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Peralta DM, Túnez JI, Rodríguez Cruz UE, Ceballos SG. A rapid approach for sex assignment by RAD-seq using a reference genome. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297987. [PMID: 38578816 PMCID: PMC10997085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex identification is a common objective in molecular ecology. While many vertebrates display sexual dimorphism, determining the sex can be challenging in certain situations, such as species lacking clear sex-related phenotypic characteristics or in studies using non-invasive methods. In these cases, DNA analyses serve as valuable tools not only for sex determination but also for validating sex assignment based on phenotypic traits. In this study, we developed a bioinformatic framework for sex assignment using genomic data obtained through GBS, and having an available closely related genome assembled at the chromosome level. Our method consists of two ad hoc indexes that rely on the different properties of the mammalian heteromorphic sex chromosomes. For this purpose, we mapped RAD-seq loci to a reference genome and then obtained missingness and coverage depth values for the autosomes and X and Y chromosomes of each individual. Our methodology successfully determined the sex of 165 fur seals that had been phenotypically sexed in a previous study and 40 sea lions sampled in a non-invasive way. Additionally, we evaluated the accuracy of each index in sequences with varying average coverage depths, with Index Y proving greater reliability and robustness in assigning sex to individuals with low-depth coverage. We believe that the approach presented here can be extended to any animal taxa with known heteromorphic XY/ZW sex chromosome systems and that it can tolerate various qualities of GBS sequencing data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M. Peralta
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable (INEDES-CONICET-UNLu-CIC), Luján, Argentina
- Departamento de Ecología de la Diversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Juan I. Túnez
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable (INEDES-CONICET-UNLu-CIC), Luján, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, Argentina
| | - Ulises E. Rodríguez Cruz
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Santiago G. Ceballos
- Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Argentina
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Ushuaia, Argentina
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2
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Zeng Y, Zheng H, He C, Zhang C, Zhang H, Zheng H. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of Dmrt gene family and their role in gonad development of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 269:110904. [PMID: 37751789 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2023.110904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Doublesex and Mab-3-related transcription factor (Dmrt) is a type of transcription factor with a zinc-finger DM structural domain, which plays a significant role in sex determination and differentiation in animals. Although Dmrt has been reported in many vertebrates and invertebrates, it has rarely been studied in bivalves. In this study, a total of three members of the Dmrt gene family were identified and characterized in Crassostrea gigas, and all these CgDmrt genes contained a conserved DM domain. Analysis of the phylogenetic tree and gene structure revealed that Dmrt genes clustered on one branch may have similar functions in bivalves. Expression profiling of CgDmrt mRNA in different tissues and stages of gonad development indicated that CgDmrt3 exhibited sexually dimorphic expression and played an important role in the development of the male gonad in C. gigas. Furthermore, analysis of CgDmrt mRNA expression between fertile triploids and sterile triploids showed that CgDmrt3 may be involved in sperm production. Collectively, the systematic analysis of the CgDmrt genes will provide potential insights into the function of these genes in gonadal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yetao Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Haiqian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Cheng He
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Chuanxu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Hongkuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China.
| | - Huaiping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China.
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3
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XY sex determination in a cnidarian. BMC Biol 2023; 21:32. [PMID: 36782149 PMCID: PMC9926710 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01532-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex determination occurs across animal species, but most of our knowledge about its mechanisms comes from only a handful of bilaterian taxa. This limits our ability to infer the evolutionary history of sex determination within animals. RESULTS In this study, we generated a linkage map of the genome of the colonial cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus and used it to demonstrate that this species has an XX/XY sex determination system. We demonstrate that the X and Y chromosomes have pseudoautosomal and non-recombining regions. We then use the linkage map and a method based on the depth of sequencing coverage to identify genes encoded in the non-recombining region and show that many of them have male gonad-specific expression. In addition, we demonstrate that recombination rates are enhanced in the female genome and that the haploid chromosome number in Hydractinia is n = 15. CONCLUSIONS These findings establish Hydractinia as a tractable non-bilaterian model system for the study of sex determination and the evolution of sex chromosomes.
