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Leclercq J, Torres-Paz J, Policarpo M, Agnès F, Rétaux S. Evolution of the regulation of developmental gene expression in blind Mexican cavefish. Development 2024; 151:dev202610. [PMID: 39007346 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202610] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Developmental evolution and diversification of morphology can arise through changes in the regulation of gene expression or protein-coding sequence. To unravel mechanisms underlying early developmental evolution in cavefish of the species Astyanax mexicanus, we compared transcriptomes of surface-dwelling and blind cave-adapted morphs at the end of gastrulation. Twenty percent of the transcriptome was differentially expressed. Allelic expression ratios in cave X surface hybrids showed that cis-regulatory changes are the quasi-exclusive contributors to inter-morph variations in gene expression. Among a list of 108 genes with change at the cis-regulatory level, we explored the control of expression of rx3, which is a master eye gene. We discovered that cellular rx3 levels are cis-regulated in a cell-autonomous manner, whereas rx3 domain size depends on non-autonomous Wnt and Bmp signalling. These results highlight how uncoupled mechanisms and regulatory modules control developmental gene expression and shape morphological changes. Finally, a transcriptome-wide search for fixed coding mutations and differential exon use suggested that variations in coding sequence have a minor contribution. Thus, during early embryogenesis, changes in gene expression regulation are the main drivers of cavefish developmental evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Leclercq
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Jorge Torres-Paz
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Maxime Policarpo
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - François Agnès
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS and University Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
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2
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Boggs TE, Gross JB. Gill morphology adapted to oxygen-limited caves in Astyanax mexicanus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:856-866. [PMID: 39031584 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Sensing and acquiring dissolved oxygen is crucial for nearly all aquatic life. This may become even more vital as dissolved oxygen concentrations continue to decline in many aquatic environments. While certain phenotypes that enable fish to live in low oxygen have been characterized, adaptations that arise following sudden, drastic reductions in dissolved oxygen are relatively unknown. Here, we assessed the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, for alterations to gill morphology that may be adaptive for life in hypoxic caves. The Astyanax system provides the unique opportunity to compare gill morphology between stereotypical "surface" adapted morphotypes and obligate cave-dwelling conspecifics. While the surface environment is well-oxygenated, cavefish must cope with significantly reduced oxygen. We began by quantifying traditional morphological gill traits including filament number and length as well as lamellar density and height in surface fish and two distinct cave populations, Pachón and Tinaja. This enabled us to estimate total lamellar height, a proxy for gill surface area. We then used immunohistochemical staining to label 5-HT-positive neuroepithelial cells (NECs), which serve as key oxygen sensors in fish. We discovered an increase in gill surface area for both cavefish populations compared to surface, which may enable a higher capacity of oxygen acquisition. Additionally, we found more NECs in Pachón cavefish compared to both surface fish and Tinaja cavefish, suggesting certain selective pressures may be cave-specific. Collectively, this work provides evidence that cavefish have adapted to low oxygen conditions via alterations to gill morphology and oxygen sensing, and informs evolutionary mechanisms of rapid adaptation to dramatic, chronic hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler E Boggs
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Joshua B Gross
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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3
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van der Weele CM, Hospes KC, Rowe KE, Jeffery WR. Hypoxia-sonic hedgehog axis as a driver of primitive hematopoiesis development and evolution in cavefish. Dev Biol 2024; 516:138-147. [PMID: 39173434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.08.008] [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: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The teleost Astyanax mexicanus consists of surface dwelling (surface fish) and cave dwelling (cavefish) forms. Cavefish have evolved in subterranean habitats characterized by reduced oxygen levels (hypoxia) and exhibit a subset of phenotypic traits controlled by increased Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling along the embryonic midline. The enhancement of primitive hematopoietic domains, which are formed bilaterally in the anterior and posterior lateral plate mesoderm, are responsible for the development of more larval erythrocytes in cavefish relative to surface fish. In this study, we determine the role of hypoxia and Shh signaling in the development and evolution of primitive hematopoiesis in cavefish. We show that hypoxia treatment during embryogenesis increases primitive hematopoiesis and erythrocyte development in surface fish. We also demonstrate that upregulation of Shh midline signaling by the Smoothened agonist SAG increases primitive hematopoiesis and erythrocyte development in surface fish, whereas Shh downregulation via treatment with the Smoothened inhibitor cyclopamine decreases these traits in cavefish. Together these results suggest that hematopoietic enhancement is regulated by hypoxia and Shh signaling. Lastly, we demonstrate that hypoxia enhances expression of Shh signaling along the midline of surface fish embryos. We conclude that hypoxia-mediated Shh plasticity may be a driving force for the adaptive evolution of primitive hematopoiesis and erythrocyte development in cavefish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katrina C Hospes
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Katherine E Rowe
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - William R Jeffery
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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4
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Warren WC, Rice ES, X M, Roback E, Keene A, Martin F, Ogeh D, Haggerty L, Carroll RA, McGaugh S, Rohner N. Astyanax mexicanus surface and cavefish chromosome-scale assemblies for trait variation discovery. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae103. [PMID: 38771704 PMCID: PMC11304944 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
The ability of organisms to adapt to sudden extreme environmental changes produces some of the most drastic examples of rapid phenotypic evolution. The Mexican Tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, is abundant in the surface waters of northeastern Mexico, but repeated colonizations of cave environments have resulted in the independent evolution of troglomorphic phenotypes in several populations. Here, we present three chromosome-scale assemblies of this species, for one surface and two cave populations, enabling the first whole-genome comparisons between independently evolved cave populations to evaluate the genetic basis for the evolution of adaptation to the cave environment. Our assemblies represent the highest quality of sequence completeness with predicted protein-coding and noncoding gene metrics far surpassing prior resources and, to our knowledge, all long-read assembled teleost genomes, including zebrafish. Whole-genome synteny alignments show highly conserved gene order among cave forms in contrast to a higher number of chromosomal rearrangements when compared with other phylogenetically close or distant teleost species. By phylogenetically assessing gene orthology across distant branches of amniotes, we discover gene orthogroups unique to A. mexicanus. When compared with a representative surface fish genome, we find a rich amount of structural sequence diversity, defined here as the number and size of insertions and deletions as well as expanding and contracting repeats across cave forms. These new more complete genomic resources ensure higher trait resolution for comparative, functional, developmental, and genetic studies of drastic trait differences within a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley C Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Edward S Rice
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Maggs X
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Emma Roback
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Alex Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Fergal Martin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Denye Ogeh
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Leanne Haggerty
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Rachel A Carroll
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Suzanne McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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5
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McCulloch GA. Digest: Repeated body size evolution in island bats. Evolution 2024; 78:1349-1350. [PMID: 38717097 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Island ecosystems represent outstanding natural laboratories for studying the interplay between ecology and evolution. Lavery et al., (2024) use genomic approaches to identify a remarkable example of repeated evolution in Hipposideros bats across the Solomon Islands archipelago. They show that larger-bodied bats have independently evolved on different islands, highlighting an exciting new system for exploring the ecological and evolutionary drivers of repeated evolution in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham A McCulloch
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin, New Zealand
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6
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van der Weele CM, Hospes KC, Rowe KE, Jeffery WR. Hypoxia-Sonic Hedgehog Axis as a Driver of Primitive Hematopoiesis Development and Evolution in Cavefish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.09.598120. [PMID: 38895301 PMCID: PMC11185782 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.09.598120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The teleost Astyanax mexicanus consists of surface dwelling (surface fish) and cave dwelling (cavefish) forms. Cavefish have evolved in subterranean habitats characterized by reduced oxygen levels (hypoxia) and show constructive and regressive phenotypic traits controlled by increased Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling along the embryonic midline. The enhancement of primitive hematopoietic domains, which are formed bilaterally in the anterior and posterior lateral plate mesoderm, are responsible for the development of more larval erythrocytes in cavefish relative to surface fish. In this study, we determine the role of hypoxia and Shh signaling in the development and evolution of primitive hematopoiesis in cavefish. We show that hypoxia treatment during embryogenesis increases primitive hematopoiesis and erythrocyte development in surface fish. We also demonstrate that upregulation of Shh midline signaling by treatment with the Smoothened agonist SAG increases primitive hematopoiesis and erythrocyte development in surface fish, whereas Shh downregulation via treatment with the Smoothened inhibitor cyclopamine decreases these traits in cavefish. Together these results suggest that hematopoietic enhancement is regulated by hypoxia and the Shh signaling system. Lastly, we demonstrate that hypoxia treatment enhances expression of Shh signaling along the midline of surface fish embryos. Thus, we conclude that a hypoxia-Shh axis may drive the adaptive evolution of primitive hematopoiesis and erythrocyte development in cavefish. Highlights Hypoxia increases hematopoiesis and erythrocytes in surface fishShh upregulation increases hematopoiesis and erythrocytes in surface fishShh inhibition decreases hematopoiesis and erythrocytes in cavefishHypoxia upregulates Shh along the embryonic midline in surface fish.
