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15,277 results for “GENETICS”
Data from: High genetic diversity and low population structure in Porter's sunflower (Helianthus porteri)
Granite outcrops in the southeastern United States are rare and isolated habitats that support edaphically controlled communities dominated by herbaceous plants. They harbor rare and endemic species that are expected to have low genetic variability and high population structure due to small populations sizes and their disjunct habitat. We test this expectation for an annual outcrop endemic, Helianthus porteri (Porter's sunflower). Contrary to expectation, H. porteri has relatively high genetic diversity (He = 0.681) and relatively low genetic structure among the native populations (FST = 0.077) when compared to five other Helianthus species (N = 288; 18 EST-SSR markers). These findings suggest greater gene flow than expected. The potential for gene flow is supported by the analysis of transplant populations established with propagules from a common source in 1959. One population established close to a native popualtion (1.5 km) at the edge of the natural range is genetically similar to and shares rare alleles with the adjancent native population and is distinct from the central source population. In contrast, a transplant population established north of the native range has remained similar to the source population. The relatively high genetic diversity and low population structure of this species, combined with the long term success of transplanted populations, bodes well for its persistence as long as the habitat persists.
Genetic structure in hybrids and progenitors provides insight into processes underlying an invasive cattail (Typha x glauca) hybrid zone
<p>Traditional models of hybrid zones have assumed relatively low hybrid fitness, and thus focussed more on interspecific gene flow than on hybrid dispersal. Therefore, when hybrids have high fitness and the potential for autonomous dispersal, we have limited understanding of whether hybrid dispersal or repeated local hybrid formation is more important for maintaining hybrid zones. The invasive hybrid cattail <i>Typha × glauca</i> occupies an extensive hybrid zone in northeastern North America where it is sympatric with its progenitors <i>T. latifolia</i> and <i>T. angustifolia</i>. We characterized genetic diversity and genetic structure of the three taxa across a broad spatial scale, and tested the hypothesis that the hybrid shows stronger evidence of gene flow than its progenitor species, particularly among disturbed sites (ditches) compared to established wetlands. Support for this hypothesis would suggest that dispersal, rather than repeated local formation, is more important in maintaining hybrid zones. Within each taxon, genetic differentiation among ditches was comparable to that among wetlands, although clonal richness was consistently greater in ditches suggesting more frequent seed establishment. Genetic structure across sites was more pronounced in the hybrid compared to either progenitor species. Overall, our data reflect relatively low gene flow in hybrids, and suggest that hybrids are more likely to be created <i>in situ</i> than to be introduced from other sites. Despite the high fitness of invasive <i>T. </i>× <i>glauca </i>and its potential for autonomy<i>, </i>local processes appear more important than dispersal in maintaining this hybrid zone.</p>
Data from: Genetic structure and demographic history of the endangered tree species Dysoxylum malabaricum (Meliaceae) in Western Ghats, India: implications for conservation in a biodiversity hotspot
The impact of fragmentation by human activities on genetic diversity of forest trees is an important concern in forest conservation, especially in tropical forests. Dysoxylum malabaricum (white cedar) is an economically important tree species, endemic to the Western Ghats, India, one of the world's eight most important biodiversity hotspots. As D. malabaricum is under pressure of disturbance and fragmentation together with overharvesting, conservation efforts are required in this species. In this study, range-wide genetic structure of twelve D. malabaricum populations was evaluated to assess the impact of human activities on genetic diversity and infer the species' evolutionary history, using both nuclear and chloroplast (cp) DNA simple sequence repeats (SSR). As genetic diversity and population structure did not differ among seedling, juvenile and adult age classes, reproductive success among the old-growth trees and long distance seed dispersal by hornbills were suggested to contribute to maintain genetic diversity. The fixation index (FIS) was significantly correlated with latitude, with a higher level of inbreeding in the northern populations, possibly reflecting a more severe ecosystem disturbance in those populations. Both nuclear and cpSSRs revealed northern and southern genetic groups with some discordance of their distributions; however, they did not correlate with any of the two geographic gaps known as genetic barriers to animals. Approximate Bayesian computation-based inference from nuclear SSRs suggested that population divergence occurred before the last glacial maximum. Finally we discussed the implications of these results, in particular the presence of a clear pattern of historical genetic subdivision, on conservation policies.
