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Helm B, Liedvogel M. Avian migration clocks in a changing world. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:691-716. [PMID: 38305877 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01688-w] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Avian long-distance migration requires refined programming to orchestrate the birds' movements on annual temporal and continental spatial scales. Programming is particularly important as long-distance movements typically anticipate future environmental conditions. Hence, migration has long been of particular interest in chronobiology. Captivity studies using a proxy, the shift to nocturnality during migration seasons (i.e., migratory restlessness), have revealed circannual and circadian regulation, as well as an innate sense of direction. Thanks to rapid development of tracking technology, detailed information from free-flying birds, including annual-cycle data and actograms, now allows relating this mechanistic background to behaviour in the wild. Likewise, genomic approaches begin to unravel the many physiological pathways that contribute to migration. Despite these advances, it is still unclear how migration programmes are integrated with specific environmental conditions experienced during the journey. Such knowledge is imminently important as temporal environments undergo rapid anthropogenic modification. Migratory birds as a group are not dealing well with the changes, yet some species show remarkable adjustments at behavioural and genetic levels. Integrated research programmes and interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to understand the range of responses of migratory birds to environmental change, and more broadly, the functioning of timing programmes under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Helm
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Bird Migration Unit, Seerose 1, CH-6204, Sempach, Schweiz.
| | - Miriam Liedvogel
- Institute of Avian Research, An Der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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2
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Yang J, Wang DF, Huang JH, Zhu QH, Luo LY, Lu R, Xie XL, Salehian-Dehkordi H, Esmailizadeh A, Liu GE, Li MH. Structural variant landscapes reveal convergent signatures of evolution in sheep and goats. Genome Biol 2024; 25:148. [PMID: 38845023 PMCID: PMC11155191 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03288-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sheep and goats have undergone domestication and improvement to produce similar phenotypes, which have been greatly impacted by structural variants (SVs). Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of Asiatic mouflon, and implement a comprehensive analysis of SVs in 897 genomes of worldwide wild and domestic populations of sheep and goats to reveal genetic signatures underlying convergent evolution. RESULTS We characterize the SV landscapes in terms of genetic diversity, chromosomal distribution and their links with genes, QTLs and transposable elements, and examine their impacts on regulatory elements. We identify several novel SVs and annotate corresponding genes (e.g., BMPR1B, BMPR2, RALYL, COL21A1, and LRP1B) associated with important production traits such as fertility, meat and milk production, and wool/hair fineness. We detect signatures of selection involving the parallel evolution of orthologous SV-associated genes during domestication, local environmental adaptation, and improvement. In particular, we find that fecundity traits experienced convergent selection targeting the gene BMPR1B, with the DEL00067921 deletion explaining ~10.4% of the phenotypic variation observed in goats. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide new insights into the convergent evolution of SVs and serve as a rich resource for the future improvement of sheep, goats, and related livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dong-Feng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jia-Hui Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiang-Hui Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ling-Yun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ran Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xing-Long Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hosein Salehian-Dehkordi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ali Esmailizadeh
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, 76169-133, Iran
| | - George E Liu
- Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, BARC, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Meng-Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Saatoglu D, Lundregan SL, Fetterplace E, Goedert D, Husby A, Niskanen AK, Muff S, Jensen H. The genetic basis of dispersal in a vertebrate metapopulation. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17295. [PMID: 38396362 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Dispersal affects evolutionary processes by changing population size and genetic composition, influencing the viability and persistence of populations. Investigating which mechanisms underlie variation in dispersal phenotypes and whether populations harbour adaptive potential for dispersal is crucial to understanding the eco-evolutionary dynamics of this important trait. Here, we investigate the genetic architecture of dispersal among successfully recruited individuals in an insular metapopulation of house sparrows. We use an extensive long-term individual-based ecological data set and high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes for over 2500 individuals. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS), and found a relationship between dispersal probability and a SNP located near genes known to regulate circadian rhythm, glycogenesis and exercise performance, among other functions. However, this SNP only explained 3.8% of variance, suggesting that dispersal is a polygenic trait. We then used an animal model to estimate heritable genetic variation (σA 2 ), which composes 10% of the total variation in dispersal probability. Finally, we investigated differences in σA 2 across populations occupying ecologically relevant habitat types (farm vs. non-farm) using a genetic groups animal model. We found different adaptive potentials across habitats, with higher mean breeding value, σA 2 , and heritability for the habitat presenting lower dispersal rates, suggesting also different roles of environmental variation. Our results suggest a complex genetic architecture of dispersal and demonstrate that adaptive potential may be environment dependent in key eco-evolutionary traits. The eco-evolutionary implications of such environment dependence and consequent spatial variation are likely to become ever more important with the increased fragmentation and loss of suitable habitats for many natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilan Saatoglu
