Genetic variation of complete cleistogamous species in Gastrodia

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K06408
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45040:Ecology and environment-related
• Research Institution: Fukushima University
• Principal Investigator: Kaneko Shingo 福島大学, 共生システム理工学類, 准教授 (30635983)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 末次 健司 神戸大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (70748839)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 完全閉花授粉植物 / ヤツシロラン / 遺伝的多様性 / 自殖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we performed genetic analysis on two complete cleistogamous species and their ancestral species using newly developed microsatellite markers. Microsatellite analysis suggested the loss their variation at the microsatellite locus and the fixation to one allele in two complete cleistogamous species Gastrodia takeshimensis and G. kuroshimensis. Their ancestral species with opened flowers, G. nipponica and G. fontinalis, showed multiple alleles at the species or population level in several microsatellite loci, but their allelic variation was low. It is suggested that they are mainly propagated by self-fertilization, although they have open flowers. Self-breeding may have been established before the cleistogamous flower evolution in Gastrodia species.

Free Research Field

分子生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究において対象とする完全閉花受粉植物は、開放花を全くつけないだけでなく、光合成を行わず、完全に菌類に寄生する絶対菌従属栄養植物でもある。完全閉花受粉植物の新種の発見は、学会はもちろん一般市民にも驚きをもって迎えられている。“植物”という言葉から通常想起される概念と矛盾する特色をもった植物に関する本研究は、その種についての理解を深めるだけでなく、生物の驚くべき生態や進化の可能性について示す格好の事例である。