scholarly journals Epigenetic Variation May Compensate for Decreased Genetic Variation with Introductions: A Case Study Using House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) on Two Continents

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron W. Schrey ◽  
Courtney A. C. Coon ◽  
Michael T. Grispo ◽  
Mohammed Awad ◽  
Titus Imboma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Epigenetic Variation ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Introduction History ◽  
Outlier Loci

Epigenetic mechanisms impact several phenotypic traits and may be important for ecology and evolution. The introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) exhibits extensive phenotypic variation among and within populations. We screened methylation in populations from Kenya and Florida to determine if methylation varied among populations, varied with introduction history (Kenyan invasion <50 years old, Florida invasion ~150 years old), and could potentially compensate for decrease genetic variation with introductions. While recent literature has speculated on the importance of epigenetic effects for biological invasions, this is the first such study among wild vertebrates. Methylation was more frequent in Nairobi, and outlier loci suggest that populations may be differentiated. Methylation diversity was similar between populations, in spite of known lower genetic diversity in Nairobi, which suggests that epigenetic variation may compensate for decreased genetic diversity as a source of phenotypic variation during introduction. Our results suggest that methylation differences may be common among house sparrows, but research is needed to discern whether methylation impacts phenotypic variation.

scholarly journals Epigenetic and genetic variation among three separate introductions of the house sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) into Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 172185 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Sheldon ◽  
A. Schrey ◽  
S. C. Andrew ◽  
A. Ragsdale ◽  
S. C. Griffith
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Invasive Species ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Genetic Differentiation ◽  
House Sparrow ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Epigenetic Variation ◽  
Population Bottlenecks ◽  
Introduction History ◽  
Founder Events

Invasive populations are often associated with low levels of genetic diversity owing to population bottlenecks at the initial stages of invasion. Despite this, the ability of invasive species to adapt rapidly in response to novel environments is well documented. Epigenetic mechanisms have recently been proposed to facilitate the success of invasive species by compensating for reduced levels of genetic variation. Here, we use methylation sensitive-amplification fragment length polymorphism and microsatellite analyses to compare levels of epigenetic and genetic diversity and differentiation across 15 sites in the introduced Australian house sparrow population. We find patterns of epigenetic and genetic differentiation that are consistent with historical descriptions of three distinct, introductions events. However unlike genetic differentiation, epigenetic differentiation was higher among sample sites than among invasion clusters, suggesting that patterns of epigenetic variation are more strongly influenced by local environmental stimuli or sequential founder events than the initial diversity in the introduction population. Interestingly, we fail to detect correlations between pairwise site comparisons of epigenetic and genetic differentiation, suggesting that some of the observed epigenetic variation has arisen independently of genetic variation. We also fail to detect the potentially compensatory relationship between epigenetic and genetic diversity that has been detected in a more recent house sparrow invasion in Africa. We discuss the potential for this relationship to be obscured by recovered genetic diversity in more established populations, and highlight the importance of incorporating introduction history into population-wide epigenetic analyses.

scholarly journals Genetic and Epigenetic Changes during the Upward Expansion of Deyeuxia angustifolia Kom. in the Alpine Tundra of the Changbai Mountains, China

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 291
Author(s):  
Biao Ni ◽  
Jian You ◽  
Jiangnan Li ◽  
Yingda Du ◽  
Wei Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Changbai Mountains ◽  
Epigenetic Variation ◽  
Geographical Distance ◽  
Mantel Tests ◽  
Epigenetic Diversity ◽  
Different Populations

Ecological adaptation plays an important role in the process of plant expansion, and genetics and epigenetics are important in the process of plant adaptation. In this study, genetic and epigenetic analyses and soil properties were performed on D. angustifolia of 17 populations, which were selected in the tundra zone on the western slope of the Changbai Mountains. Our results showed that the levels of genetic and epigenetic diversity of D. angustifolia were relatively low, and the main variation occurred among different populations (amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP): 95%, methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP): 87%). In addition, DNA methylation levels varied from 23.36% to 35.70%. Principal component analysis (PCA) results showed that soil properties of different populations were heterogeneous. Correlation analyses showed that soil moisture, pH and total nitrogen were significantly correlated with genetic diversity of D. angustifolia, and soil temperature and pH were closely related to epigenetic diversity. Simple Mantel tests and partial Mantel tests showed that genetic variation significantly correlated with habitat or geographical distance. However, the correlation between epigenetic variation and habitat or geographical distance was not significant. Our results showed that, in the case of low genetic variation and genetic diversity, epigenetic variation and DNA methylation may provide a basis for the adaptation of D. angustifolia.

scholarly journals Genotypic richness predicts phenotypic variation in an endangered clonal plant