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7
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Pokrovac I, Rohner N, Pezer Ž. The prevalence of copy number increase at multiallelic copy number variants associated with cave colonization. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17339. [PMID: 38556927 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17339] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Copy number variation is a common contributor to phenotypic diversity, yet its involvement in ecological adaptation is not easily discerned. Instances of parallelly evolving populations of the same species in a similar environment marked by strong selective pressures present opportunities to study the role of copy number variants (CNVs) in adaptation. By identifying CNVs that repeatedly occur in multiple populations of the derived ecotype and are not (or are rarely) present in the populations of the ancestral ecotype, the association of such CNVs with adaptation to the novel environment can be inferred. We used this paradigm to identify CNVs associated with recurrent adaptation of the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus) to cave environment. Using a read-depth approach, we detected CNVs from previously re-sequenced genomes of 44 individuals belonging to two ancestral surfaces and three derived cave populations. We identified 102 genes and 292 genomic regions that repeatedly diverge in copy number between the two ecotypes and occupy 0.8% of the reference genome. Functional analysis revealed their association with processes previously recognized to be relevant for adaptation, such as vision, immunity, oxygen consumption, metabolism, and neural function and we propose that these variants have been selected for in the cave or surface waters. The majority of the ecotype-divergent CNVs are multiallelic and display copy number increases in cavefish compared to surface fish. Our findings suggest that multiallelic CNVs - including gene duplications - and divergence in copy number provide a fast route to produce novel phenotypes associated with adaptation to subterranean life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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8
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Cobham AE, Rohner N. Unraveling stress resilience: Insights from adaptations to extreme environments by Astyanax mexicanus cavefish. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2024; 342:178-188. [PMID: 38247307 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Extreme environmental conditions have profound impacts on shaping the evolutionary trajectory of organisms. Exposure to these conditions elicits stress responses, that can trigger phenotypic changes in novel directions. The Mexican Tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, is an excellent model for understanding evolutionary mechanisms in response to extreme or new environments. This fish species consists of two morphs; the classical surface-dwelling fish and the blind cave-dwellers that inhabit dark and biodiversity-reduced ecosystems. In this review, we explore the specific stressors present in cave environments and examine the diverse adaptive strategies employed by cave populations to not only survive but thrive as successful colonizers. By analyzing the evolutionary responses of A. mexicanus, we gain valuable insights into the genetic, physiological, and behavioral adaptations that enable organisms to flourish under challenging environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansa E Cobham
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Missouri, Kansas City, USA
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Missouri, Kansas City, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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9
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Lloyd E, Xia F, Moore K, Zertuche C, Rastogi A, Kozol R, Kenzior O, Warren W, Appelbaum L, Moran RL, Zhao C, Duboue E, Rohner N, Keene AC. Elevated DNA Damage without signs of aging in the short-sleeping Mexican Cavefish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.18.590174. [PMID: 38659770 PMCID: PMC11042282 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Dysregulation of sleep has widespread health consequences and represents an enormous health burden. Short-sleeping individuals are predisposed to the effects of neurodegeneration, suggesting a critical role for sleep in the maintenance of neuronal health. While the effects of sleep on cellular function are not completely understood, growing evidence has identified an association between sleep loss and DNA damage, raising the possibility that sleep facilitates efficient DNA repair. The Mexican tetra fish, Astyanax mexicanus provides a model to investigate the evolutionary basis for changes in sleep and the consequences of sleep loss. Multiple cave-adapted populations of these fish have evolved to sleep for substantially less time compared to surface populations of the same species without identifiable impacts on healthspan or longevity. To investigate whether the evolved sleep loss is associated with DNA damage and cellular stress, we compared the DNA Damage Response (DDR) and oxidative stress levels between A. mexicanus populations. We measured markers of chronic sleep loss and discovered elevated levels of the DNA damage marker γH2AX in the brain, and increased oxidative stress in the gut of cavefish, consistent with chronic sleep deprivation. Notably, we found that acute UV-induced DNA damage elicited an increase in sleep in surface fish but not in cavefish. On a transcriptional level, only the surface fish activated the photoreactivation repair pathway following UV damage. These findings suggest a reduction of the DDR in cavefish compared to surface fish that coincides with elevated DNA damage in cavefish. To examine DDR pathways at a cellular level, we created an embryonic fibroblast cell line from the two populations of A. mexicanus. We observed that both the DDR and DNA repair were diminished in the cavefish cells, corroborating the in vivo findings and suggesting that the acute response to DNA damage is lost in cavefish. To investigate the long-term impact of these changes, we compared the transcriptome in the brain and gut of aged surface fish and cavefish. Strikingly, many genes that are differentially expressed between young and old surface fish do not transcriptionally vary by age in cavefish. Taken together, these findings suggest that have developed resilience to sleep loss, despite possessing cellular hallmarks of chronic sleep deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Lloyd
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840
| | - Fanning Xia
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110
| | - Kinsley Moore
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840
| | - Carolina Zertuche
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840
| | - Aakriti Rastogi
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840
| | - Rob Kozol
- Harriet Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458
| | - Olga Kenzior
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110
| | - Wesley Warren
- Department of Genomics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Lior Appelbaum
- Faculty of Life Science and the Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Illan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Rachel L Moran
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840
| | - Chongbei Zhao
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110
| | - Erik Duboue
- Harriet Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840
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10
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Riddle MR, Nguyen NK, Nave M, Peuß R, Maldonado E, Rohner N, Tabin CJ. Host evolution shapes gut microbiome composition in Astyanax mexicanus. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11192. [PMID: 38571802 PMCID: PMC10985381 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11192] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The ecological and genetic changes that underlie the evolution of host-microbe interactions remain elusive, primarily due to challenges in disentangling the variables that alter microbiome composition. To understand the impact of host habitat, host genetics, and evolutionary history on microbial community structure, we examined gut microbiomes of river- and three cave-adapted morphotypes of the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, in their natural environments and under controlled laboratory conditions. Field-collected samples were dominated by very few taxa and showed considerable interindividual variation. We found that lab-reared fish exhibited increased microbiome richness and distinct composition compared to their wild counterparts, underscoring the significant influence of habitat. Most notably, however, we found that morphotypes reared on the same diet throughout life developed distinct microbiomes suggesting that genetic loci resulting from cavefish evolution shape microbiome composition. We observed stable differences in Fusobacteriota abundance between morphotypes and demonstrated that this could be used as a trait for quantitative trait loci mapping to uncover the genetic basis of microbial community structure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert Peuß
- Institute for Evolution and BiodiversityUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Ernesto Maldonado
- Institute of Marine Sciences and LimnologyUniversidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, UNAMPuerto MorelosMexico
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityMissouriUSA
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11
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Policarpo M, Legendre L, Germon I, Lafargeas P, Espinasa L, Rétaux S, Casane D. The nature and distribution of putative non-functional alleles suggest only two independent events at the origins of Astyanax mexicanus cavefish populations. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:41. [PMID: 38556874 PMCID: PMC10983663 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02226-1] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies suggested that cavefish populations of Astyanax mexicanus settled during the Late Pleistocene. This implies that the cavefish's most conspicuous phenotypic changes, blindness and depigmentation, and more cryptic characters important for cave life, evolved rapidly. RESULTS Using the published genomes of 47 Astyanax cavefish from la Cueva de El Pachón, El Sótano de la Tinaja, La Cueva Chica and El Sótano de Molino, we searched for putative loss-of-function mutations in previously defined sets of genes, i.e., vision, circadian clock and pigmentation genes. Putative non-functional alleles for four vision genes were identified. Then, we searched genome-wide for putative non-functional alleles in these four cave populations. Among 512 genes with segregating putative non-functional alleles in cavefish that are absent in surface fish, we found an enrichment in visual perception genes. Among cavefish populations, different levels of shared putative non-functional alleles were found. Using a subset of 12 genes for which putative loss-of-function mutations were found, we extend the analysis of shared pseudogenes to 11 cave populations. Using a subset of six genes for which putative loss-of-function mutations were found in the El Sótano del Toro population, where extensive hybridization with surface fish occurs, we found a correlation between the level of eye regression and the amount of putative non-functional alleles. CONCLUSIONS We confirm that very few putative non-functional alleles are present in a large set of vision genes, in accordance with the recent origin of Astyanax mexicanus cavefish. Furthermore, the genome-wide analysis indicates an enrichment of putative loss-of-function alleles in genes with vision-related GO-terms, suggesting that visual perception may be the function chiefly impacted by gene losses related to the shift from a surface to a cave environment. The geographic distribution of putative loss-of-function alleles newly suggests that cave populations from Sierra de Guatemala and Sierra de El Abra share a common origin, albeit followed by independent evolution for a long period. It also supports that populations from the Micos area have an independent origin. In El Sótano del Toro, the troglomorphic phenotype is maintained despite massive introgression of the surface genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Policarpo
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement Et Écologie, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
- Present Address: Zoological Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Legendre
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement Et Écologie, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Isabelle Germon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement Et Écologie, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Philippe Lafargeas
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement Et Écologie, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Luis Espinasa
- School of Science, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Institut de Neuroscience Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay and CNRS, 91400, Saclay, France.
| | - Didier Casane
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement Et Écologie, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France.
- Université Paris Cité, UFR Sciences du Vivant, 75013, Paris, France.
