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497 results for “stickleback”
Data from: Similarities in temperature-dependent gene expression plasticity across time-scales in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
Phenotypic plasticity occurs at a variety of time-scales, but little is known about the degree to which plastic responses at different time-scales are associated with similar underlying molecular processes, which is critical for assessing the effects of plasticity on evolutionary trajectories. To address this issue, we identified differential gene expression in response to developmental temperature in the muscle transcriptome of adult threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) exposed to 12, 18, and 24 °C until hatch and then held at 18 °C for nine months, and compared these results to differential gene expression in response to adult thermal acclimation in stickleback developed at 18 °C and then acclimated to 5 and 25 °C as adults. Adult thermal acclimation affected the expression of 7,940 and 7,015 genes in response to cold and warm acclimation, respectively, and 4,851 of these genes responded in both treatments. In contrast, the expression of only 33 and 29 genes were affected by cold and warm development, respectively. The majority of the genes affected by developmental temperature were also affected by adult acclimation temperature. Many genes that were differentially expressed as a result of adult acclimation were associated with previously identified temperature-dependent effects on DNA methylation patterns, suggesting a role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating gene expression plasticity during acclimation. Taken together, these results demonstrate similarities between the persistent effects of developmental plasticity on gene expression and the effects of adult thermal acclimation, emphasizing the potential for mechanistic links between plasticity acting at these different life stages.
Data from: High degree of genetic differentiation in marine three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
Populations of widespread marine organisms are typically characterized by a low degree of genetic differentiation in neutral genetic markers, but much less is known about differentiation in genes whose functional roles are associated with specific selection regimes. To uncover possible adaptive population divergence and heterogeneous genomic differentiation in marine three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), we used a candidate gene-based genome-scan approach to analyse variability in 138 microsatellite loci located within/close to (<6 kb) functionally important genes in samples collected from ten geographic locations. The degree of genetic differentiation in markers classified as neutral or under balancing selection—as determined with several outlier detection methods—was low (FST = 0.033 or 0.011, respectively), whereas average FST for directionally selected markers was significantly higher (FST = 0.097). Clustering analyses provided support for genomic and geographic heterogeneity in selection: six genetic clusters were identified based on allele frequency differences in the directionally selected loci, whereas four were identified with the neutral loci. Allelic variation in several loci exhibited significant associations with environmental variables, supporting the conjecture that temperature and salinity, but not optic conditions, are important drivers of adaptive divergence among populations. In general, these results suggest that in spite of the high degree of physical connectivity and gene flow as inferred from neutral marker genes, marine stickleback populations are strongly genetically structured in loci associated with functionally relevant genes.
Data from: Local adaptation to salinity in the three-spined stickleback?
Different lines of evidence suggest that the occurrence and extent of local adaptation in high gene flow marine environments – even in mobile and long-lived vertebrates with complex life cycles – may be more widespread than earlier thought. We conducted a common garden experiment to test for local adaptation to salinity in Baltic Sea sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Fish from three different native salinity regimes (high, mid and low) were subjected to three salinity treatments (high, mid and low) in a full-factorial experimental design. Irrespective of their origin, fish subjected to low (and mid) salinity treatments exhibited higher juvenile survival, grew to largest sizes and were in better condition than fish subjected to the high salinity treatment. However, a significant interaction between native and treatment salinities – resulting mainly from the poor performance of fish native to low salinity in the high salinity treatment – provided clear cut evidence for adaptation to local variation in salinity. Additional support for this inference was provided by the fact that the results concur with an earlier demonstration of significant differentiation in a number of genes with osmoregulatory functions across the same populations and that the population-specific responses to salinity treatments exceeded that to be expected by random genetic drift.
Data from: Construction of ultra-dense linkage maps with Lep-MAP2: stickleback F2 recombinant crosses as an example
High-density linkage maps are important tools for genome biology and evolutionary genetics by quantifying the extent of recombination, linkage disequilibrium and chromosomal rearrangements across chromosomes, sexes and populations. They provide one of the best ways to validate and refine de novo genome assemblies, with the power to identify errors in assemblies increasing with marker density. However, assembly of high-density linkage maps is still challenging due to software limitations. We describe Lep-MAP2, a software for ultra-dense genome-wide linkage map construction. Lep-MAP2 can handle various family structures and can account for achiasmatic meiosis to gain linkage map accuracy. Simulations show that Lep-MAP2 outperforms other available mapping software both in computational efficiency and accuracy. When applied to two large F2-generation recombinant crosses between two nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) populations, it produced two high-density (~6 markers/cM) linkage maps containing 18 691 and 20 054 SNPs. The two maps showed a high degree of synteny, but female maps were 1.5 to 2 times longer than male maps in all linkage groups, suggesting genome-wide recombination suppression in males. Comparison with the genome sequence of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) revealed a high degree of interspecific synteny with a low frequency (<5%) of interchromosomal re-arrangements. However, a fairly large (ca. 10Mb) translocation from autosome to sex chromosome was detected in both maps. These results illustrate the utility and novel features of Lep-MAP2 in assembling high-density linkage maps, and their usefulness in revealing evolutionarily interesting properties of genomes, such as strong genome-wide sex-bias in recombination rates.
