1
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Recuerda M, Campagna L. How structural variants shape avian phenotypes: Lessons from model systems. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17364. [PMID: 38651830 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17364] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Despite receiving significant recent attention, the relevance of structural variation (SV) in driving phenotypic diversity remains understudied, although recent advances in long-read sequencing, bioinformatics and pangenomic approaches have enhanced SV detection. We review the role of SVs in shaping phenotypes in avian model systems, and identify some general patterns in SV type, length and their associated traits. We found that most of the avian SVs so far identified are short indels in chickens, which are frequently associated with changes in body weight and plumage colouration. Overall, we found that relatively short SVs are more frequently detected, likely due to a combination of their prevalence compared to large SVs, and a detection bias, stemming primarily from the widespread use of short-read sequencing and associated analytical methods. SVs most commonly involve non-coding regions, especially introns, and when patterns of inheritance were reported, SVs associated primarily with dominant discrete traits. We summarise several examples of phenotypic convergence across different species, mediated by different SVs in the same or different genes and different types of changes in the same gene that can lead to various phenotypes. Complex rearrangements and supergenes, which can simultaneously affect and link several genes, tend to have pleiotropic phenotypic effects. Additionally, SVs commonly co-occur with single-nucleotide polymorphisms, highlighting the need to consider all types of genetic changes to understand the basis of phenotypic traits. We end by summarising expectations for when long-read technologies become commonly implemented in non-model birds, likely leading to an increase in SV discovery and characterisation. The growing interest in this subject suggests an increase in our understanding of the phenotypic effects of SVs in upcoming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Recuerda
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Leonardo Campagna
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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2
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Tsai WLE, Escalona M, Garrett KL, Terrill RS, Sahasrabudhe R, Nguyen O, Beraut E, Seligmann W, Fairbairn CW, Harrigan RJ, McCormack JE, Alfaro ME, Smith TB, Bay RA. A highly contiguous genome assembly for the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia). J Hered 2024; 115:317-325. [PMID: 38401156 PMCID: PMC11081134 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esae008] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a small songbird in the wood-warbler family (Parulidae) that exhibits phenotypic and ecological differences across a widespread distribution and is important to California's riparian habitat conservation. Here, we present a high-quality de novo genome assembly of a vouchered female Yellow Warbler from southern California. Using HiFi long-read and Omni-C proximity sequencing technologies, we generated a 1.22 Gb assembly including 687 scaffolds with a contig N50 of 6.80 Mb, scaffold N50 of 21.18 Mb, and a BUSCO completeness score of 96.0%. This highly contiguous genome assembly provides an essential resource for understanding the history of gene flow, divergence, and local adaptation in Yellow Warblers and can inform conservation management of this charismatic bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney L E Tsai
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Biology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, United States
| | - Merly Escalona
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Kimball L Garrett
- Ornithology Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, United States
| | - Ryan S Terrill
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Biology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, United States
| | - Ruta Sahasrabudhe
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Oanh Nguyen
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Eric Beraut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - William Seligmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Colin W Fairbairn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Ryan J Harrigan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - John E McCormack
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Biology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, United States
| | - Michael E Alfaro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Rachael A Bay
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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3
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Gu Z, Dixon A, Zhan X. Genetics and Evolution of Bird Migration. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2024; 12:21-43. [PMID: 37906839 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021122-092239] [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: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Bird migration has long been a subject of fascination for humankind and is a behavior that is both intricate and multifaceted. In recent years, advances in technology, particularly in the fields of genomics and animal tracking, have enabled significant progress in our understanding of this phenomenon. In this review, we provide an overview of the latest advancements in the genetics of bird migration, with a particular focus on genomics, and examine various factors that contribute to the evolution of this behavior, including climate change. Integration of research from the fields of genomics, ecology, and evolution can enhance our comprehension of the complex mechanisms involved in bird migration and inform conservation efforts in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongru Gu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;
- Cardiff University-Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Andrew Dixon
- Mohamed Bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Xiangjiang Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;
- Cardiff University-Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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4
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Bours A, Pruisscher P, Bascón-Cardozo K, Odenthal-Hesse L, Liedvogel M. The blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) genome reveals a recent accumulation of LTR retrotransposons. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16471. [PMID: 37777595 PMCID: PMC10542752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43090-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that can move around the genome, and as such are a source of genomic variability. Based on their characteristics we can annotate TEs within the host genome and classify them into specific TE types and families. The increasing number of available high-quality genome references in recent years provides an excellent resource that will enhance the understanding of the role of recently active TEs on genetic variation and phenotypic evolution. Here we showcase the use of a high-quality TE annotation to understand the distinct effect of recent and ancient TE insertions on the evolution of genomic variation, within our study species the Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). We investigate how these distinct TE categories are distributed along the genome and evaluate how their coverage across the genome is correlated with four genomic features: recombination rate, gene coverage, CpG island coverage and GC content. We found within the recent TE insertions an accumulation of LTRs previously not seen in birds. While the coverage of recent TE insertions was negatively correlated with both GC content and recombination rate, the correlation with recombination rate disappeared and turned positive for GC content when considering ancient TE insertions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bours
- MPRG Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany.