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12
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Rodríguez-Morales R. Sensing in the dark: Constructive evolution of the lateral line system in blind populations of Astyanax mexicanus. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11286. [PMID: 38654714 PMCID: PMC11036076 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11286] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cave-adapted animals evolve a suite of regressive and constructive traits that allow survival in the dark. Most studies aiming at understanding cave animal evolution have focused on the genetics and environmental underpinnings of regressive traits, with special emphasis on vision loss. Possibly as a result of vision loss, other non-visual sensory systems have expanded and compensated in cave species. For instance, in many cave-dwelling fish species, including the blind cavefish of the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, a major non-visual mechanosensory system called the lateral line, compensated for vision loss through morphological expansions. While substantial work has shed light on constructive adaptation of this system, there are still many open questions regarding its developmental origin, synaptic plasticity, and overall adaptive value. This review provides a snapshot of the current state of knowledge of lateral line adaption in A. mexicanus, with an emphasis on anatomy, synaptic plasticity, and behavior. Multiple open avenues for future research in this system, and how these can be leveraged as tools for both evolutionary biology and evolutionary medicine, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine University of Puerto Rico San Juan Puerto Rico
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13
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Wiese J, Richards E, Kowalko JE, McGaugh SE. Loci associated with cave-derived traits concentrate in specific regions of the Mexican cavefish genome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.29.587360. [PMID: 38585759 PMCID: PMC10996652 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.29.587360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
A major goal of modern evolutionary biology is connecting phenotypic evolution with its underlying genetic basis. The Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), a characin fish species comprised of a surface ecotype and a cave-derived ecotype, is well suited as a model to study the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptation to extreme environments. Here we map 206 previously published quantitative trait loci (QTL) for cave-derived traits in A. mexicanus to the newest version of the surface fish genome assembly, AstMex3. This analysis revealed that QTL cluster in the genome more than expected by chance, and this clustering is not explained by the distribution of genes in the genome. To investigate whether certain characteristics of the genome facilitate phenotypic evolution, we tested whether genomic characteristics, such as highly mutagenic CpG sites, are reliable predictors of the sites of trait evolution but did not find any significant trends. Finally, we combined the QTL map with previously collected expression and selection data to identify a list of 36 candidate genes that may underlie the repeated evolution of cave phenotypes, including rgrb which is predicted to be involved in phototransduction. We found this gene has disrupted exons in all non-hybrid cave populations but intact reading frames in surface fish. Overall, our results suggest specific "evolutionary hotspots" in the genome may play significant roles in driving adaptation to the cave environment in Astyanax mexicanus and demonstrate how this compiled dataset can facilitate our understanding of the genetic basis of repeated evolution in the Mexican cavefish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Wiese
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
| | - Emilie Richards
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
| | | | - Suzanne E McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
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14
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Swaminathan A, Xia F, Rohner N. From darkness to discovery: evolutionary, adaptive, and translational genetic insights from cavefish. Trends Genet 2024; 40:24-38. [PMID: 38707509 PMCID: PMC11068324 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.10.002] [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] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
How genotype determines phenotype is a well-explored question, but genotype-environment interactions and their heritable impact on phenotype over the course of evolution are not as thoroughly investigated. The fish Astyanax mexicanus, consisting of surface and cave ecotypes, is an ideal emerging model to study the genetic basis of adaptation to new environments. This model has permitted quantitative trait locus mapping and whole-genome comparisons to identify the genetic bases of traits such as albinism and insulin resistance and has helped to better understand fundamental evolutionary mechanisms. In this review, we summarize recent advances in A. mexicanus genetics and discuss their broader impact on the fields of adaptation and evolutionary genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fanning Xia
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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15
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Warren WC, Rice ES, Maggs X, Roback E, Keene A, Martin F, Ogeh D, Haggerty L, Carroll RA, McGaugh S, Rohner N. Astyanax mexicanus surface and cavefish chromosome-scale assemblies for trait variation discovery. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.16.567450. [PMID: 38014157 PMCID: PMC10680795 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.16.567450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The ability of organisms to adapt to sudden extreme environmental changes produces some of the most drastic examples of rapid phenotypic evolution. The Mexican Tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, is abundant in the surface waters of northeastern Mexico, but repeated colonizations of cave environments have resulted in the independent evolution of troglomorphic phenotypes in several populations. Here, we present three chromosome-scale assemblies of this species, for one surface and two cave populations, enabling the first whole-genome comparisons between independently evolved cave populations to evaluate the genetic basis for the evolution of adaptation to the cave environment. Our assemblies represent the highest quality of sequence completeness with predicted protein-coding and non-coding gene metrics far surpassing prior resources and, to our knowledge, all long-read assembled teleost genomes, including zebrafish. Whole genome synteny alignments show highly conserved gene order among cave forms in contrast to a higher number of chromosomal rearrangements when compared to other phylogenetically close or distant teleost species. By phylogenetically assessing gene orthology across distant branches of amniotes, we discover gene orthogroups unique to A. mexicanus. When compared to a representative surface fish genome, we find a rich amount of structural sequence diversity, defined here as the number and size of insertions and deletions as well as expanding and contracting repeats across cave forms. These new more complete genomic resources ensure higher trait resolution for comparative, functional, developmental, and genetic studies of drastic trait differences within a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley C. Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO
- Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Edward S. Rice
- Department of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO
| | - X Maggs
- Department of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO
| | - Emma Roback
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
| | - Alex Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas AM University, College Station, TX
| | - Fergal Martin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Denye Ogeh
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Leanne Haggerty
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Rachel A. Carroll
- Department of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO
| | - Suzanne McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
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16
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Iwashita M, Tran A, Garcia M, Cashon J, Burbano D, Salgado V, Hasegawa M, Balmilero-Unciano R, Politan K, Wong M, Lee RWY, Yoshizawa M. Metabolic shift toward ketosis in asocial cavefish increases social-like affinity. BMC Biol 2023; 21:219. [PMID: 37840141 PMCID: PMC10577988 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01725-9] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social affinity and collective behavior are nearly ubiquitous in the animal kingdom, but many lineages feature evolutionarily asocial species. These solitary species may have evolved to conserve energy in food-sparse environments. However, the mechanism by which metabolic shifts regulate social affinity is not well investigated. RESULTS In this study, we used the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus), which features riverine sighted surface (surface fish) and cave-dwelling populations (cavefish), to address the impact of metabolic shifts on asociality and other cave-associated behaviors in cavefish, including repetitive turning, sleeplessness, swimming longer distances, and enhanced foraging behavior. After 1 month of ketosis-inducing ketogenic diet feeding, asocial cavefish exhibited significantly higher social affinity, whereas social affinity regressed in cavefish fed the standard diet. The ketogenic diet also reduced repetitive turning and swimming in cavefish. No major behavioral shifts were found regarding sleeplessness and foraging behavior, suggesting that other evolved behaviors are not largely regulated by ketosis. We further examined the effects of the ketogenic diet via supplementation with exogenous ketone bodies, revealing that ketone bodies are pivotal molecules positively associated with social affinity. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicated that fish that evolved to be asocial remain capable of exhibiting social affinity under ketosis, possibly linking the seasonal food availability and sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motoko Iwashita
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Amity Tran
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Marianne Garcia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Jia Cashon
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Devanne Burbano
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Vanessa Salgado
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Malia Hasegawa
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | | | - Kaylah Politan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Miki Wong
- Nā Pu'uwai Native Hawaiian Healthcare System, Kaunakakai, HI, 96748, USA
- Nutrition Services Department, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Honolulu, HI, 96826, USA
| | - Ryan W Y Lee
- Medical Staff Department, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Honolulu, HI, 96826, USA
| | - Masato Yoshizawa
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'I at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.
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17
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Ponnimbaduge Perera P, Perez Guerra D, Riddle MR. The Mexican Tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, as a Model System in Cell and Developmental Biology. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2023; 39:23-44. [PMID: 37437210 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-012023-014003] [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] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of cell and developmental biology has been greatly aided by a focus on a small number of model organisms. However, we are now in an era where techniques to investigate gene function can be applied across phyla, allowing scientists to explore the diversity and flexibility of developmental mechanisms and gain a deeper understanding of life. Researchers comparing the eyeless cave-adapted Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, with its river-dwelling counterpart are revealing how the development of the eyes, pigment, brain, cranium, blood, and digestive system evolves as animals adapt to new environments. Breakthroughs in our understanding of the genetic and developmental basis of regressive and constructive trait evolution have come from A. mexicanus research. They include understanding the types of mutations that alter traits, which cellular and developmental processes they affect, and how they lead to pleiotropy. We review recent progress in the field and highlight areas for future investigations that include evolution of sex differentiation, neural crest development, and metabolic regulation of embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Misty R Riddle
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA;
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18
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Garduño-Sánchez M, Hernández-Lozano J, Moran RL, Miranda-Gamboa R, Gross JB, Rohner N, Elliott WR, Miller J, Lozano-Vilano L, McGaugh SE, Ornelas-García CP. Phylogeographic relationships and morphological evolution between cave and surface Astyanax mexicanus populations (De Filippi 1853) (Actinopterygii, Characidae). Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5626-5644. [PMID: 37712324 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The Astyanax mexicanus complex includes two different morphs, a surface- and a cave-adapted ecotype, found at three mountain ranges in Northeastern Mexico: Sierra de El Abra, Sierra de Guatemala and Sierra de la Colmena (Micos). Since their discovery, multiple studies have attempted to characterize the timing and the number of events that gave rise to the evolution of these cave-adapted ecotypes. Here, using RADseq and genome-wide sequencing, we assessed the phylogenetic relationships, genetic structure and gene flow events between the cave and surface Astyanax mexicanus populations, to estimate the tempo and mode of evolution of the cave-adapted ecotypes. We also evaluated the body shape evolution across different cave lineages using geometric morphometrics to examine the role of phylogenetic signal versus environmental pressures. We found strong evidence of parallel evolution of cave-adapted ecotypes derived from two separate lineages of surface fish and hypothesize that there may be up to four independent invasions of caves from surface fish. Moreover, a strong congruence between the genetic structure and geographic distribution was observed across the cave populations, with the Sierra de Guatemala the region exhibiting most genetic drift among the cave populations analysed. Interestingly, we found no evidence of phylogenetic signal in body shape evolution, but we found support for parallel evolution in body shape across independent cave lineages, with cavefish from the Sierra de El Abra reflecting the most divergent morphology relative to surface and other cavefish populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Garduño-Sánchez
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jorge Hernández-Lozano
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rachel L Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ramsés Miranda-Gamboa
- Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Mexico
| | - Joshua B Gross
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - William R Elliott
- Association for Mexican Cave Studies, Austin, Texas, USA
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Georgetown, Texas, USA
| | - Jeff Miller
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Lourdes Lozano-Vilano
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico
| | - Suzanne E McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - C Patricia Ornelas-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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19
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Paz A, Holt KJ, Clarke A, Aviles A, Abraham B, Keene AC, Duboué ER, Fily Y, Kowalko JE. Changes in local interaction rules during ontogeny underlie the evolution of collective behavior. iScience 2023; 26:107431. [PMID: 37636065 PMCID: PMC10448030 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Collective motion emerges from individual interactions which produce group-wide patterns in behavior. While adaptive changes to collective motion are observed across animal species, how local interactions change when these collective behaviors evolve is poorly understood. Here, we use the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, which exists as a schooling surface form and a non-schooling cave form, to study differences in how fish alter their swimming in response to neighbors across ontogeny and between evolutionarily diverged populations. We find that surface fish undergo a transition to schooling mediated by changes in the way fish modulate speed and turning relative to neighbors. This transition begins with the tendency to align to neighbors emerging by 28 days post-fertilization and ends with the emergence of robust attraction by 70 days post-fertilization. Cavefish exhibit neither alignment nor attraction at any stage of development. These results reveal how evolution alters local interactions to produce striking differences in collective behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Paz
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Karla J. Holt
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Anik Clarke
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Ari Aviles
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Briana Abraham
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Alex C. Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M, College Station, TX 77840, USA
| | - Erik R. Duboué
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Yaouen Fily
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Johanna E. Kowalko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
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20
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Jiménez AG, Nash-Braun E, Meyers JR. Chronic Thermal Acclimation Effects on Critical Thermal Maxima (CT max) and Oxidative Stress Differences in White Epaxial Muscle between Surface and Cave Morphotypes of the Mexican Cavefish ( Astyanax mexicanus). Physiol Biochem Zool 2023; 96:369-377. [PMID: 37713718 DOI: 10.1086/726338] [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] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIn the face of increasing environmental temperatures, operative differences between mitochondrial function and whole-animal phenotypic response to the environment are underrepresented in research, especially in subtemperate ectothermic vertebrates. A novel approach to exploring this connection is to examine model species that are genetically similar but that have different whole-animal phenotypes, each of which inhabits different environments. The blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) has the following two morphotypes: a surface form found in aboveground rivers and an obligate cave-dwelling form. Each morphotype inhabits vastly different thermal and oxygen environments. Whole-animal and mitochondrial responses to thermal acclimation and oxidative stress, with respect to increasing temperatures, have not been previously determined in either morphotype of this species. Here, we chronically acclimated both morphotypes to three temperatures (14°C, 25°C, and 31°C) to establish potential for acclimation and critical thermal maxima (CTmax) for each morphotype of this species. After measuring CTmax in six cohorts, we additionally measured enzymatic antioxidant capacity (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities), peroxyl scavenging capacity, and lipid peroxidation damage in white epaxial muscle for each individual. We found a significant effect of acclimation temperature on CTmax (F = 29.57 , P < 0.001 ) but no effect of morphotype on CTmax (F = 2.092 , P = 0.162 ). Additionally, we found that morphotype had a significant effect on glutathione peroxidase activity, with the surface morphotype having increased glutathione peroxidase activity compared with the cave morphotype (F = 6.270 , P = 0.020 ). No other oxidative stress variable demonstrated significant differences. Increases in CTmax with chronic thermal acclimation to higher temperatures suggests that there is some degree of phenotypic plasticity in this species that nominally occupies thermally stable environments. The decreased glutathione peroxidase activity in the cave morphotype may be related to decreased environmental oxygen concentration and decreased metabolic rate in this environmentally constrained morphotype compared to in its surface-living counterparts.
