BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Rubus subgenus Rubus is a group of mostly apomictic and polyploid species with a complicated taxonomy and history of ongoing hybridization. The only polyploid series with prevailing sexuality is the series Glandulosi , although the apomictic series Discolores and Radula also retain a high degree of sexuality, which is influenced by environmental conditions and/or pollen donors. The aim of this study is to detect sources of genetic variability, determine the origin of apomictic taxa and validate microsatellite markers by cloning and sequencing. METHODS: A total of 206 individuals from two central European regions were genotyped for 11 nuclear microsatellite loci and the chloroplast trn L- trn F region. Microsatellite alleles were further sequenced in order to determine the exact repeat number and to detect size homoplasy due to insertions/deletions in flanking regions. KEY RESULTS: The results confirm that apomictic microspecies of ser. Radula are derived from crosses between sexual series Glandulosi and apomictic series Discolores , whereby the apomict acts as pollen donor. Each apomictic microspecies is derived from a single distinct genotype differing from the parental taxa, suggesting stabilized clonal reproduction. Intraspecific variation within apomicts is considerably low compared with sexual series Glandulosi , and reflects somatic mutation accumulation. While facultative apomicts produce clonal offspring, sexual species are the conduits of origin for new genetically different apomictic lineages. CONCLUSIONS: One of the main driving forces of evolution and speciation in the highly apomictic subgenus Rubus in central Europe is sexuality in the series Glandulosi . Palaeovegetation data suggest that initial hybridizations took place over different time periods in the two studied regions, and that the successful origin and spread of apomictic microspecies of the series Radula took place over several millennia. Additionally, the cloning and sequencing show that standard evaluations of microsatellite repeat numbers underestimate genetic variability considering homoplasy in allele size.

Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research Department of Genetic Resources for Vegetables Medicinal and Special Plants Crop Research Institute Šlechtitelů 29 CZ 78371 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Botany Faculty of Science Palacký University in Olomouc Šlechtitelu 27 CZ 78371 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Botany Faculty of Science Palacký University in Olomouc Šlechtitelů 27 CZ 78371 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Palacký University in Olomouc Šlechtitelu 27 CZ 78371 Olomouc Czech Republic

Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Research Department of Experimental Taxonomy Corrensstr 3 D 06466 Gatersleben Germany

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A novel strategy to study apomixis, automixis, and autogamy in plants

Plant kleptomaniacs: geographical genetic patterns in the amphi-apomictic Rubus ser. Glandulosi (Rosaceae) reveal complex reticulate evolution of Eurasian brambles