often compromise the other, and the genetic basis of this trade-off is poorly understood. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study of 429 diverse soybean accessions and identified Seed Oil and Protein 5 (SOP5), which encodes a kinesin protein, as a key locus associated with seed oil and protein content. Knockout and overexpression experiments demonstrated that GmSOP5 positively affects seed oil content and 100-seed weight and negatively influences seed protein content. GmSOP5 is located in a selective sweep region, and the domestication-related GmSOP5H1 allele is nearly fixed in cultivated soybean, contributing to increased seed size, weight, and oil content and reduced protein content. Field trials demonstrated that neither loss-of-function GmSOP5-edited mutants, which have increased seed protein content, nor GmSOP5-overexpression lines, which have increased seed oil content, differed significantly in yield from wild-type plants, because changes in plant architecture were offset by changes in seed weight. Our results shed light on soybean domestication and suggest how pleiotropy can be harnessed in breeding to enhance seed quality without compromising yield.

GWAS↗

PubMed2026

Integrative WGBS and ATAC-seq profiling reveals epigenetic and chromatin accessibility signatures associated with clutch length in goose ovaries.

Clutch length is an important reproductive trait in geese, but its epigenetic basis remains poorly characterized. Daily egg production was recorded for 280 individually housed Zi geese, and clutch-related indices were calculated as described in our previous study. Based on these records, six geese with contrasting clutch-length phenotypes were selected and assigned to the long-clutch (LC) and short-clutch (SC) groups. Ovarian tissues from three geese per group were subjected to whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) to identify candidate epigenetic signatures associated with clutch length. WGBS identified 630,909 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), whereas ATAC-seq identified 902 differentially accessible regions (DARs). Integrated analysis revealed distinct patterns of ovarian DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility between the two groups, suggesting that clutch length variation may be accompanied by epigenomic differences in ovarian tissue. Genes associated with DMRs and/or DARs were enriched in biological processes related to granulosa cell differentiation and endocrine competence, follicular fate regulation, and periovulatory cytoskeletal and signaling remodeling. RERE was prioritized as a candidate locus because it was supported by changes in both DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility, whereas FOXL2, STAR, BAK1, FGF17, PRSS35, ACTR3, and AXIN1 were supported mainly by evidence from a single omics layer. RT-qPCR analysis of selected genes showed expression trends broadly consistent with the corresponding epigenomic differences, providing additional supportive evidence for these candidate associations. Collectively, this study provides an exploratory ovarian epigenomic resource and identifies candidate epigenetic signatures, genes, and biological processes associated with clutch length variation in geese.

DNA methylation↗

PubMed2025

From bottleneck to boom: Polyploidy, genetic instability and response to artificial selection resolve the peanut paradox.

This study, the second in a three-part series, shows how peanut's polyploid origin enabled rapid diversification and enhanced domestication potential. Building on the knowledge that cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) originated from a narrow hybridization between Arachis duranensis and Arachis ipaënsis less than 10 000 years ago, we are confronted with a paradox: how did such a narrow origin give rise to so much diversity-two subspecies, six botanical varieties, and thousands of landraces differing in growth habit, seed size, and pod morphology? Although several diploid Arachis species were cultivated earlier, only the allotetraploid became fully domesticated and widely adopted. The global success of peanut, despite its narrow genetic origin, suggests that polyploidization itself facilitated domestication. To test this hypothesis, we investigated how the two diploid progenitors and neoallotetraploids derived from a single hybridization and polyploidization event responded under artificial selection. In a pollinator-free greenhouse, we advanced lineages of the neoallotetraploid and its diploid parents over 6 years, selecting for divergent seed weights. The neoallotetraploid showed a much stronger response to artificial selection than its diploid parents, while also spontaneously generating diverse phenotypic variation-including flower color, pod reticulation, and chlorophyll content-traits that distinguish A. hypogaea subspecies and landraces. These traits mirrored directional shifts in parental genome dosage caused by homoeologous exchange, supporting a causal connection with phenotype. These findings offer a compelling rationale for a domestication advantage in polyploid peanut, and provide a living demonstration of how a single ancestral tetraploid, despite an extreme genetic bottleneck, generates a phenotypic boom.

Arachis↗

PubMed2026

Seed shattering habit in millets and the secrets of the abscission layer - a comprehensive review.