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21
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Sifuentes-Romero I, Aviles AM, Carter JL, Chan-Pong A, Clarke A, Crotty P, Engstrom D, Meka P, Perez A, Perez R, Phelan C, Sharrard T, Smirnova MI, Wade AJ, Kowalko JE. Trait Loss in Evolution: What Cavefish Have Taught Us about Mechanisms Underlying Eye Regression. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:393-406. [PMID: 37218721 PMCID: PMC10445413 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad032] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduction or complete loss of traits is a common occurrence throughout evolutionary history. In spite of this, numerous questions remain about why and how trait loss has occurred. Cave animals are an excellent system in which these questions can be answered, as multiple traits, including eyes and pigmentation, have been repeatedly reduced or lost across populations of cave species. This review focuses on how the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, has been used as a model system for examining the developmental, genetic, and evolutionary mechanisms that underlie eye regression in cave animals. We focus on multiple aspects of how eye regression evolved in A. mexicanus, including the developmental and genetic pathways that contribute to eye regression, the effects of the evolution of eye regression on other traits that have also evolved in A. mexicanus, and the evolutionary forces contributing to eye regression. We also discuss what is known about the repeated evolution of eye regression, both across populations of A. mexicanus cavefish and across cave animals more generally. Finally, we offer perspectives on how cavefish can be used in the future to further elucidate mechanisms underlying trait loss using tools and resources that have recently become available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itzel Sifuentes-Romero
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Ari M Aviles
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Joseph L Carter
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Allen Chan-Pong
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Anik Clarke
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Patrick Crotty
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - David Engstrom
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Pranav Meka
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Alexandra Perez
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Riley Perez
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Christine Phelan
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Taylor Sharrard
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Maria I Smirnova
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
- Stiles–Nicholson Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Amanda J Wade
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
| | - Johanna E Kowalko
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL 33458, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
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22
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Hyacinthe C, Attia J, Schutz E, Lego L, Casane D, Rétaux S. Acoustic signatures in Mexican cavefish populations inhabiting different caves. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289574. [PMID: 37535576 PMCID: PMC10399770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex patterns of acoustic communication exist throughout the animal kingdom, including underwater. The river-dwelling and the Pachón cave-adapted morphotypes of the fish Astyanax mexicanus are soniferous and share a repertoire of sounds. Their function and significance is mostly unknown. Here, we explored whether and how sounds produced by blind cavefishes inhabiting different Mexican caves may vary. We compared "Clicks" and "Serial Clicks" produced by cavefish in six different caves distributed in three mountain ranges in Mexico. We also sampled laboratory-bred cavefish lines originating from four of these caves. Sounds were extracted and analyzed using both a manual method and a machine learning-based automation tool developed in-house. Multi-parametric analyses suggest wild cave-specific acoustic signatures, or "accents". An acoustic code also existed in laboratory cavefish lines, suggesting a genetic basis for the evolution of this trait. The variations in acoustic parameters between caves of origin did not seem related to fish phenotypes, phylogeography or ecological conditions. We propose that the evolution of such acoustic signatures would progressively lead to the differentiation of local accents that may prevent interbreeding and thus contribute to speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Hyacinthe
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Saclay, France
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Joël Attia
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, CRNL, CNRS and Université de St Etienne, Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Elisa Schutz
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, CRNL, CNRS and Université de St Etienne, Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Lény Lego
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, CRNL, CNRS and Université de St Etienne, Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Didier Casane
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Université Paris Cité, UFR Sciences du Vivant, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Saclay, France
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23
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Babu V, Bahari R, Laban N, Kulaga J, Abdul Z, Zakkar B, Al-Najjar A, Lesus J, Al-Rifai AAR, Sattar H, Irukulla S, Gunniya P, Requena T, Lysakowski A. RotaRod and acoustic startle reflex performance of two potential mouse models for Meniere's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:2708-2723. [PMID: 37461313 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16083] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Meniere's disease (MD) is a disorder of the inner ear characterized by chronic episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, increased aural pressure, and sensorineural hearing loss. Causes of MD are unknown, but endolymphatic hydrops is a hallmark. In addition, 5%-15% of MD cases have been identified as familial. Whole-genome sequencing studies of individuals with familial MD identified DTNA and FAM136A as candidate genes for autosomal dominant inheritance of MD. Although the exact roles of these genes in MD are unknown, FAM136A encodes a mitochondrial protein, and DTNA encodes a cytoskeletal protein involved in synapse formation and maintenance, important for maintaining the blood-brain barrier. It is also associated with a particular aquaporin. We tested vestibular and auditory function in dtna and fam136a knockout (KO) mice, using RotaRod and startle reflex-based clicker tests, respectively. Three-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) results indicated that sex, age, and genotype were significantly correlated with reduced mean latencies to fall ("latencies") for male dtna KO mice, while only age was a significant factor for fam136a KO mice. Fam136a KO mice lost their hearing months before WTs (9-11 months vs. 15-20 months). In male dtna KO mice, divergence in mean latencies compared with other genotypes was first evident at 4 months of age, with older males having an even greater decrease. Our results indicate that fam136a gene mutations generate hearing problems, while dtna gene mutations produce balance deficits. Both mouse models should help to elucidate hearing loss and balance-related symptoms associated with MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Babu
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rose Bahari
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nora Laban
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jacob Kulaga
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zahid Abdul
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Basil Zakkar
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ahmad Al-Najjar
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Joseph Lesus
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Heba Sattar
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Suhitha Irukulla
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Pranav Gunniya
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Teresa Requena
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anna Lysakowski
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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24
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Kozol RA, Conith AJ, Yuiska A, Cree-Newman A, Tolentino B, Benesh K, Paz A, Lloyd E, Kowalko JE, Keene AC, Albertson C, Duboue ER. A brain-wide analysis maps structural evolution to distinct anatomical module. eLife 2023; 12:e80777. [PMID: 37498318 PMCID: PMC10435234 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80777] [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: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate brain is highly conserved topologically, but less is known about neuroanatomical variation between individual brain regions. Neuroanatomical variation at the regional level is hypothesized to provide functional expansion, building upon ancestral anatomy needed for basic functions. Classically, animal models used to study evolution have lacked tools for detailed anatomical analysis that are widely used in zebrafish and mice, presenting a barrier to studying brain evolution at fine scales. In this study, we sought to investigate the evolution of brain anatomy using a single species of fish consisting of divergent surface and cave morphs, that permits functional genetic testing of regional volume and shape across the entire brain. We generated a high-resolution brain atlas for the blind Mexican cavefish Astyanax mexicanus and coupled the atlas with automated computational tools to directly assess variability in brain region shape and volume across all populations. We measured the volume and shape of every grossly defined neuroanatomical region of the brain and assessed correlations between anatomical regions in surface fish, cavefish, and surface × cave F2 hybrids, whose phenotypes span the range of surface to cave. We find that dorsal regions of the brain are contracted, while ventral regions have expanded, with F2 hybrid data providing support for developmental constraint along the dorsal-ventral axis. Furthermore, these dorsal-ventral relationships in anatomical variation show similar patterns for both volume and shape, suggesting that the anatomical evolution captured by these two parameters could be driven by similar developmental mechanisms. Together, these data demonstrate that A. mexicanus is a powerful system for functionally determining basic principles of brain evolution and will permit testing how genes influence early patterning events to drive brain-wide anatomical evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Kozol
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
| | - Andrew J Conith
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Anders Yuiska
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
| | - Alexia Cree-Newman
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
| | - Bernadeth Tolentino
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
| | - Kasey Benesh
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
| | - Alexandra Paz
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
| | - Evan Lloyd
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M UniversityCollege StationUnited States
| | - Johanna E Kowalko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh UniversityBethlehemUnited States
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M UniversityCollege StationUnited States
| | - Craig Albertson
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Erik R Duboue
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic UniversityJupiterUnited States
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25
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Čupić M, Marčić Z, Lukić M, Gračan R, Bilandžija H. The first cavefish in the Dinaric Karst? Cave colonization made possible by phenotypic plasticity in Telestes karsticus. Zool Res 2023; 44:821-833. [PMID: 37464939 PMCID: PMC10415781 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.528] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cave animals are an excellent model system for studying adaptive evolution. At present, however, little is known about the mechanisms that enable surface colonizers to survive in the challenging environment of caves. One possibility is that these species have the necessary genetic background to respond with plastic changes to the pressures of underground habitats. To gain insight into this process, we conducted a comparative study with the fish species Telestes karsticus, which occurs in a hydrological system consisting of an interconnected stream and a cave. Results showed that T. karsticus resided year-round and spawned in Sušik cave, making it the first known cavefish in the Dinaric Karst. Cave and surface populations differed in morphological and physiological characteristics, as well as in patterns of gene expression without any evidence of genetic divergence. To test whether observed trait differences were plastic or genetic, we placed adult fish from both populations under light/dark or constant dark conditions. Common laboratory conditions erased all morphometric differences between the two morphs, suggesting phenotypic plasticity is driving the divergence of shape and size in wild fish. Lighter pigmentation and increased fat deposition exhibited by cave individuals were also observed in surface fish kept in the dark in the laboratory. Our study also revealed that specialized cave traits were not solely attributed to developmental plasticity, but also arose from adult responses, including acclimatization. Thus, we conclude that T. karsticus can adapt to cave conditions, with phenotypic plasticity playing an important role in the process of cave colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateo Čupić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Zoran Marčić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Marko Lukić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
- Croatian Biospeleological Society, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Romana Gračan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Helena Bilandžija
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
- Croatian Biospeleological Society, Zagreb 10000, Croatia. E-mail:
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26
