Genomes of the dinoflagellate Polarella glacialis encode tandemly repeated single-exon genes with adaptive functions.
Timothy G StephensRaúl A González-PechYuanyuan ChengAmin R MohamedDavid W BurtDebashish BhattacharyaMark A RaganCheong Xin ChanPublished in: BMC biology (2020)
Our results elucidate how selection acts within the context of a complex genome structure to facilitate local adaptation. Because most dinoflagellate genes are constitutively expressed, Polarella glacialis has enhanced transcriptional responses via unidirectional, tandem duplication of single-exon genes that encode functions critical to survival in cold, low-light polar environments. These genomes provide a foundational reference for future research on dinoflagellate evolution.