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanna M. Evans ◽  
Elizabeth A. Sinclair ◽  
Alistair G.B. Poore ◽  
Keryn F. Bain ◽  
Adriana Vergés
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Clonal Plant ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Tissue Loss ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Case Scenario ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Genotypic Richness

Declines in genetic diversity within a species can affect the stability and functioning of populations. The conservation of genetic diversity is thus a priority, especially for threatened or endangered species. The importance of genetic variation, however, is dependent on the degree to which it translates into phenotypic variation for traits that affect individual performance and ecological processes. This is especially important for predominantly clonal species, as no single clone is likely to maximise all aspects of performance. Here we show that intraspecific genotypic diversity as measured using microsatellites is a strong predictor of phenotypic variation in morphological traits and shoot productivity of the threatened, predominantly clonal seagrassPosidonia australis, on the east coast of Australia. Biomass and surface area variation was most strongly predicted by genotypic richness, while variation in leaf chemistry (phenolics and nitrogen) was unrelated to genotypic richness. Genotypic richness did not predict tissue loss to herbivores or epiphyte load, however we did find that increased herbivore damage was positively correlated with allelic richness. Although there was no clear relationship between higher primary productivity and genotypic richness, variation in shoot productivity within a meadow was significantly greater in more genotypically diverse meadows. The proportion of phenotypic variation explained by environmental conditions varied among different genotypes, and there was generally no variation in phenotypic traits among genotypes present in the same meadows. Our results show that genotypic richness as measured through the use of presumably neutral DNA markers does covary with phenotypic variation in functionally relevant traits such as leaf morphology and shoot productivity. The remarkably long lifespan of individualPosidoniaplants suggests that plasticity within genotypes has played an important role in the longevity of the species. However, the strong link between genotypic and phenotypic variation suggests that a range of genotypes is still the best case scenario for adaptation to and recovery from predicted environmental change.

scholarly journals Epigenetic Potential in Native and Introduced Populations of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 1458-1468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haley E Hanson ◽  
Bilal Koussayer ◽  
Holly J Kilvitis ◽  
Aaron W Schrey ◽  
J Dylan Maddox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Cpg Sites ◽  
Introduced Populations ◽  
Introduced Birds ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Native Birds

Synopsis Epigenetic potential, defined as the capacity for epigenetically-mediated phenotypic plasticity, may play an important role during range expansions. During range expansions, populations may encounter relatively novel challenges while experiencing lower genetic diversity. Phenotypic plasticity via epigenetic potential might be selectively advantageous at the time of initial introduction or during spread into new areas, enabling introduced organisms to cope rapidly with novel challenges. Here, we asked whether one form of epigenetic potential (i.e., the abundance of CpG sites) in three microbial surveillance genes: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 1B (TLR1B), 2A (TLR2A), and 4 (TLR4) varied between native and introduced house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Using an opportunistic approach based on samples collected from sparrow populations around the world, we found that introduced birds had more CpG sites in TLR2A and TLR4, but not TLR1B, than native ones. Introduced birds also lost more CpG sites in TLR1B, gained more CpG sites in TLR2A, and lost fewer CpG sites in TLR4 compared to native birds. These results were not driven by differences in genetic diversity or population genetic structure, and many CpG sites fell within predicted transcription factor binding sites (TFBS), with losses and gains of CpG sites altering predicted TFBS. Although we lacked statistical power to conduct the most rigorous possible analyses, these results suggest that epigenetic potential may play a role in house sparrow range expansions, but additional work will be critical to elucidating how epigenetic potential affects gene expression and hence phenotypic plasticity at the individual, population, and species levels.

scholarly journals Comparison of the effectiveness of ISJ and SSR markers and detection of outlier loci in conservation genetics ofPulsatilla patenspopulations

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Bilska ◽  
Monika Szczecińska
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Conservation Genetics ◽  
Ssr Markers ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Mantel Test ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Functional Variation ◽  
Genetics Research ◽  
Outlier Loci

