Spatial expression evolution of duplicated genes post-whole genome duplication in cultivated tomato

In cultivated tomato, most (~66%) Solanaceae-specific triplication duplicate genes retain ancestral spatial expression across 23 tissues, with ~6% gaining and ~20% losing expression.

• Why it matters: Whole genome duplication can reshape gene regulation, but it is unclear how duplicate genes diverge in where they are expressed across tissues and how that divergence relates to function.
• What they did: The study compared paralog expression patterns across 23 tissues in cultivated tomato and used phylogenetic inference to reconstruct ancestral expression states and quantify gains, losses, and asymmetrical divergence.
• The result: Expression gains in fruit tissues are linked to functions associated with fruit quality, and asymmetrical divergence is common, especially when ancestral genes were not expressed or were highly expressed.

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