Data from: Predator experience overrides learned aversion to heterospecifics in stickleback species pairs
Predation risk can alter female mating decisions because the costs of mate searching and selecting attractive mates increase when predators are present. In response to predators, females have been found to plastically adjust mate preference within species, but little is known about how predators alter sexual isolation and hybridization among species. We tested the effects of predator exposure on sexual isolation between benthic and limnetic threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus spp.). Female discrimination against heterospecific mates was measured before and after females experienced a simulated attack by a trout predator or a control exposure to a harmless object. In the absence of predators, females showed increased aversion to heterospecifics over time. We found that predator exposure made females less discriminating and precluded this learned aversion to heterospecifics. Benthic and limnetic males differ in coloration, and predator exposure also affected sexual isolation by weakening female preferences for colourful males. Predator effects on sexual selection were also tested but predators had few effects on female choosiness among conspecific mates. Our results suggest that predation risk may disrupt the cognitive processes associated with mate choice and lead to fluctuations in the strength of sexual isolation between species.
Data from: Genetic basis for variation in salinity tolerance between stickleback ecotypes
Adaptation to different salinities can drive and maintain divergence between populations of aquatic organisms. Anadromous and stream ecotypes of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) are an excellent model to explore the genetic mechanisms underlying osmoregulation divergence. Using a parapatric pair of anadromous and stream stickleback ecotypes, we employed an integrated genomic approach to identify candidate genes important for adaptation to different salinity environments. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of plasma sodium concentrations under a seawater challenge experiment identified a significant QTL on chromosome 16. To identify candidate genes within this QTL, we first conducted RNA-seq and microarray analysis on gill tissue to find ecotypic differences in gene expression that were associated with plasma Na+ levels. This resulted in the identification of ten candidate genes. Quantitative PCR analysis on gill tissue of additional Japanese stickleback populations revealed that the majority of the candidate genes showed parallel divergence in expression levels. Second, we conducted whole-genome sequencing and found five genes that are predicted to have functionally important amino acid substitutions. Finally, we conducted genome scan analysis and found that eight of these candidate genes were located in genomic islands of high differentiation, suggesting that they may be under divergent selection. The candidate genes included those involved in ATP synthesis and hormonal signalling, whose expression or amino acid changes may underlie the variation in salinity tolerance. Further functional molecular analysis of these genes will reveal the causative genetic and genomic changes underlying divergent adaptation.
Delayed early life effects in the threespine stickleback
<p><span>Early life conditions can have a decisive influence on viability later in life. Yet, the influence of embryo density within a nest or body cavity on subsequent viability has received little attention within an ecological setting. This is surprising given that embryos often compete for limited resources, such as nutrients and oxygen, and this could influence their viability later in life through carry-over and compensatory effects. We show that the density of fertilised eggs within the nests of threespine stickleback males (<em>Gasterosteus aculeatus</em>) influences their viability after hatching. Embryos from larger broods hatch earlier and at a smaller size than those from smaller broods, which reduces their survival until 4 weeks age. This indicates a trade-off between the number and viability of offspring that males can raise to the hatching stage, which could explain the high incidence of partial egg cannibalism in nest-brooding fishes - as a strategy to improve the survival of remaining offspring. These results highlight the importance of considering conditions at the embryonic stage when evaluating the impact of early life conditions on viability and the adaptive value of reproductive decisions</span></p>
Seasonal (2017-2018) diet of pelagic whitefish and sticklebacks in Upper Lake Constance
<p>From April 2017 to May 2018, fishing with gillnets and trawling, as well as zooplankton sampling was performed on monthly basis in the pelagic zone of Upper Lake Constance, Germany. Datasets contain information about the seasonal density of zooplankton species, as well as whitefish' and sticklebacks' seasonal diet.</p>
Measuring egestion, excretion, fecal leaching, and foregut-hindgut %P in threespine stickleback
<p><span>Most aquatic research on animal waste production evaluates excretion and not egestion, as it is difficult both to collect feces and to accurately analyze its nutrient content. This limits our understanding of how individuals process their dietary nutrients and how animal waste production impacts ecosystems. In this study, we systematically analyzed whether incubation experiments effectively quantify egestion (at high and low temperatures), estimated fecal phosphorus (P) leaching, and evaluated foregut-hindgut analyses as a complementary method. Incubations were superficially effective but were flawed. Although 82% of fish in high temperature incubations and 75% of fish in low temperature incubations egested in 24h, a minority of fish cleared their guts (38% at high temperatures and 6% at low temperatures), making analyzing full nutrient input and output impossible. Furthermore, feces leached P rapidly and variably; a field population's and an experimental population's feces leached 41% and 75% of their initial P respectively. This suggests that previous egestion research that does not measure leaching underestimates fecal nutrient content. Foregut-hindgut analyses are unaffected by leaching and so effectively complemented incubations. These analyses provided enough hindgut material to estimate fecal %P and allowed us to estimate both dietary nutrient intake (when unknown) and the relative quantity of P in the diet and in the feces. Overall, we suggest that future researchers combine incubations and foregut-hindgut analyses to estimate aquatic animal waste production. </span></p>
Supplementary material 2 from: Dahms C, Roch S, Elmer KR, Ros A, Brinker A, Jacobs A (2024) Intra-lake origin and rapid expansion of invasive pelagic three-spined stickleback in Lake Constance. NeoBiota 92: 259-280. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.92.117430
Sample information
Supplementary material 1 from: Dahms C, Roch S, Elmer KR, Ros A, Brinker A, Jacobs A (2024) Intra-lake origin and rapid expansion of invasive pelagic three-spined stickleback in Lake Constance. NeoBiota 92: 259-280. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.92.117430
Supplementary methods and results
Figure 3. Quarry B in Geology, microstratigraphy, and paleontology of Truckee Formation lacustrine diatomite deposits near Hazen, Nevada, USA, with emphasis on fossil stickleback fish
Figure 3. Quarry B, facing north-northeast and showing dark layers of volcanic ashes in the upper portion of the stratigraphy. Photograph taken by MAB.