Data from: Genetic sex assignment in wild populations using GBS data: a statistical threshold approach
Establishing the sex of individuals in wild systems can be challenging and often requires genetic testing. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and other reduced representation DNA sequencing (RRS) protocols (e.g., RADseq, ddRAD) have enabled the analysis of genetic data on an unprecedented scale. Here, we present a novel approach for the discovery and statistical validation of sex-specific loci in GBS datasets. We used GBS to genotype 166 New Zealand fur seals (NZFS, Arctocephalus forsteri) of known sex. We retained monomorphic loci as potential sex-specific markers in the locus discovery phase. We then used (i) a sex-specific locus threshold (SSLT) to identify significantly male-specific loci within our dataset and (ii) a significant sex-assignment threshold (SSAT) to confidently assign sex in silico the presence or absence of significantly male-specific loci to individuals in our dataset treated as unknowns (98.9% accuracy for females; 95.8% for males, estimated via cross-validation). Furthermore, we assigned sex to 86 individuals of true unknown sex using our SSAT, and assessed the effect of SSLT adjustments on these assignments. From 90 verified sex-specific loci, we developed a panel of three sex-specific PCR primers that we used to ascertain sex independently of our GBS data, which we show amplify reliably in at least three other pinniped species. Using monomorphic loci normally discarded from large SNP datasets is an effective way to identify robust sex-linked markers for non-model species. Our novel pipeline can be used to identify and statistically validate monomorphic and polymorphic sex-specific markers across a range of species and RRS datasets.
Data from: Trapped within the city: Integrating demography, time since isolation and population-specific traits to assess the genetic effects of urbanization
Urbanization is a severe form of habitat fragmentation that can cause many species to be locally extirpated and many others to become trapped and isolated within an urban matrix. The role of drift in reducing genetic diversity and increasing genetic differentiation is well recognized in urban populations. However, explicit incorporation and analysis of the demographic and temporal factors promoting drift in urban environments are poorly studied. Here, we genotyped 15 microsatellites in 320 fire salamanders from the historical city of Oviedo (Est. 8th century) to assess the effects of time since isolation, demographic history (historical effective population size; Ne) and patch size on genetic diversity, population structure and contemporary Ne. Our results indicate that urban populations of fire salamanders are highly differentiated, most likely due to the recent Ne declines, as calculated in coalescence analyses, concomitant with the urban development of Oviedo. However, urbanization only caused a small loss of genetic diversity. Regression modelling showed that patch size was positively associated with contemporary Ne, while we found only moderate support for the effects of demographic history when excluding populations with unresolved history. This highlights the interplay between different factors in determining current genetic diversity and structure. Overall, the results of our study on urban populations of fire salamanders provide some of the very first insights into the mechanisms affecting changes in genetic diversity and population differentiation via drift in urban environments, a crucial subject in a world where increasing urbanization is forecasted.
Data from: Is there any evidence for rapid, genetically-based, climatic niche expansion in the invasive common ragweed?
Climatic niche shifts have been documented in a number of invasive species by comparing the native and adventive climatic ranges in which they occur. However, these shifts likely represent changes in the realized climatic niches of invasive species, and may not necessarily be driven by genetic changes in climatic affinities. Until now the role of rapid niche evolution in the spread of invasive species remains a challenging issue with conflicting results. Here, we document a likely genetically-based climatic niche expansion of an annual plant invader, the common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), a highly allergenic invasive species causing substantial public health issues. To do so, we looked for recent evolutionary change at the upward migration front of its adventive range in the French Alps. Based on species climatic niche models estimated at both global and regional scales we stratified our sampling design to adequately capture the species niche, and localized populations suspected of niche expansion. Using a combination of species niche modeling, landscape genetics models and common garden measurements, we then related the species genetic structure and its phenotypic architecture across the climatic niche. Our results strongly suggest that the common ragweed is rapidly adapting to local climatic conditions at its invasion front and that it currently expands its niche toward colder and formerly unsuitable climates in the French Alps (i.e. in sites where niche models would not predict its occurrence). Such results, showing that species climatic niches can evolve on very short time scales, have important implications for predictive models of biological invasions that do not account for evolutionary processes.
Data from: Microsatellite evidence for obligate autogamy, but abundant genetic variation in the herbaceous monocarp Lobelia inflata (Campanulaceae)
Although high levels of self-fertilization (>85%) are not uncommon in nature, organisms reproducing entirely through selfing are extremely rare. Predominant selfers are expected to have low genetic diversity because genetic variation is distributed among rather than within lineages, and is readily lost through genetic drift. We examined genetic diversity at 22 microsatellite loci in 105 individuals from a population of the semelparous herb Lobelia inflata L., and found (1) no evidence of heterozygosity through outcrossing, yet (2) high rates of genetic polymorphism (2-4 alleles per locus). Furthermore, this genetic variation among lineages was associated with phenotypic traits (e.g. flower colour, size at first flower). Coupled with previous work characterizing the fitness consequences of reproductive timing, our results suggest that temporal genotype-by-environment interaction may maintain genetic variation and, because genetic variation occurs only among lineages, this simple system offers a unique opportunity for future tests of this mechanism.
