Find research datasets worth reusing
Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.
15,277
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
15,277 results for “GENETICS”
Data from: The many faced symbiotic snakelocks anemone (Anemonia viridis, Anthozoa): host and symbiont genetic differentiation among colour morphs
How can we explain morphological variations in a holobiont? The genetic determinism of phenotypes is not always obvious and could be circumstantial in complex organisms. In symbiotic cnidarians, it is known that morphology or colour can misrepresent a complex genetic and symbiotic diversity. Anemonia viridis is a symbiotic sea anemone from temperate seas. This species displays different colour morphs based on pigment content and lives in a wide geographical range. Here, we investigated whether colour morph differentiation correlated with host genetic diversity or associated symbiotic genetic diversity by using RAD-sequencing and symbiotic dinoflagellate typing of 140 sea anemones from the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea. We did not observe genetic differentiation among colour morphs of A. viridis at the animal host or symbiont level, rejecting the hypothesis that A. viridis colour morphs correspond to species level differences. Interestingly, we however identified at least four independent animal host genetic lineages in A. viridis that differed in their associated symbiont populations. In conclusion, although the functional role of the different morphotypes of A. viridis remains to be determined, our approach provides new insights on the existence of cryptic species within A. viridis.
Data from: Chloroplast population genetics reveals low levels of genetic variation and conformation to the central–marginal hypothesis in Taxus wallichiana var. mairei, an endangered conifer endemic to China
The central–marginal hypothesis predicts that geographically peripheral populations should exhibit reduced genetic diversity and increased genetic differentiation than central populations due to smaller effective population size and stronger geographical isolation. We evaluated these predictions in the endangered conifer Taxus wallichiana var. mairei. Eight plastid simple sequence repeats (cpSSRs) were used to investigate plastid genetic variation in 22 populations of Taxus wallichiana var. mairei, encompassing nearly its entire distribution range. Low levels of plastid genetic variation and differentiation were detected in the populations, and the findings were attributed to low mutation rates, small population sizes, habitat fragmentation and isolation, and effective pollen or seed dispersal. Hunan and Hubei were identified as major refugia based on the number of private haplotypes and species distribution modeling. Trends in plastid genetic diversity and genetic differentiation from central to peripheral populations supported the predictions of the central–marginal hypothesis. In scenarios wherein the future climate becomes warmer, we predict that some peripheral populations will disappear and southern and southeastern regions will become significantly less habitable. Factors that include the levels of precipitation during the driest month, annual precipitation level, and annual temperature range will be decisive in shaping the future distribution of these populations. This study provides a theoretical basis for the conservation of T. wallichiana var. mairei.
Close relatives in population samples: Evaluation of the consequences for genetic stock identification
<p>Determining the origin of individuals in mixed population samples is key in many ecological, conservation and management contexts. Genetic data can be analyzed using Genetic Stock Identification (GSI), where the origin of single individuals is determined using Individual Assignment (IA) and population proportions are estimated with Mixed Stock Analysis (MSA). In such analyses, allele frequencies in a reference baseline are required. Unknown individuals or mixture proportions are assigned to source populations based on the likelihood that their multilocus genotypes occur in a particular baseline sample. Representative sampling of populations included in a baseline is important when designing and performing GSI. Here we investigate the effects of family sampling on GSI, using both simulated and empirical genotypes for Atlantic salmon (<i>Salmo salar</i>). We show that non-representative sampling leading to inclusion of close relatives in a reference baseline may introduce bias in estimated proportions of contributing populations in a mixed sample, and increases the amount of incorrectly assigned individual fish. Simulated data further show that the induced bias increases with increasing family structure, but that it can be partly mitigated by increased baseline population sample sizes. Results from standard accuracy tests of GSI (using only a reference baseline and/or self-assignment) gave a false and elevated indication of the baseline power and accuracy to identify stock proportions and individuals. These findings suggest that family structure in baseline population samples should be quantified and its consequences evaluated, before carrying out GSI.</p>
Data from: A nested association mapping panel in Arabidopsis thaliana for mapping and characterizing genetic architecture
