The limits of selection during maize domestication

Citation
Rl. Wang et al., The limits of selection during maize domestication, NATURE, 398(6724), 1999, pp. 236-239
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary,Multidisciplinary,Multidisciplinary
Journal title
NATURE
ISSN journal
00280836 → ACNP
Volume
398
Issue
6724
Year of publication
1999
Pages
236 - 239
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-0836(19990318)398:6724<236:TLOSDM>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
The domestication of all major crop plants occurred during a brief period i n human history about 10,000 years ago(1). During this time, ancient agricu lturalists selected seed of preferred forms and culled out seed of undesira ble types to produce each subsequent generation. Consequently favoured alle les at genes controlling traits of interest increased in frequency, ultimat ely reaching fixation. When selection is strong, domestication has the pote ntial to drastically reduce genetic diversity in a crop. To understand the impact of selection during maize domestication, we examined nucleotide poly morphism in teosinte branched1, a gene involved in maize evolution(2). Here we show that the effects of selection were limited to the gene's regulator y region and cannot be detected in the protein-coding region. Although sele ction was apparently strong, high rates of recombination and a prolonged do mestication period probably limited its effects. Our results help to explai n why maize is such a variable crop. They also suggest that maize domestica tion required hundreds of years, and confirm precious evidence that maize w as domesticated from Balsas teosinte of southwestern Mexico.