Data from: Northern range expansion of European populations of the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi is associated with global warming correlated genetic admixture and specific temperature adaptations
Poleward range expansions are observed for an increasing number of species, which may be an effect of global warming during the past decades. However, it is still not clear in how far these expansions reflect simple geographical shifts of species ranges, or whether new genetic adaptations play a role as well. Here, we analyse the expansion of the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi into Northern Europe during the last century. We have used a range-wide sampling of contemporary populations and historical specimens from museums to trace the phylogeography and genetic changes associated with the range shift. Based on the analysis of mitochondrial, microsatellite and SNP markers, we observe a higher level of genetic diversity in the expanding populations, apparently due to admixture of formerly isolated lineages. Using reciprocal transplant experiments for testing overwintering tolerance, as well as temperature preference and tolerance tests in the laboratory, we find that the invading spiders have possibly shifted their temperature niche. This may be a key adaptation for survival in Northern latitudes. The museum samples allow a reconstruction of the invasion's genetic history. A first, small-scale range shift started around 1930, in parallel with the onset of global warming. A more massive invasion of Northern Europe associated with genetic admixture and morphological changes occurred in later decades. We suggest that the latter range expansion into far Northern latitudes may be a consequence of the admixture that provided the genetic material for adaptations to new environmental regimes. Hence, global warming could have facilitated the initial admixture of populations and this resulted in genetic lineages with new habitat preferences.
Data from: Demographic expansion and genetic load of the halophyte model plant Eutrema salsugineum
Eutrema salsugineum is a widely distributed species, which provide a good model to study long-distance dispersal and accumulation of deleterious mutations. Based on population genomic data, we clarified demographic history of E. salsugineum and showed how deleterious alleles accumulated.
Data from: Echoes of a distant time: effects of historical processes on contemporary genetic patterns in Galaxias platei in Patagonia
Interpreting the genetic structure of a metapopulation as the outcome of gene flow over a variety of timescales is essential for the proper understanding of how changes in landscape affect biological connectivity. Here we contrast historical and contemporary connectivity in two metapopulations of the freshwater fish Galaxias platei in northern and southernmost Patagonia where paleolakes existed during the Holocene and Pleistocene, respectively. Contemporary gene flow was mostly high and asymmetrical in the northern system while extremely reduced in the southernmost system. Historical migration patterns were high and symmetric in the northern system and high and largely asymmetric in the southern system. Both systems showed a moderate structure with a clear pattern of isolation by distance (IBD). Effective population sizes were smaller in populations with low contemporary gene flow. An approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) approach suggests a late Holocene colonization of the lakes in the northern system and recent divergence of the populations from refugial populations from east and west of the Andes. For the southern system, the ABC approach reveals that some of the extant G. platei populations most likely derive from an ancestral population inhabiting a large Pleistocene paleolake while the rest derive from a higher-altitude lake. Our results suggest that neither historical nor contemporary processes individually fully explain the observed structure and geneflow patterns and both are necessary for a proper understanding of the factors that affect diversity and its distribution. Our study highlights the importance of a temporal perspective on connectivity to analyse the diversity of spatially complex metapopulations.
Data from: Population differentiation determined from putative neutral and divergent adaptive genetic markers in Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus, Osmeridae), an anadromous Pacific smelt.
Twelve eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus, Osmeridae) populations ranging from Cook Inlet, Alaska and along the west coast of North America to the Columbia River were examined by restriction-site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing to elucidate patterns of neutral and adaptive variation in this high geneflow species. A total of 4104 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were discovered across the genome, with 193 putatively adaptive SNPs as determined by FST outlier tests. Estimates of population structure in eulachon with the putatively adaptive SNPs were similar, but provided greater resolution of stocks compared with a putatively neutral panel of 3911 SNPs or previous estimates with 14 microsatellites. A cline of increasing measures of genetic diversity from south to north was found in the adaptive panel, but not in the neutral markers (SNPs or microsatellites). This may indicate divergent selective pressures in differing freshwater and marine environments between regional eulachon populations and that these adaptive diversity patterns not seen with neutral markers could be a consideration when determining genetic boundaries for conservation purposes. Estimates of effective population size (Ne) were similar with the neutral SNP panel and microsatellites and may be utilized to monitor population status for eulachon where census sizes are difficult to obtain. Greater differentiation with the panel of putatively adaptive SNPs provided higher individual assignment accuracy compared to the neutral panel or microsatellites for stock identification purposes. This study presents the first SNPs that have been developed for eulachon, and analyses with these markers highlighted the importance of integrating genome-wide neutral and adaptive genetic variation for the applications of conservation and management.