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4
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Vacarizas J, Taguchi T, Mezaki T, Manalili SE, Kawakami R, Kubota S. Cytogenetic evidence and dmrt linkage indicate male heterogamety in a non-bilaterian animal. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285851. [PMID: 37200254 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The diversity of sex determination systems in animals suggests that sex chromosomes evolve independently across different lineages. However, the present data on these systems is largely limited and represented mainly by bilaterian animals. Sex chromosomes and sex determination system based on cytogenetic evidence remain a mystery among non-bilaterians, the most basal animals. Here, we investigated the sex determination system of a non-bilaterian (Goniopora djiboutiensis) based on karyotypic analysis and identification of locus of dmrt1, a known master sex-determining gene in many animals. Results showed that among the three isolated dmrt genes, GddmrtC was sperm-linked. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that 47% of the observed metaphase cells contained the GddmrtC locus on the shorter chromosome of the heteromorphic pair, whereas the other 53% contained no GddmrtC locus and pairing of the longer chromosome of the heteromorphic pair was observed. These findings provided the cytogenetic evidence for the existence of the Y sex chromosome in a non-bilaterian animal and supports male heterogamety as previously reported in other non-bilaterian species using RAD sequencing. The Y chromosome-specific GddmrtC sequence was most homologous to the vertebrate dmrt1, which is known for its role in male sex determination and differentiation. Our result on identification of putative sex chromosomes for G. djiboutiensis may contribute into understanding of the possible genetic sex determination systems in non-bilaterian animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Vacarizas
- Kuroshio Science Program, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Takahiro Taguchi
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, Kochi Gakuen University, Asahitenjin-Cho, Kochi, Japan
| | - Takuma Mezaki
- Kuroshio Biological Research Foundation, Otsuki, Hata County, Kochi, Japan
| | - Sam Edward Manalili
- Agriculture and Marine Science Program, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Rei Kawakami
- Agriculture and Marine Science Program, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kubota
- Kuroshio Science Unit, Multidisciplinary Science Cluster, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
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5
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Species and population genomic differentiation in Pocillopora corals (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia). Genetica 2022; 150:247-262. [PMID: 36083388 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-022-00165-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Correctly delimiting species and populations is a prerequisite for studies of connectivity, adaptation and conservation. Genomic data are particularly useful to test species differentiation for organisms with few informative morphological characters or low discrimination of cytoplasmic markers, as in Scleractinians. Here we applied Restriction site Associated DNA sequencing (RAD-sequencing) to the study of species differentiation and genetic structure in populations of Pocillopora spp. from Oman and French Polynesia, with the objectives to test species hypotheses, and to study the genetic structure among sampling sites within species. We focused here on coral colonies morphologically similar to P. acuta (damicornis type β). We tested the impact of different filtering strategies on the stability of the results. The main genetic differentiation was observed between samples from Oman and French Polynesia. These samples corresponded to different previously defined primary species hypotheses (PSH), i.e., PSHs 12 and 13 in Oman, and PSH 5 in French Polynesia. In Oman, we did not observe any clear differentiation between the two putative species PSH 12 and 13, nor between sampling sites. In French Polynesia, where a single species hypothesis was studied, there was no differentiation between sites. Our analyses allowed the identification of clonal lineages in Oman and French Polynesia. The impact of clonality on genetic diversity is discussed in light of individual-based simulations.