BackgroundResearch into the protection of rare and endangered plant species involves genetic analyses to determine their genetic variation and genetic structure. Various categories of genetic markers are used for this purpose. Microsatellites, also known as simple sequence repeats (SSR), are the most popular category of markers in population genetics research. In most cases, microsatellites account for a large part of the noncoding DNA and exert a neutral effect on the genome. Neutrality is a desirable feature in evaluations of genetic differences between populations, but it does not support analyses of a population’s ability to adapt to a given environment or its evolutionary potential. Despite the numerous advantages of microsatellites, non-neutral markers may supply important information in conservation genetics research. They are used to evaluate adaptation to specific environmental conditions and a population’s adaptive potential. The aim of this study was to compare the level of genetic variation inPulsatilla patenspopulations revealed by neutral SSR markers and putatively adaptive ISJ markers (intron-exon splice junction).MethodsThe experiment was conducted on 14 Polish populations ofP. patensand threeP. patenspopulations from the nearby region of Vitebsk in Belarus. A total of 345 individuals were examined. Analyses were performed with the use of eight SSR primers specific toP. patensand three ISJ primers.ResultsSSR markers revealed a higher level of genetic variation than ISJ markers (He= 0.609,He= 0.145, respectively). An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that, the overall genetic diversity between the analyzed populations defined by parametersFSTand ΦPTfor SSR (20%) and ΦPTfor ISJ (21%) markers was similar. Analysis conducted in theStructureprogram divided analyzed populations into two groups (SSR loci) and three groups (ISJ markers). Mantel test revealed correlations between the geographic distance and genetic diversity of Polish populations ofP. patensfor ISJ markers, but not for SSR markers.ConclusionsThe results of the present study suggest that ISJ markers can complement the analyses based on SSRs. However, neutral and adaptive markers should not be alternatively applied. Neutral microsatellite markers cannot depict the full range of genetic variation in a population because they do not enable to analyze functional variation. Although ISJ markers are less polymorphic, they can contribute to the reliability of analyses based on SSRs.

Assessing genetic variation for heat stress tolerance in Indian bread wheat genotypes using morpho-physiological traits and molecular markers

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 539-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Sharma ◽  
S. Sareen ◽  
M. Saini ◽  
Shefali
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Molecular Markers ◽  
Heat Tolerance ◽  
Polymorphic Information Content ◽  
Physiological Traits ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Phenotypic Data ◽  
Wheat Genotypes

AbstractHeat stress greatly limits the productivity of wheat in many regions. Knowledge on the degree of genetic diversity of wheat varieties along with their selective traits will facilitate the development of high yielding, stress-tolerant wheat cultivar. The objective of this study were to determine genetic variation in morpho-physiological traits associated with heat tolerance in 30 diverse wheat genotypes and to examine genetic diversity and relationship among the genotypes varying heat tolerance using molecular markers. Phenotypic data of 15 traits were evaluated for heat tolerance under non-stress and stress conditions for two consecutive years. A positive and significant correlation among cell membrane stability, canopy temperature depression, biomass, susceptibility index and grain yield was shown. Genetic diversity assessed by 41 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers was compared with diversity evaluated for 15 phenotypic traits averaged over stress and non-stress field conditions. The mean polymorphic information content for SSR value was 0.38 with range of 0.12–0.75. Based on morpho-physiological traits and genotypic data, three groups were obtained based on their tolerance (HHT, MHT and LHT) levels. Analysis of molecular variance explained 91.7% of the total variation could be due to variance within the heat tolerance genotypes. Genetic diversity among HHT was higher than LHT genotypes and HHT genotypes were distributed among all cluster implied that genetic basis of heat tolerance in these genotypes was different thereby enabling the wheat breeders to combine these diverse sources of genetic variation to improve heat tolerance in wheat breeding programme.

scholarly journals Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of 93 Rice Cultivars (Lines) (Oryza Sativa Xian Group) in Qinba in China by 3 Types of Genetic Markers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Yewen Wang ◽  
Peijiang Li ◽  
Yuexing Wang ◽  
Shimao Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Genetic Markers ◽  
Ssr Markers ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Indica Rice ◽  
Mantel Test ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Phenotypic Analysis

Abstract Background: The Qinba region is the transition region between Indica and Japonica varieties in China. It has a long history of Indica rice planting of more than 7000 years and is also a planting area for fine-quality Indica rice. The aims of this study are to explore different genetic markers applied to the analysis population structure, genetic diversity, selection and optimization of molecular markers of Indica rice, thus providing more information for the protection and utilization on germplasm resources of Indica rice. Methods: 15 phenotypic traits, a core set of 48 SSR markers as well as SNPs data obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS, NlaIII and MseI digestion, referred to as SNPs-NlaIII and SNPs-MseI, respectively) for this panel of 93 samples using the Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencing platform, were employed to explore the genetic diversity and population structure of 93 samples.Results: The average of coefficient of variation (CV) and diversity index (He) were 29.72% and 1.83 ranging from 3.07% to 137.43%, and from 1.45 to 2.03, respectively. The correlation coefficient between 15 phenotypic traits ranged from 0.984 to -0.604. The first four PCs accounted for 70.693% phenotypic variation based on phenotypic analysis. A total of 379 alleles were obtained using SSR markers, encompassing an average of 8.0 alleles per primer. Polymorphic bands (PPB) and polymorphism information content (PIC) was 88.65% and 0.77, respectively. The Mantel test showed that the correlation between the genetic distance matrix based on SNPs-NlaIII and SNPs-MseI was the largest (R2=0.88), and that based on 15 phenotypic traits and SSR was the smallest (R2=0.09). The 93 samples could be clustered into two subgroups by 3 types of genetic markers. Molecular variance analysis revealed that the genetic variation was 2% among populations and 98% within populations (the Nm was 0.16), Tajima’s D value was 1.66, the FST between the two populations was 0.61 based on 72,824 SNPs. Conclusions: The population genetic variation explained by SNPs was larger than that explained by SSRs. The gene flow of 93 samples used in this study was larger than that of naturally self-pollinated crops, which may be caused by long-term breeding selection of Indica rice in the Qinba region. The genetic structure of the 93 samples was simple and lacked rare alleles.