Data from: Population genetic analysis of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Fraser River
White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Fraser River are listed as imperiled (the second highest possible rating) by the British Columbia Conservation Data Centre. A difficulty in trying to protect this species in the Fraser River and elsewhere is the lack of knowledge regarding their population biology. Variation in the mitochondrial DNA control region and at four microsatellite loci was examined in order to characterize white sturgeon samples from throughout the Fraser River mainstem and from a major tributary, the Nechako River. Samples from the adjacent Columbia River were analyzed for comparison. In contrast to previous work, present data indicate that white sturgeon population structure in this region reflects post-glacial dispersal more than it does recent anthropogenic effects. The data divided the Fraser into four biogeographic regions: (i) the lower Fraser, below Hell's Gate; (ii) the middle Fraser, between Hell's Gate and river km 553; (iii) the upper Fraser, above the Nechako confluence; and (iv) the Nechako River. These four groups are concordant with those suggested by tag and recapture and catch per unit effort data, and are separated by what have been identified as barriers to white sturgeon migration. Based on concordance between these different types of data, it is argued that the four groups identified here merit evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) status.
Data from: Evolution of invasiveness by genetic accommodation
Invasion success of species introduced to novel environments may be facilitated by adaptive evolution and by phenotypic plasticity. Here we investigate the independent and joint contribution of both mechanisms as drivers of invasiveness in the perennial sunflower Helianthus tuberosus. We show that invasive genotypes have multiple origins, and that invasive spread was facilitated by the repeated evolution of extreme values in a single trait, clonality. In line with genetic accommodation theory, we establish that this evolutionary transition occurred by refining a preexisting plastic response of clonality to water availability. Further, we demonstrate that under the non-drought conditions typically experienced by this plant in its introduced range, invasive spread is mediated by hybrid vigor and/or two major additive-effect loci, and that these mechanisms are complementary. Thus, in H. tuberosus, evolution of invasiveness was facilitated by phenotypic plasticity, and involved the use of multiple genetic solutions to achieve the same invasiveness trait.
Data from: Linking genetic diversity and temporal fluctuations in population abundance of the introduced feral cat (Felis silvestris catus) on the Kerguelen Archipelago.
Linking temporal variations of genetic diversity, including allelic richness and heterozygosity, and spatio-temporal fluctuations in population abundance has emerged as an important tool for understanding demographic and evolutionary processes in natural populations. This so-called 'genetic monitoring' was conducted across 12 consecutive years (1996-2007) at three sites for the feral cat, introduced onto the Kerguelen Archipelago fifty years ago. Temporal changes in allelic richness and heterozygosity at 18 microsatellite DNA loci were compared to temporal changes in the adult population abundance index, obtained by typical demographic monitoring. No association was found at the island spatial scale but we observed an association between genetic diversity and adult population indices from year to year within each study site. More particularly, the magnitude of successive increases or decreases in the adult population abundance index appeared to be the major factor linking the trajectories of genetic diversity and adult population abundance indices. Natal dispersal and/or local recruitment, both facilitated by high juvenile survival when the adult population size is small, are proposed as the major demographic processes contributing to such an observed pattern. Finally, we suggested avoiding the use of the harmonic mean as an estimator of long-term population size to study the relationships between demographic fluctuations and heterozygosity in populations characterized by strong multi-annual density fluctuations.