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Linkage and association mapping populations are crucial public resources that facilitate the characterization of trait genetic architecture in natural and agricultural systems. We define a large nested association mapping panel (NAM) from 14 publicly available recombinant inbred populations (RILs) of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>, which share a common recurrent parent (Col-0). Using a genotype-by-sequencing approach (GBS), we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; range 563-1525 per population) and subsequently built updated linkage maps in each of the 14 RIL sets. Simulations in individual RIL populations indicate that our GBS markers have improved power to detect small effect QTL and enhanced resolution of QTL support intervals in comparison to original linkage maps. Using these robust linkage maps, we imputed a common set of publicly available parental SNPs into each RIL linkage map, generating overlapping markers across all populations. Though ultimately depending on allele frequencies at causal loci, simulations of the NAM panel suggest that surveying between 4 to 7 of the 14 RIL populations provides high resolution of the genetic architecture of complex traits, relative to a single mapping population.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Estimation of environmental, genetic and parental age at conception effects on telomere length in a wild mammal
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Understanding individual variation in fitness-related traits requires separating the environmental and genetic determinants. Telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that are thought to be a biomarker of senescence as their length predicts mortality risk and reflect the physiological consequences of environmental conditions. The relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to individual variation in telomere length is however unclear, yet important for understanding its evolutionary dynamics. In particular, the evidence for transgenerational effects, in terms of parental age at conception, on telomere length is mixed. Here, we investigate the heritability of telomere length, using the 'animal model', and parental age at conception effects on offspring telomere length in a wild population of European badgers (<i>Meles meles</i>). While we found no heritability of telomere length and low evolvability (<0.001), our power to detect heritability was low and a repeatability of 2% across individual lifetimes provides a low upper limit to ordinary narrow-sense heritability. However, year (25%) and cohort (3%) explained greater proportions of the phenotypic variance in telomere length. There was no support for cross-sectional or within-individual parental age at conception effects on offspring telomere length. Our results indicate a lack of transgenerational effects through parental age at conception and a low potential for evolutionary change in telomere length in this population. Instead, we provide evidence that individual variation in telomere length is largely driven by environmental variation in this wild mammal.</p>
Functional and genetic diversity changes through time in a cloud forest ant assemblage
<p>Climate change in the Neotropics is causing upslope range shifts. We used arrays of ant species collected in a cloud forest at 1,500 m in Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica, collected in two time periods (1998-2000 and 2008-2011) to measure changes in species richness and diversity over a decade. Using metrics of community structure, we found that the species assemblage in the collections from the 1990s were significantly phylogenetically clustered and functionally less diverse as compared to collections from the early 2000's. At both time points, the assemblages were significantly phylogenetically clustered and while the difference in functional diversity between the time points was not significant, the ant assemblage has become lighter in color (on average) over time. When individual species are considered the overall pattern of replacement is consistent with the cloud forest ant assemblage being colonized by arrivals from lower-elevation forests. The invertebrate communities on cloud forested mountain tops are especially vulnerable to a changing climate as there are two factors working together; no higher terrain to which they can move and the invasion of more and more taxa from lower downslope. This vulnerability is already measurable.</p>
Data from: Genetic variation and phylogeographic structure of Laodelphax striatellus in China based on microsatellite markers
<p>The small brown planthopper (SBPH)<i><span>, </span></i><i><span>Laodelphax striatellus</span></i> (Fallén) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is an important agricultural pest that has caused serious economic losses in the major rice-producing areas of China. To effectively manage this insect pest, we analyzed its genetic variation, genetic structure and population demographic history. We used nine nuclear microsatellite loci to investigate the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of SBPH at 43 sampling sites in China. High levels of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation among most populations were detected. Overall, neighbour-joining dendrograms, STRUCTURE and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed no genetically distinct groups and exhibited an admixed phylogeographic structure in China. Isolation by distance (IBD) and spatial autocorrelation analyses demonstrated no correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance. On the other hand, bottleneck analysis indicated that SBPH populations had not undergone severe bottleneck effects in these regions. This study provides useful data for resolving the genetic relationships and migration patterns of SBPH and thus contribute to developing effective management strategies for this pest.</p>
