ddRAD sequencing for Mimulus nasutus x IM767 Mimulus guttatus stigma closure
Rapid touch-sensitive stigma closure (TSSC) is a novel plant reproductive trait found in hundreds of species across the Lamiales, including most members of the Phrymaceae and Bignoniaceae. The origins, mechanisms, and functions of stigma closure remain poorly understood, though its repeated loss in self fertilizing taxa and a few direct tests implicate adaptive role(s) in animal-mediated cross-pollination. QTL mapping of the loss of touch-sensitive stigma closure in self-fertilizing monkeyflowers provides a first glimpse into the genetic and molecular basis of this fascinating plant mechanosensing and movement trait. We found a complex genetic basis (in terms of QTL magnitude, number, and gene content) underlying loss of stigma closure in selfer M. nasutus (vs. M.guttatus), providing four distinct candidate regions for further genetic dissection.