Phylogenomics of the olive tree (Olea europaea) reveals the relative contribution of ancient allo- and autopolyploidization events

BACKGROUND: Polyploidization is one of the major evolutionary processes that shape eukaryotic genomes, being particularly common in plants. Polyploids can arise through direct genome doubling within a species (autopolyploidization) or through the merging of genomes from distinct species after hybridization (allopolyploidization). The relative contribution of both mechanisms in plant evolution is debated. Here we used phylogenomics to dissect the tempo and mode of duplications in the genome of the olive tree (Olea europaea), one of the first domesticated Mediterranean fruit trees. RESULTS: Our results depict a complex scenario involving at least three past polyploidization events, of which two—at the bases of the family Oleaceae and the tribe Oleeae, respectively—are likely to be the result of ancient allopolyploidization. A more recent polyploidization involves specifically the olive tree and relatives. CONCLUSION: Our results show the power of phylogenomics to distinguish between allo- and auto polyploidization events and clarify the contributions of duplications in the evolutionary history of the olive tree. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-018-0482-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.