Genetic structuring in Atlantic haddock contrasts with current management regimes
<div class="WordSection1"> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The advent of novel genetic methods has made it possible to investigate population structure and connectivity in mobile marine fish species: knowledge of which is essential to ensure a sustainable fishery. Haddock (<i>Melanogrammus aeglefinus</i>) is a highly exploited marine teleost distributed along the coast and continental shelf on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean. However, little is known about its population structure. Here, we present the first study using single nucleotide polymorphism markers to assess the genetic population structure of haddock at multiple geographic scales, from the transatlantic to the local (fjord) level. Genotyping 138 SNP loci in 1329 individuals from 19 locations across the North Atlantic revealed three main genetic clusters, consisting of a Northwest Atlantic-, a Northeast Arctic- and a Northeast Atlantic cluster. We also observed a genetically distinct fjord population and a pattern of isolation-by-distance in the Northeast Atlantic. Our results contrast with the current management regime for this species in the Northeast Atlantic, as we found structure within some management areas. The study adds to the growing recognition of population structuring in marine organisms in general, and fishes in particular, and is of clear relevance for management of haddock in the Northeast Atlantic.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> </div>
Genetic structure and biogeographic history of the Bicknell's Thrush/ Gray-cheeked Thrush species complex
Abstract We examined species limits, admixture, and genetic structure among populations in the Bicknell's Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)–Gray-cheeked Thrush (C. minimus) species complex to establish the geographic and temporal context of speciation in this group, which is a model system in ecology and a high conservation priority. We obtained mitochondrial ND2 sequences from 186 Bicknell's Thrushes, 77 Gray-cheeked Thrushes, and 55 individuals of their closest relative, the Veery (C. fuscescens), and genotyped a subset of individuals (n = 72) at 5,633 anonymous single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) loci. Between-species sequence divergence was an order of magnitude greater than divergence within each species, divergence was dated to the late Pleistocene (420 kbp) based on Bayesian coalescence estimation, and a coalescent model (IMa) revealed almost no gene flow between species based on ND2. SNP data were consistent with mitochondrial results and revealed low levels of admixture among species (3 of 37 Bicknell's Thrushes, no Gray-cheeked Thrushes, and no Veeries were &gt;2% admixed). Species distribution models projected to the Last Glacial Maximum suggest that Bicknell's Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrush resided in primarily allopatric refugia in the late Pleistocene, consistent with the genetic data that support reproductive isolation over an extended period of time. Our genetic data suggest that both species underwent demographic expansions, possibly as they expanded out of Pleistocene refugia into their current ranges. We conclude that Bicknell's Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrush are 2 distinct species-level lineages despite low levels of Gray-cheeked Thrush introgression in Bicknell's Thrushes, and divergence has been maintained by a long history of allopatry in subtly different habitats. Their unique phylogeography among boreal forest birds indicates that either cryptic species breaks in eastern North America are still undiscovered, or another factor, such as divergent natural selection, high migratory connectivity, or interspecific competition, played a role in their divergence.
Data from: Population genetic structure and intraspecific genetic distance of Periplaneta americana (Blattodea: Blattidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers
<p>The American cockroach (<i>Periplaneta americana</i>) is a globally invasive pest that can cause significant economic loss and threaten human health. Although it is abundant and lives in close proximity to humans, few studies have investigated the genetic diversity of <i>P. americana</i>. Our study analyzed 1053 <i>P. americana</i> and other <i>Periplaneta</i> species' samples from different locations in China and the USA. A traditional tree-based method using 17 unique mitochondrial COI haplotypes of <i>P. americana</i> and 20 haplotypes of the other <i>Periplaneta</i> species accurately identified <i>P. americana</i> with a barcoding threshold of 5.1%. To identify the population genetic structure of <i>P. americana,</i> we investigated <i>wingless</i> gene and pooled them with obtained mtDNA data for a combined analysis. Although the genetic diversity of the USA group was relatively higher than the China group, the number of haplotypes and alleles of both groups was small. Molecular variance (AMOVA), intraspecific phylogeny, and haplotype networks indicated that <i>P. americana</i> had very little global genetic differentiation. The weak geographic genetic structure might reflect the human-mediated dispersal of <i>P. americana</i>. Despite no apparent phylogeographic assignment of mtDNA and nuclear lineages was observed in both BI trees, the integrated COI sequence data identified four distinct <i>P. americana</i> haplotype groups, showing four ancient maternal lineages of <i>P. americana</i> in China and the USA.</p>