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Legendre L, Rode J, Germon I, Pavie M, Quiviger C, Policarpo M, Leclercq J, Père S, Fumey J, Hyacinthe C, Ornelas-García P, Espinasa L, Rétaux S, Casane D. Genetic identification and reiterated captures suggest that the Astyanax mexicanus El Pachón cavefish population is closed and declining. Zool Res 2023; 44:701-711. [PMID: 37313847 PMCID: PMC10415772 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.481] [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: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The sizes of Astyanax mexicanus blind cavefish populations of North-East Mexico are demographic parameters of great importance for investigating a variety of ecological, evolutionary, and conservation issues. However, few estimates have been obtained. For these mobile animals living in an environment difficult to explore as a whole, methods based on capture-mark-recapture are appropriate, but their feasibility and interpretation of results depend on several assumptions that must be carefully examined. Here, we provide evidence that minimally invasive genetic identification from captures at different time intervals (three days and three years) can give insights into cavefish population size dynamics as well as other important demographic parameters of interest. We also provide tools to calibrate sampling and genotyping efforts necessary to reach a given level of precision. Our results suggest that the El Pachón cave population is currently very small, of an order of magnitude of a few hundreds of individuals, and is distributed in a relatively isolated area. The probable decline in population size in the El Pachón cave since the last census in 1971 raises serious conservation issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Legendre
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Julie Rode
- Objectif Sciences International NGO, OSI-Panthera Program, Geneva 99140, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Germon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Marie Pavie
- Institut de Neuroscience Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay and CNRS, Saclay 91400, France
| | - Carla Quiviger
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Maxime Policarpo
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Julien Leclercq
- Institut de Neuroscience Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay and CNRS, Saclay 91400, France
| | - Stéphane Père
- Institut de Neuroscience Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay and CNRS, Saclay 91400, France
| | - Julien Fumey
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 2000, Microbial Paleogenomics Unit, Paris 75015, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Paris 75015, France
| | - Carole Hyacinthe
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Patricia Ornelas-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México DF CP 04510, México
| | - Luis Espinasa
- School of Science, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12601, USA
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Institut de Neuroscience Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay and CNRS, Saclay 91400, France. E-mail:
| | - Didier Casane
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
- Université Paris Cité, UFR Sciences du Vivant, Paris 75013, France. E-mail:
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27
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Swanson NE, Gluesenkamp AG, Donny AE, Mcgaugh SE. Developmental environment contributes to rapid trait shifts among newly colonized subterranean habitats. Zool Res 2023; 44:808-820. [PMID: 37464938 PMCID: PMC10415762 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.488] [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] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent colonization of extreme environments provides unique opportunities to study the early steps of adaptation and the potential for rapid convergent evolution. However, phenotypic shifts during recent colonization may also be due to plasticity in response to changes in the rearing environment. Here, we analyzed a suite of morphological and behavioral traits in paired surface, subterranean, and facultatively subterranean Mexican tetras ( Astyanax mexicanus) from recent introductions in two separate watersheds outside of their native range. We found a variety of phenotypic and behavioral shifts between subterranean and surface populations that are similar to those observed in relatively ancient populations in Mexico. Despite this rapid morphological divergence, we found that most of these trait differences were due to plasticity in response to rearing environments. While most trait assays in common-garden, lab-raised fish indicated that phenotypic shifts in wild fish were the result of plasticity, we also found evidence of genetic control in several traits present in subterranean populations. Interestingly, wall-following behavior, an important subterranean foraging behavior, was greater in lab-born subterranean fish than in lab-born surface fish, suggesting rapid divergence of this trait between subterranean and surface populations. Thus, this study sheds light on the early steps of subterranean evolution, identifies potential rapid behavioral evolution, and suggests that plasticity in traits involving exploratory behavior may facilitate subterranean colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan E Swanson
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2525, USA. E-mail:
| | - Andrew G Gluesenkamp
- Center for Conservation and Research, San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas 78212, USA
| | - Alexandra E Donny
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Suzanne E Mcgaugh
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA. E-mail:
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28
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Espinasa L, Diamant R, Vinepinsky E, Espinasa M. Evolutionary modifications of Astyanax larval prey capture (LPC) in a dark environment. Zool Res 2023; 44:750-760. [PMID: 37464932 PMCID: PMC10415770 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.466] [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: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Feeding strategies of an organism depend on the multimodal sensory processing that most efficiently integrates available visual, chemosensory, and/or mechanoreceptive cues as part of their environmental adaptation. The blind cavefish morph of Astyanax mexicanus has developed sensory-dependent behaviors to find food more efficiently than their eyed, surface-morph counterparts while in darkness. In the absence of light, adult cavefish have evolved enhanced behaviors, such as vibration attraction behavior (VAB), and changes in feeding angle. Here, we identified evolved differences in cavefish larval prey capture (LPC) behavior. In the dark, LPC is more efficient in cavefish than in surface fish. Furthermore, different cave populations express laterality in their LPC and strike towards prey preferentially located on their left or right sides. This suggests the occurrence, to some extent, of divergent LPC evolution among cave populations. While LPC can be triggered exclusively by a vibration stimulus in both surface and cavefish, we provide evidence that LPC is, at least partially, a multimodal sensory process different from adult VAB. We also found that a lack of food may exacerbate the laterality of LPC. Thus, we proposed a mathematical model for explaining laterality based on a balance between: (1) enlarged range of foraging field (behavioral or perceptive) due to asymmetry, (2) food abundance, and (3) disadvantages caused by laterality (unequal lateral hydrodynamic resistance when swimming, allocation of resources for the brain and receptors, and predator escape).
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Espinasa
- School of Science, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, USA. E-mail:
| | - Ruth Diamant
- Depto. de Física, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana - Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México C.P. 09310, México
| | - Ehud Vinepinsky
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
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29
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Santacruz A, Hernández-Mena D, Miranda-Gamboa R, De León GPP, Ornelas-García CP. Host-parasite interactions in perpetual darkness: Macroparasite diversity in the cavefish Astyanax mexicanus. Zool Res 2023; 44:782-792. [PMID: 37464936 PMCID: PMC10415763 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.376] [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: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Astyanax mexicanus has repeatedly colonized cave environments, displaying evolutionary parallelisms in many troglobitic traits. Despite being a model system for the study of adaptation to life in perpetual darkness, the parasites that infect cavefish are practically unknown. In this study, we investigated the macroparasite communities in 18 cavefish populations from independent lineages and compared them with the parasite diversity found in their sister surface fish populations, with the aim of better understanding the role that parasites play in the colonization of new environments. Within the cavefish populations, we identified 13 parasite taxa, including a subset of 10 of the 27 parasite taxa known for the surface populations. Parasites infecting the cavefish belong to five taxonomic groups, including trematodes, monogeneans, nematodes, copepods, and acari. Monogeneans are the most dominant group, found in 14 caves. The macroparasites include species with direct life cycles and trophic transmission, including invasive species. Surprisingly, paired comparisons indicate higher parasite richness in the cavefish than in the surface fish. Spatial variation in parasite composition across the caves suggests historical and geographical contingencies in the host-parasite colonization process and potential evolution of local adaptations. This base-line data on parasite diversity in cavefish populations of A. mexicanus provides a foundation to explore the role of divergent parasite infections under contrasting ecological pressures (cave vs. surface environments) in the evolution of cave adaptive traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Santacruz
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City CP 04510, México. E-mail:
| | - David Hernández-Mena
- Departamento de Sistemas y Procesos Naturales, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Mérida, Ucú, Yucatán CP 97357, México
| | - Ramses Miranda-Gamboa
- Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos CP 62580, México
| | - Gerardo Pérez-Ponce De León
- Departamento de Sistemas y Procesos Naturales, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Mérida, Ucú, Yucatán CP 97357, México
| | - Claudia Patricia Ornelas-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City CP 04510, México. E-mail:
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30
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Garduño-Sánchez MAA, De Jesus-Bonilla V, Perea S, Miranda-Gamboa R, Herrera-García A, De la Maza Benignos M, Ornelas-García CP. Mitochondrial phylogeography and molecular evolution of the rhodopsin visual pigment in troglobitic populations of Astyanax mexicanus (De Filippi, 1853). Zool Res 2023; 44:761-775. [PMID: 37464933 PMCID: PMC10415764 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.437] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cave-adapted animals provide a unique opportunity to study the evolutionary mechanisms underlying phenotypic, metabolic, behavioral, and genetic evolution in response to cave environments. The Mexican tetra ( Astyanax mexicanus) is considered a unique model system as it shows both surface and cave-dwelling morphs. To date, at least 33 different cave populations have been identified, with phylogenetic studies suggesting an origin from at least two independent surface lineages, thereby providing a unique opportunity to study parallel evolution. In the present study, we carried out the most exhaustive phylogeographic study of A. mexicanus to date, including cave and surface localities, using two mitochondrial markers (cytochrome b (cyt b) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( COI)) and nuclear rhodopsin visual pigment ( rho). Additionally, we inferred the molecular evolution of rho within the two contrasting environments (cave and surface) and across three geographic regions (Sierra de El Abra, Sierra de Guatemala, and Micos). In total, 267 individuals were sequenced for the two mitochondrial fragments and 268 individuals were sequenced for the rho visual pigment from 22 cave and 46 surface populations. Phylogeographic results based on the mitochondrial data supported the two-lineage hypothesis, except for the Pachón and Chica caves, whose introgression has been largely documented. The Sierra de El Abra region depicted the largest genetic diversity, followed by the Sierra de Guatemala region. Regarding the phylogeographic patterns of rho, we recovered exclusive haplogroups for the Sierra de El Abra (Haplogroup I) and Sierra de Guatemala regions (Haplogroup IV). Moreover, a 544 bp deletion in the rho gene was observed in the Escondido cave population from Sierra de Guatemala, reducing the protein from seven to three intramembrane domains. This change may produce a loss-of-function (LOF) but requires further investigation. Regarding nonsynonymous ( dN) and synonymous ( dS) substitution rates (omega values ω), our results revealed the prevailing influence of purifying selection upon the rho pigment for both cave and surface populations (ω<1), but relaxation at the El Abra region. Notably, in contrast to the other two regions, we observed an increase in the number of dN mutations for Sierra de El Abra. However, given that a LOF was exclusively identified in the Sierra de Guatemala region, we cannot dismiss the possibility of a pleiotropic effect on the Rho protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A A Garduño-Sánchez
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, México
| | - Vladimir De Jesus-Bonilla
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, México
- Licenciatura en Ciencias Forenses, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, México City, C.P. 04510, México
| | - Silvia Perea
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, México
| | - Ramses Miranda-Gamboa
- Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos C.P. 62580, Mexico
| | - Andrea Herrera-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, México
| | - Mauricio De la Maza Benignos
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, C.P. 66450, México
| | - Claudia Patricia Ornelas-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, México. E-mail:
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31
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Borowsky R. Selection Maintains the Phenotypic Divergence of Cave and Surface Fish. Am Nat 2023; 202:55-63. [PMID: 37384766 DOI: 10.1086/724661] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
AbstractGenetic divergence in the presence of gene flow has been well documented, but there is little information on the specific factors maintaining divergence. The present study investigates this in the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus), an excellent model for studying this question because surface and cave populations differ markedly in phenotype and genotype but are interfertile. Previous population studies documented significant gene flow among cave and surface populations, but they focused on analyses of neutral markers whose evolutionary dynamics likely differ from those of genes involved in cave adaptation. The present study advances our understanding of this question by focusing specifically on the genetics responsible for eye and pigmentation reduction, signature traits of cave populations. Direct observations of two cave populations over the course of 63 years verify that surface fish frequently move into the caves and even hybridize with the cave fish. Importantly, however, historical records show that surface alleles for pigmentation and eye size do not persist but are rapidly eliminated from the cave gene pool. It has been argued that regression of eyes and pigmentation was driven by drift, but the results of this study suggest that strong selection actively eliminates surface alleles from the cave populations.