Figure 2 in Geology, microstratigraphy, and paleontology of Truckee Formation lacustrine diatomite deposits near Hazen, Nevada, USA, with emphasis on fossil stickleback fish
Figure 2.: Weathered landscape in Quarry D, facing south-southeast. The light surface is entirely weathered diatomite. The dark colored hill is the background is approximately 300 meters distant. Photograph taken by JNC.
Fig. 1 in Modelling sympatric speciation by means of biologically plausible mechanistic processes as exemplified by threespine stickleback species pairs
Fig. 1 Flow diagram of the individual based genetic algorithm
Data from: Convergent evolution as a generator of phenotypic diversity in threespine stickleback
Convergent evolution, in which populations produce similar phenotypes in response to similar selection pressure, is strong evidence for the role of natural selection in shaping biological diversity. In some cases, closely related populations can produce functionally similar but phenotypically divergence forms in response to selection. Functional convergence with morphological divergence has been observed in laboratory selection experiments and computer simulations, but while potentially common, is rarely recognized in nature. Here, we present data from the North Pacific threespine stickleback radiation showing that ecologically and functionally similar, but morphologically divergent phenotypes rapidly evolved when an ancestral population colonized freshwater benthic habitats in parallel. Additionally, we show that in this system, functional convergence substantially increases morphospace occupation relative to ancestral phenotypes, which suggests that convergent evolution may, paradoxically, be an important and previously underappreciated source of morphological diversity.
FIGURE 7 in A new species of nine-spined stickleback, Pungitius modestus (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae), from northern Honshu, Japan
FIGURE 7. Syntypes of Gasterosteus stenurus Kessler, 1876, ZIN 2471, 46–55 mm SL.
FIGURE 6 in A new species of nine-spined stickleback, Pungitius modestus (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae), from northern Honshu, Japan
FIGURE 6. Syntypes of Gasterosteus sinensis Guichenot, 1869, MNHN 0000-5228, 21–26 mm SL.
FIGURE 1 in A new species of nine-spined stickleback, Pungitius modestus (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae), from northern Honshu, Japan
FIGURE 1. Map showing the type locality (solid circle) of Pungitius modestus, sp. nov.
A behavioral syndrome linking boldness and flexibility facilitates invasion success in sticklebacks
<p>Understanding the factors that allow a species to expand their range and adapt to changing habitats is essential for mitigating anthropogenic change. We evaluated how behavior and cognition facilitate colonization of new environments and evolve post establishment during natural biological invasions. Marine threespined sticklebacks are expert colonists with a penchant for invading freshwater environments and rapidly adapting to them. However, the role of behavior in facilitating rapid adaptation in this system has received little attention. By rearing replicate populations of sticklebacks under common garden conditions in the lab, we tested the hypothesis that boldness is favored in dispersers and that neophilia and flexibility are favored in recently-arrived immigrants. We found that dispersing populations comprised bold individuals, while sticklebacks from the invaded region were flexible in their behavior. Moreover, boldness and flexibility were negatively correlated with each another at the individual, family and population levels. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that there is a heritable component to boldness and flexibility, therefore their divergence is likely to be evolutionary in origin. If boldness is favored in invaders during the initial dispersal stage, while flexibility is favored in recent immigrants during the establishment stage, then the link between boldness and flexibility could generate positive correlations between successes during both the dispersal and establishment stages, and therefore play a key role in facilitating colonization success in this important model organism.</p>
Supplementary material 1 from: Gugele SM, Baer J, Spießl C, Yohannes E, Blumenshine S, Roberts BJ, Mota-Ferreira MR, Brinker A (2023) Stable isotope values and trophic analysis of invasive three-spined stickleback in Upper Lake Constance points to significant piscivory. NeoBiota 87: 73-102. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.87.100355
Supplementary information
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