Biology subjects

Cavalet-Giorsa, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Cavalet-Giorsa, E..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Evolutionary dynamics of the Timopheevii wheat lineage

Wheat, the most widely cultivated crop globally, includes multiple species with varying ploidy levels1. Globally cultivated species such as pasta and bread wheat belong to the Emmer lineage. In contrast, the Timopheevii lineage is of negligible agricultural significance2, yet it harbours genetic diversity of potential value for wheat improvement. Here, we present genomic resources for the Timopheevii wheat lineage. Our analyses uncovered extensive homoeologous exchange and genome instability in zhukovskys wheat, the hexaploid representative of the Timopheevii lineage. Population genomic analyses reveal a mosaic-like haplotype composition of domesticated tetraploid timopheevs wheat, suggesting it was once cultivated across a broader geographic range. This is further supported by the discovery of fossil haplotype segments in bread wheat landraces, likely derived from now-extinct domesticated timopheevs wheat populations. By examining the Timopheevii lineage, we provide new insights into the evolutionary dynamics of wheat, discovering previously underexplored and potentially useful genetic diversity for wheat improvement.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2026

Host specificity in cereal rust fungi is mediated by a conserved glycoside hydrolase family

Non-host resistance refers to the immunity of plant species to virtually all isolates of a potential pathogen and represents an underexplored avenue for breeding and engineering disease resistance. In domesticated and wild barley, cell surface-localized lectin receptor kinases (LecRKs) contribute to determining the host status to leaf rust fungi, which pose a major threat to global cereal production. Here, we identify a conserved family of leaf rust glycoside hydrolases as ligands for these barley LecRKs and show that direct ligand-receptor binding triggers immune responses. This mechanism of pathogen perception is conserved across multiple cereal species and can be functionally transferred between them. We also uncover previously uncharacterized recognition specificities among distinct LecRK variants, expanding the repertoire of LecRK-mediated rust pathogen detection. Our findings define a molecular mechanism underlying non-host resistance in cereals and provide a basis for harnessing non-host rust resistance across diverse crop-pathogen systems.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Tracing the origin of non-brittle rachis alleles in wheat

The evolution of non-brittle rachises, controlled by the TtBTR1 genes, was a key step during wheat domestication. Here, using k-mer-based approaches applied to a large diversity panel, we refine previous estimates of the geographical and temporal origins of the three known Ttbtr1 loss-of-function alleles and show that they emerged in distinct wild emmer subpopulations. For this, we generated a chromosome-scale dika wheat assembly carrying the recently discovered Ttbtr1-Ab allele. Our analyses reveal that the Ttbtr1-A alleles reside on an introgression from the southern judaicum wild emmer population into northern wild emmer wheat, providing an explanation for the long-standing debate about the Ttbtr1-A origin. We further demonstrate that the Ttbtr1-Aa and Ttbtr1-B alleles are already present in wild emmer wheat, with evidence indicating that they arose prior to the advent of agriculture. Together, these findings support a model in which key domestication genes in domesticated crops were selected and combined from standing genetic variation in wild relatives.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2023

Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a globally dominant crop and major source of calories and proteins for the human diet. Compared to its wild ancestors, modern bread wheat shows lower genetic diversity caused by polyploidisation, domestication, and breeding bottlenecks1,2. Wild wheat relatives represent genetic reservoirs, harbouring diversity and beneficial alleles that have not been incorporated into bread wheat. Here, we establish and analyse pangenome resources for Tauschs goatgrass, Aegilops tauschii, the donor of the bread wheat D genome. This new pangenome facilitated the cloning of a disease resistance gene and haplotype analysis across a complex disease resistance locus, allowing us to discern alleles from paralogous gene copies. We also reveal the complex genetic composition and history of the bread wheat D genome, involving previously unreported contributions from genetically and geographically discrete Ae. tauschii subpopulations. Together, our results reveal the complex history of the bread wheat D genome and demonstrate the potential of wild relatives in crop improvement.

genomics↗