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sarah L Lundregan
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Evelyn Fetterplace
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Debora Goedert
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Arild Husby
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Evolutionary Biology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alina K Niskanen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Stefanie Muff
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Barr K, Bossu CM, Bay RA, Anderson EC, Belthoff J, Trulio LA, Chromczak D, Wisinski CL, Smith TB, Ruegg KC. Genetic and environmental drivers of migratory behavior in western burrowing owls and implications for conservation and management. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1889-1900. [PMID: 38143900 PMCID: PMC10739168 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Migration is driven by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, but many questions remain about those drivers. Potential interactions between genetic and environmental variants associated with different migratory phenotypes are rarely the focus of study. We pair low coverage whole genome resequencing with a de novo genome assembly to examine population structure, inbreeding, and the environmental factors associated with genetic differentiation between migratory and resident breeding phenotypes in a species of conservation concern, the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). Our analyses reveal a dichotomy in gene flow depending on whether the population is resident or migratory, with the former being genetically structured and the latter exhibiting no signs of structure. Among resident populations, we observed significantly higher genetic differentiation, significant isolation-by-distance, and significantly elevated inbreeding. Among migratory breeding groups, on the other hand, we observed lower genetic differentiation, no isolation-by-distance, and substantially lower inbreeding. Using genotype-environment association analysis, we find significant evidence for relationships between migratory phenotypes (i.e., migrant versus resident) and environmental variation associated with cold temperatures during the winter and barren, open habitats. In the regions of the genome most differentiated between migrants and residents, we find significant enrichment for genes associated with the metabolism of fats. This may be linked to the increased pressure on migrants to process and store fats more efficiently in preparation for and during migration. Our results provide a significant contribution toward understanding the evolution of migratory behavior and vital insight into ongoing conservation and management efforts for the western burrowing owl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Barr
- Center for Tropical ResearchInstitute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Christen M. Bossu
- Department of BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Rachael A. Bay
- Department of Evolution and EcologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Eric C. Anderson
- Fisheries Ecology Division, Southwest Fisheries Science CenterNational Marine Fisheries ServiceSanta CruzCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Jim Belthoff
- Raptor Research Center and Department of Biological SciencesBoise State UniversityBoiseIdahoUSA
| | - Lynne A. Trulio
- Department of Environmental StudiesSan José State UniversitySan JoseCaliforniaUSA
| | - Debra Chromczak
- Burrowing Owl Researcher & ConsultantRiegelsvillePennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Thomas B. Smith
- Center for Tropical ResearchInstitute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kristen C. Ruegg
- Department of BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
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Le Clercq LS, Bazzi G, Cecere JG, Gianfranceschi L, Grobler JP, Kotzé A, Rubolini D, Liedvogel M, Dalton DL. Time trees and clock genes: a systematic review and comparative analysis of contemporary avian migration genetics. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1051-1080. [PMID: 36879518 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Timing is a crucial aspect for survival and reproduction in seasonal environments leading to carefully scheduled annual programs of migration in many species. But what are the exact mechanisms through which birds (class: Aves) can keep track of time, anticipate seasonal changes, and adapt their behaviour? One proposed mechanism regulating annual behaviour is the circadian clock, controlled by a highly conserved set of genes, collectively called 'clock genes' which are well established in controlling the daily rhythmicity of physiology and behaviour. Due to diverse migration patterns observed within and among species, in a seemingly endogenously programmed manner, the field of migration genetics has sought and tested several candidate genes within the clock circuitry that may underlie the observed differences in breeding and migration behaviour. Among others, length polymorphisms within genes such as Clock and Adcyap1 have been hypothesised to play a putative role, although association and fitness studies in various species have yielded mixed results. To contextualise the existing body of data, here we conducted a systematic review of all published studies relating polymorphisms in clock genes to seasonality in a phylogenetically and taxonomically informed manner. This was complemented by a standardised comparative re-analysis of candidate gene polymorphisms of 76 bird species, of which 58 are migrants and 18 are residents, along with population genetics analyses for 40 species with available allele data. We tested genetic diversity estimates, used Mantel tests for spatial genetic