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Article|03 Oct 2025|OPEN
Genomic and epigenomic coordination maintains subgenome transcriptional balance in allotetraploid Brassica napus 
Jie Zhou1 , Meng Ma2 , Qing Zhang3 , Shangyan Ni1 , Hu Zhao1 , Jing Wen1 , Jinxiong Shen1 , Tingdong Fu1 and Lun Zhao,1 ,
1National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Engineering Research Center of Rapeseed, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
2State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang Henan 455000, China
3College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaption and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng Henan 475004, China
*Corresponding author. E-mail: zhaolun@mail.hzau.edu.cn

Horticulture Research 13,
Article number: uhaf266 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhaf266
Views: 10

Received: 26 May 2025
Accepted: 22 Sep 2025
Published online: 03 Oct 2025

Abstract

Allopolyploids have successfully overcome ‘genome shock’, yet how their subgenomes adapt to coexistence remains largely unclear. Here, we constructed high-resolution epigenomic maps for the diploids Brassica rapa (ArAr) and Brassica oleracea (CoCo), and examined epigenomic variation in the allotetraploid Brassica napus (AnAnCnCn) relative to its putative progenitors. We discovered that coordinated genomic and epigenomic reprogramming in B. napus drove convergence of sequence and epigenomic features between An and Cn, significantly reducing expression divergence in homoeologs. Convergent homoeologs were functionally enriched in pathways related to genome stability and abiotic stress responses. Notably, Cn in B. napus exhibited greater sequence conservation and epigenetic homeostasis. Furthermore, transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) affected by genomic variation in An showed convergent regulatory changes toward Cn, indicating that allopolyploids mitigate subgenomic conflicts through multilayered regulatory coordination. In conclusion, coordinated genomic and epigenomic convergence provides critical insights into the stability and adaptive evolution of allopolyploids.