On April 15, 2024, two articles in Current Biology shed fresh light on plant reproduction, focusing on the phenomenon of self-incompatibility.

The two groups, led by Vincent Castric and Pierre Saumitou-Laprade, and by Guillaume Besnard, conducted these works through comparing genomic regions controlling this trait within various Oleaceae species. These results demonstrate the importance of having high-quality data to analyze the structure of genes and regulatory regions (polymorphism, orientation, and copy number variation).

CNRGV has been a long-term collaborator with both groups involved. It has contributed to the acquisition and analysis of genomic data, from DNA extraction to genome assemblies.

The homomorphic self-incompatibility system in Oleaceae is controlled by a hemizygous genomic region expressing a gibberellin pathway gene.  V. Castric, et al.

A hemizygous supergene controls homomorphic and heteromorphic self-incompatibility systems in Oleaceae.  P. Raimondeau, et al.