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6
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Ramos L, Antunes A. Decoding sex: Elucidating sex determination and how high-quality genome assemblies are untangling the evolutionary dynamics of sex chromosomes. Genomics 2022; 114:110277. [PMID: 35104609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is a diverse and widespread process. In gonochoristic species, the differentiation of sexes occurs through diverse mechanisms, influenced by environmental and genetic factors. In most vertebrates, a master-switch gene is responsible for triggering a sex determination network. However, only a few genes have acquired master-switch functions, and this process is associated with the evolution of sex-chromosomes, which have a significant influence in evolution. Additionally, their highly repetitive regions impose challenges for high-quality sequencing, even using high-throughput, state-of-the-art techniques. Here, we review the mechanisms involved in sex determination and their role in the evolution of species, particularly vertebrates, focusing on sex chromosomes and the challenges involved in sequencing these genomic elements. We also address the improvements provided by the growth of sequencing projects, by generating a massive number of near-gapless, telomere-to-telomere, chromosome-level, phased assemblies, increasing the number and quality of sex-chromosome sequences available for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Ramos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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7
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Picard MAL, Vicoso B, Bertrand S, Escriva H. Diversity of Modes of Reproduction and Sex Determination Systems in Invertebrates, and the Putative Contribution of Genetic Conflict. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1136. [PMID: 34440310 PMCID: PMC8391622 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
About eight million animal species are estimated to live on Earth, and all except those belonging to one subphylum are invertebrates. Invertebrates are incredibly diverse in their morphologies, life histories, and in the range of the ecological niches that they occupy. A great variety of modes of reproduction and sex determination systems is also observed among them, and their mosaic-distribution across the phylogeny shows that transitions between them occur frequently and rapidly. Genetic conflict in its various forms is a long-standing theory to explain what drives those evolutionary transitions. Here, we review (1) the different modes of reproduction among invertebrate species, highlighting sexual reproduction as the probable ancestral state; (2) the paradoxical diversity of sex determination systems; (3) the different types of genetic conflicts that could drive the evolution of such different systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Anne Lise Picard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France; (S.B.); (H.E.)
| | - Beatriz Vicoso
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria;
| | - Stéphanie Bertrand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France; (S.B.); (H.E.)
| | - Hector Escriva
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France; (S.B.); (H.E.)
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8
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Cytogenetic markers using single-sequence probes reveal chromosomal locations of tandemly repetitive genes in scleractinian coral Acropora pruinosa. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11326. [PMID: 34059722 PMCID: PMC8167085 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90580-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The short and similar sized chromosomes of Acropora pose a challenge for karyotyping. Conventional methods, such as staining of heterochromatic regions, provide unclear banding patterns that hamper identification of such chromosomes. In this study, we used short single-sequence probes from tandemly repetitive 5S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and core histone coding sequences to identify specific chromosomes of Acropora pruinosa. Both the probes produced intense signals in fluorescence in situ hybridization, which distinguished chromosome pairs. The locus of the 5S rDNA probe was on chromosome 5, whereas that of core histone probe was on chromosome 8. The sequence of the 5S rDNA probe was composed largely of U1 and U2 spliceosomal small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes and their interspacers, flanked by short sequences of the 5S rDNA. This is the first report of a tandemly repetitive linkage of snRNA and 5S rDNA sequences in Cnidaria. Based on the constructed tentative karyogram and whole genome hybridization, the longest chromosome pair (chromosome 1) was heteromorphic. The probes also hybridized effectively with chromosomes of other Acropora species and population, revealing an additional core histone gene locus. We demonstrated the applicability of short-sequence probes as chromosomal markers with potential for use across populations and species of Acropora.