| | - Peter Pruisscher
- MPRG Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karen Bascón-Cardozo
- MPRG Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany
| | - Linda Odenthal-Hesse
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany
| | - Miriam Liedvogel
- MPRG Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany.
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
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5
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Lundberg M, Mackintosh A, Petri A, Bensch S. Inversions maintain differences between migratory phenotypes of a songbird. Nat Commun 2023; 14:452. [PMID: 36707538 PMCID: PMC9883250 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36167-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural rearrangements have been shown to be important in local adaptation and speciation, but have been difficult to reliably identify and characterize in non-model species. Here we combine long reads, linked reads and optical mapping to characterize three divergent chromosome regions in the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, of which two are associated with differences in migration and one with an environmental gradient. We show that there are inversions (0.4-13 Mb) in each of the regions and that the divergence times between inverted and non-inverted haplotypes are similar across the regions (~1.2 Myrs), which is compatible with a scenario where inversions arose in either of two allopatric populations that subsequently hybridized. The improved genomes allow us to detect additional functional differences in the divergent regions, providing candidate genes for migration and adaptations to environmental gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Lundberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | | | - Anna Petri
- Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala Genome Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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Sokolovskis K, Lundberg M, Åkesson S, Willemoes M, Zhao T, Caballero-Lopez V, Bensch S. Migration direction in a songbird explained by two loci. Nat Commun 2023; 14:165. [PMID: 36631459 PMCID: PMC9834303 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35788-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Migratory routes and remote wintering quarters in birds are often species and even population specific. It has been known for decades that songbirds mainly migrate solitarily, and that the migration direction is genetically controlled. Yet, the underlying genetic mechanisms remain unknown. To investigate the genetic basis of migration direction, we track genotyped willow warblers Phylloscopus trochilus from a migratory divide in Sweden, where South-West migrating, and South-East migrating subspecies form a hybrid swarm. We find evidence that migration direction follows a dominant inheritance pattern with epistatic interaction between two loci explaining 74% of variation. Consequently, most hybrids migrate similarly to one of the parental subspecies, and therefore do not suffer from the cost of following an inferior, intermediate route. This has significant implications for understanding the selection processes that maintain narrow migratory divides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristaps Sokolovskis
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Max Lundberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mikkel Willemoes
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tianhao Zhao
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 5172.0664, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
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7
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Kim JY, Hwang JE, Eo SH, Kang SG, Moon JC, Kim JA, Park JY, An J, Yeo Y, Yoon J. Development of InDel markers for interspecific hybridization between hill pigeons and feral pigeons based on whole-genome re-sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22618. [PMID: 36585442 PMCID: PMC9803650 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27147-1] [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: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Interspecific hybridization occurs among birds, and closely related sister taxa tend to hybridize at a high rate. Genomic hybridization markers are useful for understanding the patterns and processes of hybridization and for conserving endangered species in captivity and the wild. In this study, we developed genomic hybridization markers for the F1 progeny of the sister taxa feral pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica) and endangered hill pigeons (Columba rupestris) (family Columbidae). Using whole-genome re-sequencing data, we performed genome-wide analysis for insertion/deletion (InDel) polymorphisms and validated using primers. We conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and agarose gel electrophoresis to identify species-specific InDels. We produced eight F1 hybrids of hill and feral pigeons, and their samples were tested by re-performing analyses and sequencing using 11 species-specific InDel polymorphisms. Eight InDel markers simultaneously amplified two DNA fragments from all F1 hybrids, and there was no abnormality in the sequencing results. The application of genomic tools to detect hybrids can play a crucial role in the assessment of hybridization frequency in the wild. Moreover, systematic captive propagation efforts with hybrids can help control the population decline of hill pigeons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Yong Kim
- grid.496435.90000 0004 6015 2014Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, South Korea
| | - Jung Eun Hwang
- grid.496435.90000 0004 6015 2014Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, South Korea
| | - Soo Hyung Eo
- grid.411118.c0000 0004 0647 1065Department of Forest Science, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Seung-Gu Kang