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32
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Moran RL, Richards EJ, Ornelas-García CP, Gross JB, Donny A, Wiese J, Keene AC, Kowalko JE, Rohner N, McGaugh SE. Selection-driven trait loss in independently evolved cavefish populations. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2557. [PMID: 37137902 PMCID: PMC10156726 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37909-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Laboratory studies have demonstrated that a single phenotype can be produced by many different genotypes; however, in natural systems, it is frequently found that phenotypic convergence is due to parallel genetic changes. This suggests a substantial role for constraint and determinism in evolution and indicates that certain mutations are more likely to contribute to phenotypic evolution. Here we use whole genome resequencing in the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, to investigate how selection has shaped the repeated evolution of both trait loss and enhancement across independent cavefish lineages. We show that selection on standing genetic variation and de novo mutations both contribute substantially to repeated adaptation. Our findings provide empirical support for the hypothesis that genes with larger mutational targets are more likely to be the substrate of repeated evolution and indicate that features of the cave environment may impact the rate at which mutations occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA.
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Emilie J Richards
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Claudia Patricia Ornelas-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito Exterior S/N. CP 04510, D. F. México, México City, México
| | - Joshua B Gross
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Alexandra Donny
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Jonathan Wiese
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Johanna E Kowalko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Suzanne E McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
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33
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Kozol RA, Yuiska A, Han JH, Tolentino B, Lopatto A, Lewis P, Paz A, Keene AC, Kowalko JE, Duboué ER. Novel Husbandry Practices Result in Rapid Rates of Growth and Sexual Maturation Without Impacting Adult Behavior in the Blind Mexican Cavefish. Zebrafish 2023; 20:86-94. [PMID: 37071855 PMCID: PMC10123811 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2023.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal model systems are dependent on the standardization of husbandry protocols that maximize growth and reduce generation time. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, exists as eyed surface and blind cave dwelling populations. The opportunity for comparative approaches between independently evolved populations has led to the rapid growth of A. mexicanus as a model for evolution and biomedical research. However, a slow and inconsistent growth rate remains a major limitation to the expanded application of A. mexicanus. Fortunately, this temporal limitation can be addressed through husbandry changes that accelerate growth rates while maintaining optimal health outcomes. Here, we describe a husbandry protocol that produces rapid growth rates through changes in diet, feeding frequency, growth sorting and progressive changes in tank size. This protocol produced robust growth rates and decreased the age of sexual maturity in comparison to our previous protocol. To determine whether changes in feeding impacted behavior, we tested fish in exploration and schooling assays. We found no difference in behavior between the two groups, suggesting that increased feeding and rapid growth will not impact the natural variation in behavioral traits. Taken together, this standardized husbandry protocol will accelerate the development of A. mexicanus as a genetic model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Kozol
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Anders Yuiska
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Ji Heon Han
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Bernadeth Tolentino
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Arthur Lopatto
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Peter Lewis
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Alexandra Paz
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Alex C. Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Johanna E. Kowalko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Erik R. Duboué
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
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Paz A, Holt KJ, Clarke A, Aviles A, Abraham B, Keene AC, Duboué ER, Fily Y, Kowalko JE. Changes in local interaction rules during ontogeny underlie the evolution of collective behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.28.534467. [PMID: 37034671 PMCID: PMC10081253 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.28.534467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Collective motion emerges from individual interactions which produce groupwide patterns in behavior. While adaptive changes to collective motion are observed across animal species, how local interactions change when these collective behaviors evolve is poorly understood. Here, we use the Mexican tetra, A. mexicanus, which exists as a schooling surface form and a non-schooling cave form, to study differences in how fish alter their swimming in response to neighbors across ontogeny and between evolutionarily diverged populations. We find that surface fish undergo a transition to schooling during development that occurs through increases in inter-individual alignment and attraction mediated by changes in the way fish modulate speed and turning relative to neighbors. Cavefish, which have evolved loss of schooling, exhibit neither of these schooling-promoting interactions at any stage of development. These results reveal how evolution alters local interaction rules to produce striking differences in collective behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Paz
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
| | - Karla J. Holt
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
| | - Anik Clarke
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
| | - Ari Aviles
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
| | - Briana Abraham
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
| | | | - Erik R. Duboué
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
| | - Yaouen Fily
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter FL
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Miranda-Gamboa R, Espinasa L, Verde-Ramírez MDLA, Hernández-Lozano J, Lacaille JL, Espinasa M, Ornelas-García CP. A new cave population of Astyanax mexicanus from Northern Sierra de El Abra, Tamaulipas, Mexico. SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.45.98434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Astyanax genus represents an extraordinary example of phenotypic evolution, being their most extreme examples the blind and depigmented morphs, which have evolved from independent surface-dwelling lineages. Among cave organisms, Astyanax cavefish is a prominent model system to study regressive evolution. Before this study, 34 cave populations were known for the Astyanax genus to be inhabited by the cave morph. The majority of those cave populations are distributed in Northeast México, at the Sierra Madre Oriental (32 cavefish), in three main areas: Sierra de Guatemala, Sierra de El Abra, and Micos, and two in the Balsas basin in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. In the present study, we describe a new cave population found 4.5 km Southward of Pachón cave, the most northern cave population known for the Sierra de El Abra limestone. El Refugio cave is a resurgence with a mixed population of fish with different levels of troglomorphism, and surface fish, resembling other hybrid populations within the Sierra de El Abra. Based on a mitochondrial DNA characterization of the 16S ribosomal DNA sequence, we could identify the mitochondrial lineage of this population, which was placed closely related to the “New Lineage”, sharing haplotypes with the surface (i.e. Arroyo Lagartos) and Pachón populations, instead of with the cave populations from Central Sierra de El Abra (e.g. Tinaja cave). El Refugio cave population gives additional evidence of the intricate history of this system, where migration, drift, and selection have shaped the evolution of the cave morphs through the independent episodes of the Astyanax mexicanus history.
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Zhang H, Zhang X, Wu G, Dong C, Liu J, Li M. Genomic divergence and introgression among three Populus species. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 180:107686. [PMID: 36586545 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Genomic divergence with gene flow is very common in both plants and animals. However, divergence and gene flow are two counteracting factors during speciation. Identifying the types of genes that are likely to be introgressed and what genetic factors restrict further effective reproduction of interspecific hybrids is of great interest to biologists. We aimed to address these issues using three related tree species, Populus alba (Pa), P. tremula (Pt), and P. tremuloides (Ps), and the interspecific hybrid of the former two species, P. × canescens (Pc). We collected 105 genomes for these four poplar lineages, including 28 Pa, 38Pt, 21 Ps, and 18 Pc individuals, to reconstruct their evolutionary histories. Our coalescence-based simulations indicated that Pa diverged earliest from Ps and Pt, and asymmetrical gene flow existed between any two lineages, with especially large ancient gene flow occurring between Pa and Pt. The genomic landscape of divergence between pairs of the three species are highly heterogeneous, which may have arisen through both divergent sorting of ancient polymorphisms and ongoing gene flow. We found that extant regions of the genome with introgressed ancestry reduced genetic divergence but elevated recombination rates and accounted for 5.76 % of the total genome. Introgressed genes were functionally associated with stress resistance, including innate immune response, anti-adversity response, and programmed cell death. However, candidate genes underlying postmating barriers of Pc were homozygous and resistant to introgression due to the incompatibility of alleles between loci after hybridization and were associated with endosperm and gamete formation and disease resistance. Our study revealed genomic dynamics during speciation with gene flow and identified regions of the genome that were likely introgressed and adaptive as well as candidate loci responsible for hybrid incompatibility that resulted in the formation of postmating barriers after hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Internet Medical and System Applications of National Engineering Laboratory, Zhengzhou University First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Guili Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Congcong Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jianquan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Minjie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Enriquez MS, Swanson N, Putland RL, Tait T, Gluesenkamp AG, McGaugh SE, Mensinger AF. Evidence for rapid divergence of sensory systems between Texas populations of the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus). Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1085975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Population divergence is often quantified using phenotypic variation. However, because sensory abilities are more difficult to discern, we have little information on the plasticity and rate of sensory change between different environments. The Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus) is a fish distributed throughout Southern Texas and Northern Mexico and has evolved troglomorphic phenotypes, such as vestigial eyes and reduced pigmentation, when surface ancestors invaded caves in the past several hundred thousand years. In the early 1900s, surface A. mexicanus were introduced to the karstic Edwards-Trinity Aquifer in Texas. Subsequent cave colonization of subterranean environments resulted in fish with phenotypic and behavioral divergence from their surface counterparts, allowing examination of how new environments lead to sensory changes. We hypothesized that recently introduced cave populations would be more sensitive to light and sound when compared to their surface counterparts. We quantified divergence using auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) and particle acceleration levels (PALs) to measure differences in sound sensitivity, and electroretinography (ERGs) to measure light sensitivity. We also compared these results to measurements taken from native populations and lab-born individuals of the introduced populations. Honey Creek Cave fish were significantly more sensitive than proximate Honey Creek surface fish to sound pressure levels between 0.6 and 0.8 kHz and particle acceleration levels between 0.4 and 0.8 kHz. Pairwise differences were found between San Antonio Zoo surface and the facultative subterranean San Pedro Springs and Blue Hole populations, which exhibited more sensitivity to particle acceleration levels between 0.5 and 0.7 kHz. Electroretinography results indicate no significant differences between populations, although Honey Creek Cave fish may be trending toward reduced visual sensitivity. Auditory thresholds between wild-caught and lab-raised populations of recently invaded fish show significant differences in sensitivity, suggesting that these traits are plastic. Collectively, while these results may point to the rapid divergence of A. mexicanus in cave habitats, it also highlights the responsive plasticity of A. mexicanus auditory system to disparate environments.