Data from: Genetic adaptation of Tibetan poplar (Populus szechuanica var. tibetica) to high altitudes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
<p>Plant adaptation to high altitudes has long been a substantial focus of ecological and evolutionary research. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying such adaptation remain poorly understood. Here, we address this issue by sampling, genotyping, and comparing populations of Tibetan poplar, Populus szechuanica var. tibetica, distributed from low (~2000 m) to high altitudes (~3000 m) of Sejila Mountain on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Population structure analyses allow clear classification of two groups according to their altitudinal distributions. However, in contrast to the genetic variation within each population, differences between the two populations only explain a small portion of the total genetic variation (3.64%). We identified asymmetrical gene flow from high- to low-altitude populations. Integrating population genomic and landscape genomic analyses, we detected two hotspot regions, one containing four genes associated with altitudinal variation, and the other containing ten genes associated with response to solar radiation. These genes participate in abiotic stress resistance and regulation of reproductive processes. Our results provide insight into the genetic mechanisms underlying high-altitude adaptation in Tibetan poplar.</p>
Unique mode of cell division by the mycobacterial genetic resister clones emerging de novo from the antibiotic surviving population
<p>Live cell and timelapse microscopic images of the cells taken from different time points post antibiotic (Rifampicin and Moxifloxacin) exposure. The cells post antibiotic exposure, during their regrowth, showed multiple constriction to divide and generate sister antibiotic resister daughter cells with abrupt increased cell number within less division time by multiple septation. The phenomena of multiple septation can be seen in Miscellaneous Figures (MF. 1-4) and Miscellaneous Movies (MF. 1-4). </p>
The evolution of phenotypic novelty through the genetic assimilation of broken symmetry
Most animals are symmetrical; however, widespread and impressive cases occur where symmetry has been broken. Breaks in symmetry can occur as anti-symmetry, where 50% of the population have the left side enlarged and 50% the right, or through directional asymmetry where the entire population is biased either to the left or the right. Such broken symmetry represents a novel phenotype that is challenging to explain from an evolutionary perspective, given that it has ultimately evolved from a symmetrical ancestor. Here, we use artificial selection to test the hypothesis that anti-symmetry can evolve through the genetic assimilation of a developmental error that occurs in the production of an environmentally cued threshold trait. We find that anti-symmetry in the legs of the acarid mite, Rhizoglyphus echinopus, is heritable and that we are able to increase the frequency of the anti-symmetrical males through artificial selection. We find no evidence that the developmental instability of anti-symmetrical males is associated with negative fitness consequences in terms of larval viability and inbreeding depression. Our study provides empirical support for the notion that developmental errors in the production of threshold traits can be the genesis for the subsequent genetic assimilation of the phenotypic novelty that is broken symmetry.
Up in the air: threats to Afromontane biodiversity from climate change and habitat loss revealed by genetic monitoring of the Ethiopian Highlands bat
<p>Whilst climate change is recognised as a major future threat to biodiversity, most species are currently threatened by extensive human-induced habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. Tropical high altitude alpine and montane forest ecosystems and their biodiversity are particularly sensitive to temperature increases under climate change, but they are also subject to accelerated pressures from land conversion and degradation due to a growing human population. We studied the combined effects of anthropogenic land-use change, past and future climate changes and mountain range isolation on the endemic Ethiopian Highlands long-eared bat, <i>Plecotus balensis</i>, an understudied bat that is restricted to the remnant natural high altitude Afroalpine and Afromontane habitats. We integrated ecological niche modelling, landscape genetics and model-based inference to assess the genetic, geographic and demographic impacts of past and recent environmental changes. We show that mountain range isolation and historic climates shaped population structure and patterns of genetic variation, but recent anthropogenic land-use change and habitat degradation are associated with a severe population decline and loss of genetic diversity. Models predict that the suitable niche of this bat has been progressively shrinking since the last glaciation period. This study highlights threats to Afroalpine and Afromontane biodiversity, squeezed to higher altitudes under climate change while losing genetic diversity and suffering population declines due to anthropogenic land-use change. We conclude that the conservation of tropical montane biodiversity requires a holistic approach, using genetic, ecological and geographic information to understand the effects of environmental changes across temporal scales and simultaneously addressing the impacts of multiple threats.</p>