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9
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Feron R, Pan Q, Wen M, Imarazene B, Jouanno E, Anderson J, Herpin A, Journot L, Parrinello H, Klopp C, Kottler VA, Roco AS, Du K, Kneitz S, Adolfi M, Wilson CA, McCluskey B, Amores A, Desvignes T, Goetz FW, Takanashi A, Kawaguchi M, Detrich HW, Oliveira MA, Nóbrega RH, Sakamoto T, Nakamoto M, Wargelius A, Karlsen Ø, Wang Z, Stöck M, Waterhouse RM, Braasch I, Postlethwait JH, Schartl M, Guiguen Y. RADSex: A computational workflow to study sex determination using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing data. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 21:1715-1731. [PMID: 33590960 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The study of sex determination and sex chromosome organization in nonmodel species has long been technically challenging, but new sequencing methodologies now enable precise and high-throughput identification of sex-specific genomic sequences. In particular, restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) is being extensively applied to explore sex determination systems in many plant and animal species. However, software specifically designed to search for and visualize sex-biased markers using RAD-Seq data is lacking. Here, we present RADSex, a computational analysis workflow designed to study the genetic basis of sex determination using RAD-Seq data. RADSex is simple to use, requires few computational resources, makes no prior assumptions about the type of sex-determination system or structure of the sex locus, and offers convenient visualization through a dedicated R package. To demonstrate the functionality of RADSex, we re-analysed a published data set of Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes, where we uncovered a previously unknown Y chromosome polymorphism. We then used RADSex to analyse new RAD-Seq data sets from 15 fish species spanning multiple taxonomic orders. We identified the sex determination system and sex-specific markers in six of these species, five of which had no known sex-markers prior to this study. We show that RADSex greatly facilitates the study of sex determination systems in nonmodel species thanks to its speed of analyses, low resource usage, ease of application and visualization options. Furthermore, our analysis of new data sets from 15 species provides new insights on sex determination in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Feron
- INRAE, LPGP, Rennes, France.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Qiaowei Pan
- INRAE, LPGP, Rennes, France.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ming Wen
- INRAE, LPGP, Rennes, France.,State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | | | | | - Jennifer Anderson
- INRAE, LPGP, Rennes, France.,Department of Organismal Biology, Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Laurent Journot
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, IGF, CNRS, INSERM, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hugues Parrinello
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, IGF, CNRS, INSERM, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe Klopp
- SIGENAE, Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées de Toulouse, INRAE, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Verena A Kottler
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alvaro S Roco
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Kang Du
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA.,Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Kneitz
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Mateus Adolfi
- Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Angel Amores
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Thomas Desvignes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Frederick W Goetz
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ato Takanashi
- Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mari Kawaguchi
- Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Harry William Detrich
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA
| | - Marcos A Oliveira
- Reproductive and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Rafael H Nóbrega
- Reproductive and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Takashi Sakamoto
- Department of Aquatic Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Nakamoto
- Department of Aquatic Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Zhongwei Wang
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Matthias Stöck
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, IGB, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Manfred Schartl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA.,Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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10
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Miklós M, Laczkó L, Sramkó G, Sebestyén F, Barta Z, Tökölyi J. Phenotypic plasticity rather than genotype drives reproductive choices in Hydra populations. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1206-1222. [PMID: 33465828 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Facultative clonality is associated with complex life cycles where sexual and asexual forms can be exposed to contrasting selection pressures. Facultatively clonal animals often have distinct developmental capabilities that depend on reproductive mode (e.g., negligible senescence and exceptional regeneration ability in asexual individuals, which are lacking in sexual individuals). Understanding how these differences in life history strategies evolved is hampered by limited knowledge of the population structure underlying sexual and asexual forms in nature. Here we studied genetic differentiation of coexisting sexual and asexual Hydra oligactis polyps, a freshwater cnidarian where reproductive mode-dependent life history patterns are observed. We collected asexual and sexual polyps from 13 Central European water bodies and used restriction-site associated DNA sequencing to infer population structure. We detected high relatedness among populations and signs that hydras might spread with resting eggs through zoochory. We found no genetic structure with respect to mode of reproduction (asexual vs. sexual). On the other hand, clear evidence was found for phenotypic plasticity in mode of reproduction, as polyps inferred to be clones differed in reproductive mode. Moreover, we detected two cases of apparent sex change (males and females found within the same clonal lineages) in this species with supposedly stable sexes. Our study describes population genetic structure in Hydra for the first time, highlights the role of phenotypic plasticity in generating patterns of life history variation, and contributes to understanding the evolution of reproductive mode-dependent life history variation in coexisting asexual and sexual forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Miklós
- MTA-DE Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Levente Laczkó
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,MTA-DE "Lendület" Evolutionary Phylogenomics Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary.,Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Sramkó
- MTA-DE "Lendület" Evolutionary Phylogenomics Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary.,Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Flóra Sebestyén
- MTA-DE Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Barta
- MTA-DE Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Jácint Tökölyi
- MTA-DE Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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