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Olsen L, Hassan H, Keaton S, Rohner N. The Mexican Cavefish Mount a Rapid and Sustained Regenerative Response Following Skeletal Muscle Injury. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.05.527207. [PMID: 36778484 PMCID: PMC9915744 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.05.527207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Physical injury and tissue damage is prevalent throughout the animal kingdom, with the ability to quickly and efficiently regenerate providing a selective advantage. The skeletal muscle possesses a uniquely large regenerative capacity within most vertebrates, and has thus become an important model for investigating cellular processes underpinning tissue regeneration. Following damage, the skeletal muscle mounts a complex regenerative cascade centered around dedicated muscle stem cells termed satellite cells. In non-injured muscle, satellite cells remain in a quiescent state, expressing the canonical marker Pax7 (Chen et al. 2020). However, following injury, satellite cells exit quiescence, enter the cell cycle to initiate proliferation, asymmetrically divide, and in many cases terminally differentiate into myoblasts, ultimately fusing with surrounding myoblasts and pre-existing muscle fibers to resolve the regenerative process (Chen et al. 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Olsen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA,Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Huzaifa Hassan
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Sarah Keaton
- Department of Biological Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA,Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA,Correspondence: Nicolas Rohner
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Olsen L, Levy M, Medley JK, Hassan H, Miller B, Alexander R, Wilcock E, Yi K, Florens L, Weaver K, McKinney SA, Peuß R, Persons J, Kenzior A, Maldonado E, Delventhal K, Gluesenkamp A, Mager E, Coughlin D, Rohner N. Metabolic reprogramming underlies cavefish muscular endurance despite loss of muscle mass and contractility. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2204427120. [PMID: 36693105 PMCID: PMC9945943 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204427120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical inactivity is a scourge to human health, promoting metabolic disease and muscle wasting. Interestingly, multiple ecological niches have relaxed investment into physical activity, providing an evolutionary perspective into the effect of adaptive physical inactivity on tissue homeostasis. One such example, the Mexican cavefish Astyanax mexicanus, has lost moderate-to-vigorous activity following cave colonization, reaching basal swim speeds ~3.7-fold slower than their river-dwelling counterpart. This change in behavior is accompanied by a marked shift in body composition, decreasing total muscle mass and increasing fat mass. This shift persisted at the single muscle fiber level via increased lipid and sugar accumulation at the expense of myofibrillar volume. Transcriptomic analysis of laboratory-reared and wild-caught cavefish indicated that this shift is driven by increased expression of pparγ-the master regulator of adipogenesis-with a simultaneous decrease in fast myosin heavy chain expression. Ex vivo and in vivo analysis confirmed that these investment strategies come with a functional trade-off, decreasing cavefish muscle fiber shortening velocity, time to maximal force, and ultimately maximal swimming speed. Despite this, cavefish displayed a striking degree of muscular endurance, reaching maximal swim speeds ~3.5-fold faster than their basal swim speeds. Multi-omic analysis suggested metabolic reprogramming, specifically phosphorylation of Pgm1-Threonine 19, as a key component enhancing cavefish glycogen metabolism and sustained muscle contraction. Collectively, we reveal broad skeletal muscle changes following cave colonization, displaying an adaptive skeletal muscle phenotype reminiscent to mammalian disuse and high-fat models while simultaneously maintaining a unique capacity for sustained muscle contraction via enhanced glycogen metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Olsen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS66160
| | - Michaella Levy
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - J. Kyle Medley
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - Huzaifa Hassan
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - Brandon Miller
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | | | - Emma Wilcock
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, PA19013
| | - Kexi Yi
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | | | - Kyle Weaver
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | | | - Robert Peuß
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster48149, Germany
| | - Jenna Persons
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | | | - Ernesto Maldonado
- EvoDevo Research Group, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo77580, Mexico
| | - Kym Delventhal
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - Andrew Gluesenkamp
- Center for Conservation and Research, San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, TX78212
| | - Edward Mager
- Department of Biological Sciences, Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX76203
| | - David Coughlin
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, PA19013
| | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS66160
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Culver DC, Kowalko JE, Pipan T. Natural selection versus neutral mutation in the evolution of subterranean life: A false dichotomy? Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1080503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the evolutionary tree, there are gains and losses of morphological features, physiological processes, and behavioral patterns. Losses are perhaps nowhere so prominent as for subterranean organisms, which typically show reductions or losses of eyes and pigment. These losses seem easy to explain without recourse to natural selection. Its most modern form is the accumulation of selectively neutral, structurally reducing mutations. Selectionist explanations include direct selection, often involving metabolic efficiency in resource poor subterranean environments, and pleiotropy, where genes affecting eyes and pigment have other effects, such as increasing extra-optic sensory structures. This dichotomy echoes the debate in evolutionary biology in general about the sufficiency of natural selection as an explanation of evolution, e.g., Kimura’s neutral mutation theory. Tests of the two hypotheses have largely been one-sided, with data supporting that one or the other processes is occurring. While these tests have utilized a variety of subterranean organisms, the Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, which has eyed extant ancestral-like surface fish conspecifics, is easily bred in the lab, and whose whole genome has been sequenced, is the favored experimental organism. However, with few exceptions, tests for selection versus neutral mutations contain limitations or flaws. Notably, these tests are often one sided, testing for the presence of one or the other process. In fact, it is most likely that both processes occur and make a significant contribution to the two most studied traits in cave evolution: eye and pigment reduction. Furthermore, narrow focus on neutral mutation hypothesis versus selection to explain cave-evolved traits often fails, at least in the simplest forms of these hypotheses, to account for aspects that are likely essential for understanding cave evolution: migration or epigenetic effects. Further, epigenetic effects and phenotypic plasticity have been demonstrated to play an important role in cave evolution in recent studies. Phenotypic plasticity does not by itself result in genetic change of course, but plasticity can reveal cryptic genetic variation which then selection can act on. These processes may result in a radical change in our thinking about evolution of subterranean life, especially the speed with which it may occur. Thus, perhaps it is better to ask what role the interaction of genes and environment plays, in addition to natural selection and neutral mutation.
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Fernandes VFL, Glaser Y, Iwashita M, Yoshizawa M. Evolution of left-right asymmetry in the sensory system and foraging behavior during adaptation to food-sparse cave environments. BMC Biol 2022; 20:295. [PMID: 36575431 PMCID: PMC9795734 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01501-1] [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: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Laterality in relation to behavior and sensory systems is found commonly in a variety of animal taxa. Despite the advantages conferred by laterality (e.g., the startle response and complex motor activities), little is known about the evolution of laterality and its plasticity in response to ecological demands. In the present study, a comparative study model, the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus), composed of two morphotypes, i.e., riverine surface fish and cave-dwelling cavefish, was used to address the relationship between environment and laterality. RESULTS The use of a machine learning-based fish posture detection system and sensory ablation revealed that the left cranial lateral line significantly supports one type of foraging behavior, i.e., vibration attraction behavior, in one cave population. Additionally, left-right asymmetric approaches toward a vibrating rod became symmetrical after fasting in one cave population but not in the other populations. CONCLUSION Based on these findings, we propose a model explaining how the observed sensory laterality and behavioral shift could help adaptation in terms of the tradeoff in energy gain and loss during foraging according to differences in food availability among caves.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yannik Glaser
- Department of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Motoko Iwashita
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Masato Yoshizawa
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA.