Phylogeography and population genetics of pine butterflies: sky islands increase genetic divergence
<p>The sky islands of southeastern Arizona (AZ) mark a major transition zone between tropical and temperate biota and are considered a neglected biodiversity hotspot. Dispersal ability and host plant specificity are thought to impact the history and diversity of insect populations across the sky islands. We aimed to investigate the population structure and phylogeography of two pine-feeding pierid butterflies, the pine white (<i>Neophasia menapia</i>) and the Mexican pine white (<i>N. terlooii</i>), restricted to these "islands" at this transition zone. Given their dependence on pines as the larval hosts, we hypothesized that habitat connectivity affects population structure and is at least in part responsible for their allopatry. We sampled DNA from freshly collected butterflies from 17 sites in the sky islands and adjacent high-elevation habitats and sequenced these samples using ddRADSeq. Up to 15,399 SNPs were discovered and analyzed in population genetic and phylogenetic contexts with Stacks and pyRAD pipelines. Low genetic differentiation in <i>N. menapia</i> suggests that it is panmictic. Conversely, there is strong evidence for population structure within <i>N. terlooii</i>. Each sky island likely contains a population of <i>N. terlooii</i>, and clustering is hierarchical, with populations on proximal mountains being more related to each other. The <i>N. menapia</i> habitat, which is largely contiguous, facilitates panmixia, while the <i>N. terlooii</i> habitat, restricted to the higher elevations on each sky island, creates distinct population structure. Phylogenetic results corroborate those from population genetic analyses. The historical climate-driven fluxes in forest habitat connectivity have implications for understanding the biodiversity of fragmented habitats.</p>
Evaluating the genetic variation of the COI gene of Insecta: Implications for DNA barcoding, metabarcoding and species delimitation studies
<p>The genetic variation of the COI gene has a great effect on the final results of the species delimitation studies. However, little research has comprehensively investigated the genetic divergence in COI among Insecta. The fast-growing COI data in BOLD provide an opportunity for comprehensively appraising the genetic variation in COI among Insecta. We calculated the K2P distance of 64,414 insect species downloaded from BOLD. The match ratios of the clustering analysis based on different thresholds were compared among 4,288 genera (35,068 species). Besides, we also compared the match ratios obtained from two species delimitation methods: the clustering analysis (distance-based method) and the bPTP analysis (tree-based method). Furthermore, the effectiveness of two different results of the bPTP analysis: bPTP_h and bPTP_ml was also tested. Approximately one-quarter of the species of Insecta showed high intraspecific genetic variation (> 3%), and a conservative estimate of this value is 12.05-22.58%. The application of empirical thresholds (e.g., 2% and 3%) in the clustering analysis may result in the overestimation of species diversity. In metabarcoding studies, a threshold of 3% can only be used to estimate the insect diversity roughly. As for the clustering analysis, the "threshOpt" or "localMinima" algorithms can provide a priori value for the researcher. Nevertheless, if the minimum interspecific genetic distance of congeneric species was greater than or equal to 2%, it is possible to avoid overestimating the species diversity based on the empirical thresholds. Besides, the match ratios of the bPTP_ml results were higher than those of the bPTP_h results. As for the bPTP analysis, the bPTP_ml results were recommended. If a proper threshold was selected, the clustering analysis may outperform the bPTP analysis.</p>
Effects of maternal genotypic identity and genetic diversity of the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle on associated soil bacterial communities: a field-based experiment
<p>Loss of plant biodiversity can result in reduced abundance and diversity of associated species with implications for ecosystem functioning. In ecosystems low in plant species diversity, such as Neotropical mangrove forests, it is thought that genetic diversity within the dominant plant species could play an important role in shaping associated communities. Here, we used a manipulative field experiment to study the effects of maternal genotypic identity and genetic diversity of the red mangrove <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> on the composition and richness of associated soil bacterial communities. Using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) community fingerprinting, we found that bacterial community composition differed among <i>R. mangle</i> maternal genotypes but not with genetic diversity. Bacterial taxa richness, total soil nitrogen, and total soil carbon were not significantly affected by maternal genotypic identity or genetic diversity of <i>R. mangle</i>. Our findings show that genotype selection in reforestation projects could influence soil bacterial community composition. Further research is needed to determine what impact these bacterial community differences might have on ecosystem processes, such as carbon and nitrogen cycling.</p>