- grid.496435.90000 0004 6015 2014Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, South Korea
| | - Jeong Chan Moon
- grid.496435.90000 0004 6015 2014Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, South Korea
| | - Jung A Kim
- grid.419519.10000 0004 0400 5474National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Jin-Young Park
- grid.419519.10000 0004 0400 5474National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Junghwa An
- grid.419519.10000 0004 0400 5474National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Yonggu Yeo
- Conservation and Health Center, Seoul Zoo, Gwacheon, South Korea
| | - Jongmin Yoon
- grid.496435.90000 0004 6015 2014Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, South Korea
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8
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Divashuk MG, Nikitina EA, Sokolova VM, Yurkina AI, Kocheshkova AA, Razumova OV, Karlov GI, Kroupin PY. qPCR as a Selective Tool for Cytogenetics. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:80. [PMID: 36616209 PMCID: PMC9824742 DOI: 10.3390/plants12010080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
qPCR is widely used in quantitative studies of plant genomes and transcriptomes. In this article, this method is considered as an auxiliary step in the preparation and selection of markers for FISH analysis. Several cases from the authors' research on populations of the same species were reviewed, and a comparison of the closely related species, as well as the adaptation of the markers, based on satellite tandem repeats (TRs) using quantitative qPCR data was conducted. In the selected cases, TRs with contrast abundance were identified in the cases of the Dasypyrum, Thinopyrum and Aegilops species, and the transfer of TRs between the wheat and related species was demonstrated. TRs with intraspecific copy number variation were revealed in Thinopyrum ponticum and wheat-wheatgrass partial amphidiploids, and the TR showing predominant hybridization to the sea buckthorn Y chromosome was identified. Additionally, problems such as the absence of a reference gene for qPCR, and low-efficiency and self-complementary primers, were illustrated. In the cases considered here, the qPCR results clearly show high correlation with the subsequent results of the FISH analysis, which confirms the value of this method for cytogenetic studies.
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9
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Chiang VSC, DeRosa H, Park JH, Hunter RG. The Role of Transposable Elements in Sexual Development. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:923732. [PMID: 35874645 PMCID: PMC9301316 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.923732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Up to 50% of most mammalian genomes are made up of transposable elements (TEs) that have the potential to mobilize around the genome. Despite this prevalence, research on TEs is only beginning to gain traction within the field of neuroscience. While TEs have long been regarded as “junk” or parasitic DNA, it has become evident that they are adaptive DNA and RNA regulatory elements. In addition to their vital role in normal development, TEs can also interact with steroid receptors, which are key elements to sexual development. In this review, we provide an overview of the involvement of TEs in processes related to sexual development- from TE activity in the germline to TE accumulation in sex chromosomes. Moreover, we highlight sex differences in TE activity and their regulation of genes related to sexual development. Finally, we speculate on the epigenetic mechanisms that may govern TEs’ role in sexual development. In this context, we emphasize the need to further the understanding of sexual development through the lens of TEs including in a variety of organs at different developmental stages, their molecular networks, and evolution.
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10
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Lamka GF, Harder AM, Sundaram M, Schwartz TS, Christie MR, DeWoody JA, Willoughby JR. Epigenetics in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.871791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic variation is often characterized by modifications to DNA that do not alter the underlying nucleotide sequence, but can influence behavior, morphology, and physiological phenotypes by affecting gene expression and protein synthesis. In this review, we consider how the emerging field of ecological epigenetics (eco-epi) aims to use epigenetic variation to explain ecologically relevant phenotypic variation and predict evolutionary trajectories that are important in conservation. Here, we focus on how epigenetic data have contributed to our understanding of wild populations, including plants, animals, and fungi. First, we identified published eco-epi literature and found that there was limited taxonomic and ecosystem coverage and that, by necessity of available technology, these studies have most often focused on the summarized epigenome rather than locus- or nucleotide-level epigenome characteristics. We also found that while many studies focused on adaptation and heritability of the epigenome, the field has thematically expanded into topics such as disease ecology and epigenome-based ageing of individuals. In the second part of our synthesis, we discuss key insights that have emerged from the epigenetic field broadly and use these to preview the path toward integration of epigenetics into ecology. Specifically, we suggest moving focus to nucleotide-level differences in the epigenome rather than whole-epigenome data and that we incorporate several facets of epigenome characterization (e.g., methylation, chromatin structure). Finally, we also suggest that incorporation of behavior and stress data will be critical to the process of fully integrating eco-epi data into ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology.
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