Though seed shattering continues to be a significant barrier affecting yield stability and harvesting efficiency in millets and other grasses, millets are increasingly acknowledged as climate-resilient, nutrient-rich 2007cereal crops with the potential to strengthen global nutritional and food security under the combined pressures of climate change, population growth, and limited natural resources. Since strong artificial selection favoured non-shattering phenotypes during domestication, seed shattering, an adaptive trait in wild species that promotes seed dispersal through the formation and activation of specialised abscission layers, became a distinguishing feature of cultivated cereals. With a focus on the morphological, physiological, hormonal, and genetic modulation of the abscission zone, this article summarizes the state of the art regarding seed shattering in millets. Abscission layer morphology, location, and lignification vary greatly among grasses, from well-defined lignified zones in rice and sorghum to non-lignified and anatomically subtle zones in Setaria and Panicum species. Cell wall-modifying enzymes like polygalacturonases, cellulases, expansins, and pectin methylesterases that mediate middle lamella degradation are modulated by coordinated hormonal signalling involving auxin, ethylene, and abscisic acid, which controls the timing and progression of cell separation at the physiological level. Domestication-related genes, including SH1, qSH1, SH4, and LES1, demonstrate convergent evolutionary mechanisms controlling abscission layer development in a variety of grass lineages at the molecular level. Understanding these regulatory networks has been greatly enhanced by recent developments in transcriptomics, functional genomics, and genome sequencing in both model species and underused millets. The role of millets as climate-smart cereals for sustainable future agriculture is reinforced by the integration of anatomical, physiological, and genetic insights, which offer a solid basis for targeted breeding and genome-editing strategies intended to improve seed retention, enhance yield stability, and increase harvest efficiency.

Abscission Layer↗

PubMed1978

The effect of decreased growth rate on frequency and severity of osteochondrosis in pigs.

Rapid weight gain seems to be related to high incidence and severity of osteochondrosis. For this reason the effect of weight gain on osteochondrosis was investigated. In one experiment including 18 pigs, frequency and severity of osteochondrosis in pigs on a low caloric intake and in those on a high caloric intake (ad libitum feeding) were compared. In another experiment 8 pigs from 2 litters of pigs with a mainly wild hog ancestry were studied. These pigs had a much lower growth rate than modern domestic pigs and their constitution was different. The results of these two experiments were unequivocal. Animals with a low weight gain, nutritionally or genetically induced, had an incidence of osteochondrosis which was close to zero. It was considered that the very high growth rate in the modern domestic pig is the main reason for the high incidence of osteochondrosis. High growth rate is the result of selective breeding and intensive feeding. There are some morphologic characteristics of the modern domestic pig similar to those seen in acromegaly in man and in animals treated with growth hormone.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed2026

The Jumonji C domain-containing proteins GmJMJ19 and GmJMJ20 link florigen signaling with epigenetic regulation of photoperiodic flowering and post-flowering plant height in soybean.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a photoperiod-sensitive legume whose latitudinal adaptation depends on the precise control of flowering time and plant height. Histone demethylases of the JmjC domain-containing (JMJ) protein family have been implicated in these processes across plant species, but their specific roles in soybean remain largely unexplored. Here, we identify soybean GmJMJ19 and GmJMJ20, two closely related JMJD5/KDM8 orthologs, as master epigenetic regulators that coordinately control both photoperiodic flowering and post-flowering plant height. Both genes exhibit intrinsic, rhythmic expression peaking at ZT12, and their encoded proteins physically interact with the florigen proteins FT2a and FT5a. Loss-of-function mutants display delayed flowering under long days (LDs) and increased plant height under both LDs and short days (SDs), whereas overexpression phenocopies the mutant flowering phenotype, indicating revealing a critical dosage requirement for proper function. Mechanistically, GmJMJ19 and GmJMJ20 are recruited by the FT/FD transcriptional complex to directly activate AP1a and AP1c expression through chromatin modulation. Population genomic analyses reveal distinct selection signatures: GmJMJ19 underwent sustained directional selection during cultivation, whereas GmJMJ20 experienced an early domestication sweep with limited subsequent change. Haplotype analysis identifies coordinated latitudinal clines, with the JMJ19H1/JMJ20H1 combination predominating at high latitudes to promote early flowering and limit height, while JMJ19H2/JMJ20H2 and wild JMJ19H3/JMJ20H3 alleles prevail at low latitudes, conferring later flowering and increased height. Collectively, our findings establish GmJMJ19 and GmJMJ20 as central chromatin regulators linking florigen signaling to downstream target expression and provide valuable allelic resources for breeding regionally adapted soybean varieties across a wide range of latitudinal environments.

Histone modulation↗

PubMed2025

Genetic basis and role of exotic accessions in cultivated cotton fiber quality improvement.

Exotic Gossypium accessions still harbor QTL‑validated alleles that, combined with CRISPR pyramiding and genomic selection, can break the entrenched fiber length-strength trade‑off. Cotton's four independent domestications twice in diploids and twice in allotetraploids offer a natural experiment in fiber improvement. Synthesizing three decades of data, we chart how polyploidy, selection and modern breeding have repeatedly reshaped the Gossypium genome. More than 15,000 quantitative trait locus (QTL) and genome wide association mapping studies (GWAS) hits converge on a handful of chromosomal "hotspots"; new MAGIC, NAM, NIL and long-read resources now narrow these peaks to < 200 kb, resolving causal genes such as GhHOX3, GhZF14 and GhMYB7. Multi-omics evidence links auxin, ethylene, gibberellin, brassinosteroid and strigolactone signaling to HDZIP IV, MYB, bHLH/HLH and ERF networks that drive fiber initiation, extreme cell elongation and cellulose deposition. Population genomics shows that ~ 40% of favorable fiber alleles are fixed in elite Gossypium hirsutum, yet wild diploids and landraces still harbor variants that could break the length strength trade-off. We propose a three-step roadmap genomic selection, CRISPR gene pyramiding and accelerated introgression to expand cotton's genetic base and deliver fibers suited to sustainable textile demands.