Data from: A study on genetic variants of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) and the risk of breast cancer from North India
Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have identified Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) as a candidate gene for breast cancer with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in intron 2 region as the susceptibility loci strongly associated with the risk. However, replicate studies have often failed to extrapolate the association to diverse ethnic regions. This hints towards the existing heterogeneity among different populations, arising due to differential linkage disequilibrium (LD) structures and frequencies of SNPs within the associated regions of the genome. It is therefore important to revisit the previously linked candidates in varied population groups to unravel the extent of heterogeneity. In an attempt to investigate the role of FGFR2 polymorphisms in susceptibility to the risk of breast cancer among North Indian women, we genotyped rs2981582, rs1219648, rs2981578 and rs7895676 polymorphisms in 368 breast cancer patients and 484 healthy controls by Polymerase chain reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. We observed a statistically significant association with breast cancer risk for all the four genetic variants (P<0.05). In per-allele model for rs2981582, rs1219648, rs7895676 and in dominant model for rs2981578, association remained significant after bonferroni correction (P<0.0125). On performing stratified analysis, significant correlations with various clinicopathological as well as environmental and lifestyle characteristics were observed. It was evident that rs1219648 and rs2981578 interacted with exogenous hormone use and advanced clinical stage III (after Bonferroni correction, P<0.000694), respectively. Furthermore, combined analysis on these four loci revealed that compared to women with 0–1 risk loci, those with 2–4 risk loci had increased risk (OR = 1.645, 95%CI = 1.152–2.347, P = 0.006). In haplotype analysis, for rs2981578, rs2981582 and rs1219648, risk haplotype (GTG) was associated with a significantly increased risk compared to the common (ACA) haplotype (OR = 1.365, 95% CI = 1.086–1.717, P = 0.008). Our results suggest that intron 2 SNPs of FGFR2 may contribute to genetic susceptibility of breast cancer in North India population.
Data from: Phylogeny and biogeography of the American live oaks (Quercus subsection Virentes): a genomic and population genetics approach
The nature and timing of evolution of niche differentiation among closely related species remains an important question in ecology and evolution. The American live oak clade, Virentes, which spans the unglaciated temperate and tropical regions of North America and Mesoamerica, provides an instructive system in which to examine speciation and niche evolution. We generated a fossil-calibrated phylogeny of Virentes using RADseq data to estimate divergence times and used nuclear microsatellites, chloroplast sequences and an intron region of nitrate reductase (NIA-i3) to examine genetic diversity within species, rates of gene flow among species and ancestral population size of disjunct sister species. Transitions in functional and morphological traits associated with ecological and climatic niche axes were examined across the phylogeny. We found the Virentes to be monophyletic with three subclades, including a southwest clade, a southeastern US clade and a Central American/Cuban clade. Despite high leaf morphological variation within species and transpecific chloroplast haplotypes, RADseq and nuclear SSR data showed genetic coherence of species. We estimated a crown date for Virentes of 11 Ma and implicated the formation of the Sea of Cortés in a speciation event ~5 Ma. Tree height at maturity, associated with fire tolerance, differs among the sympatric species, while freezing tolerance appears to have diverged repeatedly across the tropical–temperate divide. Sympatric species thus show evidence of ecological niche differentiation but share climatic niches, while allopatric and parapatric species conserve ecological niches, but diverge in climatic niches. The mode of speciation and/or degree of co-occurrence may thus influence which niche axis plants diverge along.
Data from: Habitat discontinuities separate genetically divergent populations of a rocky shore marine fish
Habitat fragmentation has been suggested to be responsible for major genetic differentiations in a range of marine organisms. In this study, we combined genetic data and environmental information to unravel the relative role of geography and habitat heterogeneity on patterns of genetic population structure of corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops), a rocky shore species at the northern limit of its distribution range in Scandinavia. Our results revealed a major genetic break separating populations inhabiting the western and southern coasts of Norway. This genetic break coincides with the longest stretch of sand in the whole study area, suggesting habitat fragmentation as a major driver of genetic differentiation of this obligate rocky shore benthic fish in Scandinavia. The complex fjords systems extending along the western coast of Norway appeared responsible for further regional genetic structuring. Our findings indicate that habitat discontinuities may lead to significant genetic fragmentation over short geographical distances, even for marine species with a pelagic larval phase, as for this rocky shore fish.
Data from: Benefits of increased colonist quantity and genetic diversity for colonization depend on colonist identity
Larger numbers of colonists can be more likely to establish and spread due to the benefits provided by either more individuals (quantity) or a greater diversity of genotypes or phenotypes (genetic diversity). However, the value of higher colonist quantity or genetic diversity varies widely across studies, leaving a great deal of uncertainty in how these respective mechanisms affect colonization success. This variability is potentially driven by differences in which traits are present in respective colonist pools ('colonist identity'). Studies with high-performing colonizers (e.g. genotypes pre-adapted to the colonizing environment) may find increasing quantity or diversity to be beneficial because it increases the chance high-performers are sampled, while studies with no high-performers may find no effects of quantity or diversity. Alternatively, quantity and genetic diversity may play little to no role if the smallest populations already contain high-performing colonists because there is no scope for a sampling effect to operate. We conducted a field mesocosm experiment to determine if variability in the benefits provided by increased quantity or genetic diversity relates to colonist traits. Nine distinct genotypes of <i>Daphnia pulex</i>, characterized also by phenotype, were introduced in 'single' (one individual) or 'many' (nine individuals) introduction quantities and at 'low' (monoclonal) and 'high' (mixed genotypes) genetic diversities. We found that larger-bodied <i>D. pulex</i> genotypes benefited less from increased colonist quantity, while increasing genetic diversity tended to have a lower effect on higher growth rate genotypes. Our results show that the trait values of the colonists can determine the benefits gained when colonist quantity or genetic diversity are increased, with potential applications to future research and practical efforts to promote, or prevent, population establishment.