analyses, and evaluated relationships between candidate gene allele length and population averages for geographic range (breeding- and non-breeding latitude), migration distance, timing of migration, taxonomic relationships, and divergence times. Our combined analysis provided evidence (i) of a putative association between Clock gene variation and autumn migration as well as a putative association between Adcyap1 gene variation and spring migration in migratory species; (ii) that these candidate genes are not diagnostic markers to distinguish migratory from sedentary birds; and (iii) of correlated variability in both genes with divergence time, potentially reflecting ancestrally inherited genotypes rather than contemporary changes driven by selection. These findings highlight a tentative association between these candidate genes and migration attributes as well as genetic constraints on evolutionary adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis-Stéphane Le Clercq
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, P.O. Box 754, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Gaia Bazzi
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, via Ca' Fornacetta 9, Ozzano Emilia (BO), I-40064, Italy
| | - Jacopo G Cecere
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, via Ca' Fornacetta 9, Ozzano Emilia (BO), I-40064, Italy
| | - Luca Gianfranceschi
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, Milan, I-20133, Italy
| | - Johannes Paul Grobler
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Antoinette Kotzé
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, P.O. Box 754, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, Milan, I-20133, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IRSA-CNR, Via del Mulino 19, Brugherio (MB), I-20861, Italy
| | - Miriam Liedvogel
- Max Planck Research Group Behavioral Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, 24306, Germany
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany
| | - Desiré Lee Dalton
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BA, UK
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6
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Sharma A, Sur S, Tripathi V, Kumar V. Genetic Control of Avian Migration: Insights from Studies in Latitudinal Passerine Migrants. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1191. [PMID: 37372370 DOI: 10.3390/genes14061191] [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: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Twice-a-year, large-scale movement of billions of birds across latitudinal gradients is one of the most fascinating behavioral phenomena seen among animals. These seasonal voyages in autumn southwards and in spring northwards occur within a discrete time window and, as part of an overall annual itinerary, involve close interaction of the endogenous rhythm at several levels with prevailing photoperiod and temperature. The overall success of seasonal migrations thus depends on their close coupling with the other annual sub-cycles, namely those of the breeding, post-breeding recovery, molt and non-migratory periods. There are striking alterations in the daily behavior and physiology with the onset and end of the migratory period, as shown by the phase inversions in behavioral (a diurnal passerine bird becomes nocturnal and flies at night) and neural activities. Interestingly, there are also differences in the behavior, physiology and regulatory strategies between autumn and spring (vernal) migrations. Concurrent molecular changes occur in regulatory (brain) and metabolic (liver, flight muscle) tissues, as shown in the expression of genes particularly associated with 24 h timekeeping, fat accumulation and the overall metabolism. Here, we present insights into the genetic basis of migratory behavior based on studies using both candidate and global gene expression approaches in passerine migrants, with special reference to Palearctic-Indian migratory blackheaded and redheaded buntings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakansha Sharma
- IndoUS Center in Chronobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226007, India
| | - Sayantan Sur
- IndoUS Center in Chronobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226007, India
| | - Vatsala Tripathi
- Department of Zoology, Dyal Singh College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110003, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- IndoUS Center in Chronobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
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de Greef E, Suh A, Thorstensen MJ, Delmore KE, Fraser KC. Genomic architecture of migration timing in a long-distance migratory songbird. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2437. [PMID: 36765096 PMCID: PMC9918537 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29470-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of climate change on spring phenology poses risks to migratory birds, as migration timing is controlled predominantly by endogenous mechanisms. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the underlying genetic basis of migration timing, the ways that migration timing phenotypes in wild individuals may map to specific genomic regions requires further investigation. We examined the genetic architecture of migration timing in a long-distance migratory songbird (purple martin, Progne subis subis) by integrating genomic data with an extensive dataset of direct migratory tracks. A moderate to large amount of variance in spring migration arrival timing was explained by genomics (proportion of phenotypic variation explained by genomics = 0.74; polygenic score R2 = 0.24). On chromosome 1, a region that was differentiated between migration timing phenotypes contained genes that could facilitate nocturnal flights and act as epigenetic modifiers. Overall, these results advance our understanding of the genomic underpinnings of migration timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien de Greef
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Alexander Suh
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TU, UK
| | - Matt J Thorstensen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Kira E Delmore
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kevin C Fraser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada
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