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Roberts RJV, Pop S, Prieto-Godino LL. Evolution of central neural circuits: state of the art and perspectives. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:725-743. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00644-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Chamberland L, Agnarsson I, Quayle IL, Ruddy T, Starrett J, Bond JE. Biogeography and eye size evolution of the ogre-faced spiders. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17769. [PMID: 36273015 PMCID: PMC9588044 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22157-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Net-casting spiders (Deinopidae) comprise a charismatic family with an enigmatic evolutionary history. There are 67 described species of deinopids, placed among three genera, Deinopis, Menneus, and Asianopis, that are distributed globally throughout the tropics and subtropics. Deinopis and Asianopis, the ogre-faced spiders, are best known for their giant light-capturing posterior median eyes (PME), whereas Menneus does not have enlarged PMEs. Molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed discordance between morphology and molecular data. We employed a character-rich ultra-conserved element (UCE) dataset and a taxon-rich cytochrome-oxidase I (COI) dataset to reconstruct a genus-level phylogeny of Deinopidae, aiming to investigate the group's historical biogeography, and examine PME size evolution. Although the phylogenetic results support the monophyly of Menneus and the single reduction of PME size in deinopids, these data also show that Deinopis is not monophyletic. Consequently, we formally transfer 24 Deinopis species to Asianopis; the transfers comprise all of the African, Australian, South Pacific, and a subset of Central American and Mexican species. Following the divergence of Eastern and Western deinopids in the Cretaceous, Deinopis/Asianopis dispersed from Africa, through Asia and into Australia with its biogeographic history reflecting separation of Western Gondwana as well as long-distance dispersal events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Chamberland
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Ingi Agnarsson
- grid.14013.370000 0004 0640 0021Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Iris L. Quayle
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Tess Ruddy
- grid.267778.b0000 0001 2290 5183Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 USA
| | - James Starrett
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Jason E. Bond
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
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Rodriguez-Morales R, Gonzalez-Lerma P, Yuiska A, Han JH, Guerra Y, Crisostomo L, Keene AC, Duboue ER, Kowalko JE. Convergence on reduced aggression through shared behavioral traits in multiple populations of Astyanax mexicanus. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:116. [PMID: 36241984 PMCID: PMC9563175 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aggression is observed across the animal kingdom, and benefits animals in a number of ways to increase fitness and promote survival. While aggressive behaviors vary widely across populations and can evolve as an adaptation to a particular environment, the complexity of aggressive behaviors presents a challenge to studying the evolution of aggression. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus exists as an aggressive river-dwelling surface form and multiple populations of a blind cave form, some of which exhibit reduced aggression, providing the opportunity to investigate how evolution shapes aggressive behaviors. RESULTS To define how aggressive behaviors evolve, we performed a high-resolution analysis of multiple social behaviors that occur during aggressive interactions in A. mexicanus. We found that many of the aggression-associated behaviors observed in surface-surface aggressive encounters were reduced or lost in Pachón cavefish. Interestingly, one behavior, circling, was observed more often in cavefish, suggesting evolution of a shift in the types of social behaviors exhibited by cavefish. Further, detailed analysis revealed substantive differences in aggression-related sub-behaviors in independently evolved cavefish populations, suggesting independent evolution of reduced aggression between cave populations. We found that many aggressive behaviors are still present when surface fish fight in the dark, suggesting that these reductions in aggression-associated and escape-associated behaviors in cavefish are likely independent of loss of vision in this species. Further, levels of aggression within populations were largely independent of type of opponent (cave vs. surface) or individual stress levels, measured through quantifying stress-like behaviors, suggesting these behaviors are hardwired and not reflective of population-specific changes in other cave-evolved traits. CONCLUSION These results reveal that loss of aggression in cavefish evolved through the loss of multiple aggression-associated behaviors and raise the possibility that independent genetic mechanisms underlie changes in each behavior within populations and across populations. Taken together, these findings reveal the complexity of evolution of social behaviors and establish A. mexicanus as a model for investigating the evolutionary and genetic basis of aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola Gonzalez-Lerma
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 33431, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Anders Yuiska
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 33431, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Ji Heon Han
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 33431, Boca Raton, FL, USA
- Program in Integrative Biology and Neuroscience, Florida Atlantic University, 33458, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Yolanda Guerra
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 33458, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Lina Crisostomo
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 33458, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Erik R Duboue
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 33431, Boca Raton, FL, USA
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 33458, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Johanna E Kowalko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, 18015, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
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Lloyd E, McDole B, Privat M, Jaggard JB, Duboué ER, Sumbre G, Keene AC. Blind cavefish retain functional connectivity in the tectum despite loss of retinal input. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3720-3730.e3. [PMID: 35926509 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Sensory systems display remarkable plasticity and are under strong evolutionary selection. The Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, consists of eyed river-dwelling surface populations and multiple independent cave populations that have converged on eye loss, providing the opportunity to examine the evolution of sensory circuits in response to environmental perturbation. Functional analysis across multiple transgenic populations expressing GCaMP6s showed that functional connectivity of the optic tectum largely did not differ between populations, except for the selective loss of negatively correlated activity within the cavefish tectum, suggesting positively correlated neural activity is resistant to an evolved loss of input from the retina. Furthermore, analysis of surface-cave hybrid fish reveals that changes in the tectum are genetically distinct from those encoding eye loss. Together, these findings uncover the independent evolution of multiple components of the visual system and establish the use of functional imaging in A. mexicanus to study neural circuit evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Lloyd
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Harriet Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Brittnee McDole
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Martin Privat
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - James B Jaggard
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Erik R Duboué
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - German Sumbre
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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46
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Oliva C, Hinz NK, Robinson W, Barrett Thompson AM, Booth J, Crisostomo LM, Zanineli S, Tanner M, Lloyd E, O'Gorman M, McDole B, Paz A, Kozol R, Brown EB, Kowalko JE, Fily Y, Duboue ER, Keene AC. Characterizing the genetic basis of trait evolution in the Mexican cavefish. Evol Dev 2022; 24:131-144. [PMID: 35924750 PMCID: PMC9786752 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Evolution in response to a change in ecology often coincides with various morphological, physiological, and behavioral traits. For most organisms little is known about the genetic and functional relationship between evolutionarily derived traits, representing a critical gap in our understanding of adaptation. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, consists of largely independent populations of fish that inhabit at least 30 caves in Northeast Mexico, and a surface fish population, that inhabit the rivers of Mexico and Southern Texas. The recent application of molecular genetic approaches combined with behavioral phenotyping have established A. mexicanus as a model for studying the evolution of complex traits. Cave populations of A. mexicanus are interfertile with surface populations and have evolved numerous traits including eye degeneration, insomnia, albinism, and enhanced mechanosensory function. The interfertility of different populations from the same species provides a unique opportunity to define the genetic relationship between evolved traits and assess the co-evolution of behavioral and morphological traits with one another. To define the relationships between morphological and behavioral traits, we developed a pipeline to test individual fish for multiple traits. This pipeline confirmed differences in locomotor activity, prey capture, and startle reflex between surface and cavefish populations. To measure the relationship between traits, individual F2 hybrid fish were characterized for locomotor behavior, prey-capture behavior, startle reflex, and morphological attributes. Analysis revealed an association between body length and slower escape reflex, suggesting a trade-off between increased size and predator avoidance in cavefish. Overall, there were few associations between individual behavioral traits, or behavioral and morphological traits, suggesting independent genetic changes underlie the evolution of the measured behavioral and morphological traits. Taken together, this approach provides a novel system to identify genetic underpinnings of naturally occurring variation in morphological and behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Oliva
- NIH U‐RISE ProgramFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | | | - Wayne Robinson
- NIH U‐RISE ProgramFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | | | - Julianna Booth
- NIH U‐RISE ProgramFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | | | | | - Maureen Tanner
- NIH U‐RISE ProgramFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Evan Lloyd
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA,Department of BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Morgan O'Gorman
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA,Department of BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Brittnee McDole
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Alexandra Paz
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Rob Kozol
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Elizabeth B. Brown
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Johanna E. Kowalko
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA,Department of Biological SciencesLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Yaouen Fily
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Erik R. Duboue
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA
| | - Alex C. Keene
- Jupiter Life Science InitiativeFlorida Atlantic UniversityJupiterFloridaUSA,Department of BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
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47
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Weaver S, McGaugh SE, Kono TJY, Macip-Rios R, Gluesenkamp AG. Assessing genomic and ecological differentiation among subspecies of the Rough-footed Mud Turtle, Kinosternon hirtipes. J Hered 2022; 113:538-551. [PMID: 35922036 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esac036] [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: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Combining genetic and ecological measures of differentiation can provide compelling evidence for ecological and genetic divergence among lineages. The Rough-footed Mud Turtle, Kinosternon hirtipes, is distributed from the Trans-Pecos region of Texas to the highlands of Central Mexico and contains six described subspecies, five of which are extant. We use ddRAD sequencing and species distribution models to assess levels of ecological and genetic differentiation among these subspecies. We also predict changes in climatically suitable habitat under different climate change scenarios and assess levels of genetic diversity and inbreeding within each lineage. Our results show that there is strong genetic and ecological differentiation among multiple lineages within K. hirtipes, and that this differentiation appears to be the result of vicariance associated with the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. We propose changes to subspecies designations to more accurately reflect the evolutionary relationships among populations and assess threats to each subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Weaver
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Lab, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Suzanne E McGaugh
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Lab, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Thomas J Y Kono
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Lab, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Rodrigo Macip-Rios
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No.8701, Col. Ex Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, CP 58190 Morelia, Michoacán, México.,Laboratorio Nacional de Síntesis Ecológica, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No.8701, Col. Ex Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, CP 58190 Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Andrew G Gluesenkamp
- Center for Conservation and Research, San Antonio Zoo, 3903 N. St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, Texas 78212 USA
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48
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Perry A, McGaugh SE, Keene AC, Blackmon H. CaveCrawler: an interactive analysis suite for cavefish bioinformatics. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6609176. [PMID: 35708643 PMCID: PMC9339328 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The growing use of genomics in diverse organisms provides the basis for identifying genomic and transcriptional differences across species and experimental conditions. Databases containing genomic and functional data have played critical roles in the development of numerous genetic models but most emerging models lack such databases. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus exists as 2 morphs: surface-dwelling and cave-dwelling. There exist at least 30 cave populations, providing a system to study convergent evolution. We have generated a web-based analysis suite that integrates datasets from different studies to identify how gene transcription and genetic markers of selection differ between populations and across experimental contexts. Results of diverse studies can be analyzed in conjunction with other genetic data (e.g. Gene Ontology information), to enable biological inference from cross-study patterns and identify future avenues of research. Furthermore, the framework that we have built for A. mexicanus can be adapted for other emerging model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel Perry
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Suzanne E McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota , Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Heath Blackmon
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX 77843, USA
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49
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Sha LN, Liang X, Tang Y, Xu JQ, Chen WJ, Cheng YR, Wu DD, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Kang HY, Zhang HQ, Zhou YH, Shen YH, Fan X. Evolutionary patterns of plastome resolve multiple origins of the Ns-containing polyploid species in Triticeae. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 175:107591. [PMID: 35863609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107591] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Tracing evolutionary history proves challenging for polyploid groups that have evolved rapidly, especially if an ancestor of a polyploid is extinct. The Ns-containing polyploids are recognized as the NsXm and StHNsXm genomic constitutions in Triticeae. The Ns originated from Psathyrostachys, while the Xm represented a genome of unknown origin. Here, we use genetic information in plastome to trace the complex lineage history of the Ns-containing polyploid species by sampling 26 polyploids and 90 diploid taxa representing 23 basic genomes in Triticeae. Phylogenetic reconstruction, cluster plot of genetic distance matrix, and migration event demonstrated that (1) the Ns plastome originated from different Psathyrostachys species, and the Xm plastome may originate from an ancestral lineage of Henrardia, Agropyron, and Eremopyrum; (2) the Ns, Xm, and St genome donors separately served as the maternal parents during the speciation of the Ns-containing polyploid species, resulting in a maternal haplotype polymorphism; (3) North AmericanLeymusspecies might originate from colonization during late Miocene via the Bering land bridge and were the paternal donor of the StHNsXm genome Pascopyrum species. Our results shed new light on our understanding of the rich diversity and ecological adaptation of the Ns-containing polyploid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Na Sha
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xiao Liang
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Tang
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jin-Qing Xu
- Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Wen-Jie Chen
- Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Yi-Ran Cheng
- Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Dan-Dan Wu
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Hou-Yang Kang
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Hai-Qin Zhang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yong-Hong Zhou
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu-Hu Shen
- Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Xing Fan
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
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50
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Espinasa L, Collins E, Ornelas García CP, Rétaux S, Rohner N, Rutkowski J. Divergent evolutionary pathways for aggression and territoriality in Astyanax cavefish. SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.73.79318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The surface morph of the Mexican tetra fish (Astyanax mexicanus) exhibits strong territoriality behavior and high levels of aggression. In contrast, the eyeless cave-adapted morph from Sierra de El Abra, México, rarely are aggressive and have totally lost the territorial behavior. These behaviors are part of what has been called the cavefish behavioral syndrome. Here, we report that several Astyanax cave populations of Sierra de Guatemala, unlike those reported for the Sierra de El Abra cave populations, display significant territoriality and aggression when confined into a reduced space. We discuss divergent evolutionary trajectories in terms of agonistic behavior for cavefish populations inhabiting different mountain ranges.
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