Data from: Single-nucleotide polymorphism discovery and validation in high-density SNP array for genetic analysis in European white oaks
An Illumina Infinium SNP genotyping array was constructed for European white oaks. Six individuals of Quercus petraea and Q. robur were considered for SNP discovery using both previously obtained Sanger sequences across 676 gene regions (1371 in vitro SNPs) and Roche 454 technology sequences from 5112 contigs (6542 putative in silico SNPs). The 7913 SNPs were genotyped across the six parental individuals, full-sib progenies (one within each species and two interspecific crosses between Q. petraea and Q. robur) and three natural populations from south-western France that included two additional interfertile white oak species (Q. pubescens and Q. pyrenaica). The genotyping success rate in mapping populations was 80.4% overall and 72.4% for polymorphic SNPs. In natural populations, these figures were lower (54.8% and 51.9%, respectively). Illumina genotype clusters with compression (shift of clusters on the normalized x-axis) were detected in ~25% of the successfully genotyped SNPs and may be due to the presence of paralogues. Compressed clusters were significantly more frequent for SNPs showing a priori incorrect Illumina genotypes, suggesting that they should be considered with caution or discarded. Altogether, these results show a high experimental error rate for the Infinium array (between 15% and 20% of SNPs potentially unreliable and 10% when excluding all compressed clusters), and recommendations are proposed when applying this type of high-throughput technique. Finally, results on diversity levels and shared polymorphisms across targeted white oaks and more distant species of the Quercus genus are discussed, and perspectives for future comparative studies are proposed.
How long is 3 kilometres for a butterfly? Ecological constraints and functional traits explain high mitochondrial genetic diversity between Sicily and the Italian Peninsula
<p>1. Populations inhabiting Mediterranean islands often show contrasting genetic lineages, even on islands that were connected to the mainland during glacial maxima. This pattern is generated by forces acting in historical and contemporary times. Understanding these phenomena requires comparative studies relating genetic structure, functional traits and dispersal constraints.</p> <p>2. Using as a model the butterfly species living across the Messina strait separating Sicily from the Italian Peninsula (3 km wide), we aimed to unravel the mechanisms limiting the dispersal of matrilines across a narrow sea strait and producing genetic differentiation. </p> <p>3. We analysed the mitochondrial COI gene of 84 butterfly species out of 90 documented in Sicily and compared them with populations from the neighbouring southern Italian Peninsula (1398 sequences) and from the entire Palearctic region (8093 sequences). For each species, we regressed 13 functional traits and two ecological constraints to dispersal (winds experienced at the strait and climatic suitability) against genetic differentiation between Sicily and Italian Peninsula to understand the factors limiting dispersal.</p> <p>4. More than a third of the species showed different haplogroups across the strait and most of them also represented endemic haplogroups for this island. One fifth of Sicilian populations (and 32.3% of endemic lineages) had their closest relatives in distant areas, instead of the neighbouring Italian Peninsula, which suggests high relictuality. Haplotype diversity was significantly explained by length of the flight period, an intrinsic phenology trait, while genetic differentiation was explained by both intrinsic traits (wingspan and degree of generalism) and contemporary local constraints (winds experienced at the strait and climatic suitability).</p> <p>5. A relatively narrow sea strait can produce considerable differentiation among butterfly matrilines and this phenomenon showed a largely deterministic fingerprint. Because of unfavourable winds, populations of the less dispersive Sicilian butterflies tended to differentiate into endemic variants or to maintain relict populations. Understanding these phenomena required the integration of DNA sequences, species traits and physical constraints for a large taxon at continental scale. Future studies may reveal if the patterns here shown for mitochondrial DNA are also reflected in the nuclear genome or, alternatively, are the product of limited female dispersal.</p>
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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.