scholarly journals Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of 93 Rice Cultivars (Lines) (Oryza Sativa Xian Group) in Qinba in China By 3 Types of Genetic Markers

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Qiaoqiao He ◽  
Xixi Zhou ◽  
Yewen Wang ◽  
Peijiang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Genetic Markers ◽  
Ssr Markers ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Indica Rice ◽  
Mantel Test ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Phenotypic Analysis

Abstract Background: The Qinba region is the transition region between Indica and Japonica varieties in China. It has a long history of Indica rice planting of more than 7000 years and is also a planting area for fine-quality Indica rice. The aims of this study are to explore different genetic markers applied to the analysis population structure, genetic diversity, selection and optimization of molecular markers of Indica rice, thus providing more information for the protection and utilization on germplasm resources of Indica rice. Methods: 15 phenotypic traits, a core set of 48 SSR markers as well as SNPs data obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS, NlaIII and MseI digestion, referred to as SNPs-NlaIII and SNPs-MseI, respectively) for this panel of 93 samples using the Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencing platform, were employed to explore the genetic diversity and population structure of 93 samples.Results: The average of coefficient of variation (CV) and diversity index (He) were 29.72% and 1.83 ranging from 3.07% to 137.43%, and from 1.45 to 2.03, respectively. The correlation coefficient between 15 phenotypic traits ranged from 0.984 to -0.604. The first four PCs accounted for 70.693% phenotypic variation based on phenotypic analysis. A total of 379 alleles were obtained using SSR markers, encompassing an average of 8.0 alleles per primer. Polymorphic bands (PPB) and polymorphism information content (PIC) was 88.65% and 0.77, respectively. The Mantel test showed that the correlation between the genetic distance matrix based on SNPs-NlaIII and SNPs-MseI was the largest (R2=0.88), and that based on 15 phenotypic traits and SSR was the smallest (R2=0.09). The 93 samples could be clustered into two subgroups by 3 types of genetic markers. Molecular variance analysis revealed that the genetic variation was 2% among populations and 98% within populations (the Nm was 0.16), Tajima’s D value was 1.66, the FST between the two populations was 0.61 based on 72,824 SNPs. Conclusions: The population genetic variation explained by SNPs was larger than that explained by SSRs. The gene flow of 93 samples used in this study was larger than that of naturally self-pollinated crops, which may be caused by long-term breeding selection of Indica rice in the Qinba region. The genetic structure of the 93 samples was simple and lacked rare alleles.

Influence of Introduction History on Genetic Variation in Introduced Populations: A Case Study of Oregon Chub

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1278-1291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick W. DeHaan ◽  
Brice A. Adams ◽  
Paul D. Scheerer ◽  
Brian L. Bangs
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Introduction History ◽  
Introduced Populations

scholarly journals Expansive Phenotypic Landscape of Botrytis cinerea Shows Differential Contribution of Genetic Diversity and Plasticity

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason A. Corwin ◽  
Anushriya Subedy ◽  
Robert Eshbaugh ◽  
Daniel J. Kliebenstein
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Botrytis Cinerea ◽  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Genotypic Variation ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Phenotypic Differences ◽  
Relative Contribution

The modern evolutionary synthesis suggests that both environmental variation and genetic diversity are critical determinants of pathogen success. However, the relative contribution of these two sources of variation is not routinely measured. To estimate the relative contribution of plasticity and genetic diversity for virulence-associated phenotypes in a generalist plant pathogen, we grew a population of 15 isolates of Botrytis cinerea from throughout the world, under a variety of in vitro and in planta conditions. Under in planta conditions, phenotypic differences between the isolates were determined by the combination of genotypic variation within the pathogen and environmental variation. In contrast, phenotypic differences between the isolates under in vitro conditions were predominantly determined by genetic variation in the pathogen. Using a correlation network approach, we link the phenotypic variation under in vitro experimental conditions to phenotypic variation during plant infection. This study indicates that there is a high level of phenotypic variation within B. cinerea that is controlled by a mixture of genetic variation, environment, and genotype × environment. This argues that future experiments into the pathogenicity of B. cinerea must account for the genetic and environmental variation within the pathogen to better sample the potential phenotypic space of the pathogen.

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