Loss of function of CENH3 causes genome instability in soybean

The centromeric histone H3 (CENH3) is of great importance in centromere identification identity, chromosome mobilization during cell division and thus genome stability. The imbalance of CENH3 loading rate or dosage on parental centromeres often leads to uniparental chromosome elimination in the offspring. A body of studies on the function of CENH3 in genome stability have been reported in Arabidopsis, cotton, and many other monocots, but not in soybean (Glycine max), an important dicot crop. In our study, we identified the a single-copy functional CENH3 in soybean and found its role in genome stability and parent-of-origin effect caused by a conserved glycine site and parental genetic background. This study identified the functional GmCENH3 and would shed light on the future development of CENH3-based haploid induction system and centromere biology in soybean. Overall design: Genome re-sequencing of sterile soybean plants and chromosome dosage analysis were taken to figure out the karyograms.