Gossypium↗

PubMed1978

Detection of conjugative R plasmids conferring chloramphenicol resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from domestic and feral pigeons and crows.

A total of 87 domestic pigeons of 2 lots and 184 feral pigeons of 15 lots were examined from 1975 to 1977 for the presence of drug-resistant (especially chloramphenicol resistant) Escherichia coli. 20 (23.0%) of the domestic pigeons of the 2 lots, and 39 (21.2%) of the feral pigeons of 5 lots (33,3%) showed resistant E. coli. Usage of selective media containing chloramphenicol, streptomycin or tetracycline resulted in the increase in isolation frequency of resistant E. coli excepting one lot of domestic pigeons in which isolation of chloramphenicol resistant E. coli was very frequent without selection by the drug. Among a total of 106 resistant E. coli isolates from pigeons, 64 (60.4%) were multiply resistant and 58 of the 64 isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol. 58 (90.6%) of the multiply resistant E. coli carried conjugative R plasmids, including 13 thermosensitive R plasmids. 8 (19.0%) of 42 singly resistant E. coli isolates had conjugative R plasmids. 10 crows of 2 lots were examined similarly. Half of them had resistant E. coli. 15 (78.9%) of a total of 19 resistant E. coli isolates were multiply resistant. Of the 15 multiply resistant E. coli isolates, 5, from 2 Japanese jungle crows, were resistant to chloramphenicol. 11 (73.3%) of the 15 multiply resistant isolates carried conjugative R plasmids, including one thermosensitive R plasmid. Difference of drug resistance status between Salmonella and E. coli isolated from pigeons was discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

[Heritable defects in dogs (author's transl)].

The introduction to this report contains a description of the development of breeds of domestic animals. The change-over from natural to artificial selection gives rise to disturbances of morphological, physiological and behavioural traits. The origine, incidence and diagnosis of heritable defects in various canine breeds are discussed. On this basis two tables listing heritable defects in dogs are presented.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

[Genetics and phenogenetics of the hormonal characteristics of animals. II. Changes in the reactivity of the pituitary-adrenal system and influence of the sex glands in selection of silver-black foxes by behavior].

Seasonal changes in the reactivity of adrenal cortex to ACTH and of the pituitary-adrenal system to psychic stress in intact and castrated domesticated (tame) and non-domesticated (non-tame) silver foxes of both sexes were studied. It is demonstrated that in tame foxes there are differences among the intact and castrated animal in their reaction to ACTH and psychic stress. These differences are maifested especially in autumn (September, October) which is the period of extra-seasonal sexual activity for domesticated animals. This points to the fact that the sex glands exert a great influence on the condition of central regulating mechanisms of the pituitary-adrenal complex and that the selection of silver foxes for tame behaviour changes the functional state of these mechanisms through the change of the functional state of the sex glands.

Adrenal Cortex↗

PubMed2026

Mapping the Molecular Evolution and Role of Wild Rice GLYIII Protein-Encoding Genes in Abiotic Stress Response.

To address the need for sustainable food production amid rapid global climate change, developing rice varieties that grow optimally even under harsh conditions is essential. An effective approach in this direction would be to harness the stress resilience traits of the crop wild relatives (CWRs) of rice. Among the various crucial stress-responsive genes, the Glyoxalase III (GLYIII) gene family is of utmost importance for its ability to detoxify the toxic glycolytic byproduct, methylglyoxal (MG), in a less energy-intensive, single-step process, as well as for its multifaceted cytoprotective role. In our study, a comprehensive genome-wide search across the Oryza genus revealed that GLYIII genes are conserved across wild rice genotypes. Their number has expanded during domestication, driven by gene duplications. Interestingly, only a few orthologous pairs showed positive selection, suggesting that the functions of most others need to be constrained and or conserved.We found that higher GLYIII activity, Total Antioxidant Capacity, endogenous glutathione (GSH) levels, and free radical scavenging activity contributes to the stress resilience of wild rices O. punctata, O. meridionalis, and O. nivara, in addition to other factors. , , . , . Our qRT-PCR analysis revealed differential expression of the OpGLYIII, OmGLYIII, and OnGLYIII genes across different developmental stages and in response to various abiotic stresses. Furthermore, we report that wild rice GLYIII proteins, specifically OpGLYIII-3, OmGLYIII-3, and OnGLYIII-5, exhibit high catalytic efficiency over a broad pH range and at higher temperatures under in vitro assay conditions. Overexpression of these proteins was found to impart substantial stress resilience to the transformed E. coli cells. These findings collectively suggest that GLYIII proteins constitute a key component of the abiotic stress response machinery in wild rice.

Oryza↗