Volume 14, Issue 6, June 2024

Reconsideration of how to define B chromosomes led to a central characteristic that unites these selfish genetic elements: they are non-essential for the organism. Other characteristics vary among different B chromosomes.

Cowpea is a drought-tolerant legume native to Africa with significant potential for bolstering sustainable agriculture. Fiscus et al. studied the genetic variation of a global collection of cowpea originating from 85 countries across 6 continents. The authors show that cowpea germplasm is strongly differentiated by geography, with two major subpopulations originating in North and West Africa and East and South Africa, respectively. They also used the collection to map the genetic basis of agronomically important traits such as seed pigmentation patterning and color.

This study uses simulations to quantify the statistical power underlying common approaches to detect balancing selection. Soni and Jensen find that allele frequency-based methods are underpowered unless stable balancing selection is occurring for considerable timespans, whilst linkage disequilibrium-based patterns have power immediately upon the introduction of the balanced allele, though this power dissipates rapidly. Finally, the authors highlight various other processes that may mimic the signal of balancing selection, outlining current best practices for assessing the contributions of these various evolutionary forces.

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, has recently garnered interest as an organism capable of plastic degradation. In this work, Young et al. have assembled a high quality genome for the greater wax moth to uncover the key enzymes housed in the larvae of these insects. Using their assembly, the authors have identified several candidate plastic-degrading proteins.