Predictive genetic plan for a captive population of the Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) and prescriptive action for ex situ and in situ conservation management in Thailand
<p>Captive breeding programs for endangered species can increase population numbers for eventual reintroduction to the wild. Captive populations are typically small and isolated, which results in inbreeding and reduction of genetic variability, and may lead to an increased risk of extinction. The Omkoi Wildlife Breeding Center maintains the only Thai captive Chinese goral (<i>Naemorhedus griseus</i>) population, and has plans to reintroduce individuals into natural isolated populations. Genetic variability was assessed within the captive population using microsatellite data. Although no bottleneck was observed, genetic variability was low (allelic richness = 7.091 ± 0.756, <i>H</i><sub>e</sub> = 0.455 ± 0.219; <i>H</i><sub>e</sub> < <i>H</i><sub>o</sub>) and 11 microsatellite loci were informative that likely reflect inbreeding. Estimates of small effective population size and limited numbers of founders, combined with wild-born individuals within subpopulations, tend to cause reduction of genetic variability over time in captive programs. This leads to low reproductive fitness and limited ability to adapt to environmental change, thereby increasing the risk of extinction. Management of captive populations as evolutionarily significant units with diverse genetic backgrounds offers an effective strategy for population recovery. Relocation of individuals among subpopulations, or introduction of newly captured wild individuals into the captive program will help to ensure the future security of Chinese goral. Implications for future conservation actions for the species are discussed herein.</p>
A large wild salmon stock shows genetic and life history differentiation within, but not between, rivers
<p>Anadromous salmonid fishes frequently exhibit strong geographic population structuring. However, population genetic differentiation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at fine geographic scales differs across equivalent spatial extents in different regions. So far, fine-scale genetic differentiation has not been assessed in rivers of the Baltic Sea, a region that contains an evolutionarily distinct Atlantic salmon lineage. Thus, Baltic salmon are currently managed on the river level, without focus on potential genetic structure and diversity within rivers. Here, we used microsatellites to characterize the genetic structure of wild juvenile salmon sampled throughout the interconnected, northern Baltic Tornio and Kalix Rivers. We found genetic differentiation within the two rivers, but not between them: salmon in the upper reaches differed from individuals in the lower reaches, regardless of river system. Further, examining smolts migrating from the river to the sea and adults returning from the sea to spawn, we found an association between the genetic structure and seasonal migration timing. Out-migrating smolts genetically assigned to upper river reaches were older and tended to reach the sea later in the season than smolts from the lower reaches. In contrast, mature adults originating from the upper reaches returned to the river early in the season. Our observation of genetic population structuring between downstream and upstream reaches of the large Tornio and Kalix rivers, and its association with migration timing, implies that careful temporal management of the northern Baltic fisheries would help to preserve the diversity and sustainability of the wild salmon stocks of these rivers.</p>
Plasticity and genetic basis of cichlid gill arch anatomy reveal novel roles for Hedgehog signaling
<p>Teleost gill arches are exquisitely evolved to maximize foraging efficiency, and include structures for the capture, filtering, and processing of prey. While both plasticity and a genetic basis for gill arch traits have been noted, the relative contribution of genetics and the environment in shaping these structures remains poorly understood. East African cichlids are particularly useful in this line of study due to their highly diverse and plastic feeding apparatus. Here we explore the gene-by-environmental effects on cichlid GRs by rearing pure bred species and their F<sub>3</sub> hybrids in different foraging environments. We find that anatomical differences between species are dependent on the environment. The genetic architecture of these traits is also largely distinct between foraging environments. We did, however, note a few genomic "hotspots" where multiple traits map to a common region. One of these, for GR number across multiple arches, maps to the <i>ptch1 </i>locus, a key component of the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway that has previously been implicated in cichlid oral jaw shape and plasticity. Since Hh signaling has not previously been implicated in GR development, we explored functional roles for this pathway. Using a small molecule inhibitor in cichlids, as well as zebrafish transgenic systems, we demonstrate that Hh levels negatively regulate GR number, and are both necessary and sufficient to maintain plasticity in this trait. In all these data underscore the critical importance of the environment in determining the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and provide a molecular inroad to better understand the origins of variation in this important foraging-related trait.</p>
ScienceDex guides
Understand access before you commit
These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.