Genetic architecture of migration-related traits in rainbow and steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Using Genetic Data to Determine Origin for Out-Migrating Smolt and Returning Adult Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a Southeast Alaska Drainage

Oncorhynchus mykiss is a partially migratory salmonid species, and many migratory populations (known as steelhead) have declined in recent decades in the western United States and Canada. Closely related resident populations (known as rainbow trout) may be an effective resource in the recovery of these declining migratory populations. However, the extent to which different populations of resident rainbow trout produce migratory individuals and how likely these individuals are to return as adults to spawn remains unknown. One limitation to answering these questions is the identification of loci that accurately segregate between migratory and resident populations. To address this limitation, we used existing genomic data from a well-studied population of O. mykiss from Southeastern Alaska (Sashin Creek) to identify loci that segregate between phenotypes. We then utilized Double Mismatch Allele-Specific qPCR (DMAS-qPCR) to genotype 233 smolts out-migrating from Sashin Creek and 99 returning adult steelhead trout across a five-year period to determine (a) the origin of out-migrating smolts and returning adults and (b) to quantify the extent to which the resident population contributes to the migratory population. Our results show that 37.3% of out-migrating smolts were produced from resident parents, whereas 19.3% of returning adults had resident parents. Ultimately, these results demonstrate that resident populations of rainbow trout produce migrant offspring that successfully complete their migration and return to spawn, increasing population sizes and likely improving genetic diversity. Therefore, conservation efforts should consider landlocked resident populations for producing smolts when developing recovery plans for migratory steelhead populations.

Sex-specific heritabilities for length at maturity among Pacific salmonids and their consequences for evolution in response to artificial selection

Artificial selection, whether intentional or coincidental, is a common result of conservation policies and natural resource management. To reduce unintended consequences of artificial selection, conservation practitioners must understand both artificial selection gradients on traits of interest and how those traits are correlated with others that may affect population growth and resilience. We investigate how artificial selection on male body size in Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) may influence the evolution of female body size and female fitness. While salmon hatchery managers often assume that selection for large males will also produce large females, this may not be the case-in fact, because the fastest-growing males mature earliest and at the smallest size, and because female age at maturity varies little, small males may produce larger females if the genetic architecture of growth rate is the same in both sexes. We explored this possibility by estimating sex-specific heritability values of and natural and artificial selection gradients on length at maturity in four populations representing three species of Pacific salmon. We then used the multivariate breeder's equation to project how artificial selection against small males may affect the evolution of female length and fecundity. Our results indicate that the heritability of length at maturity is greater within than between the sexes and that sire-daughter heritability values are especially small. Salmon hatchery policies should consider these sex-specific quantitative genetic parameters to avoid potential unintended consequences of artificial selection.

Comparative genomics of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Is the genetic architecture of migratory behavior conserved among populations?

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are a partially migratory species wherein some individuals undergo long-distance anadromous migrations, and others stay as residents in their native freshwater streams. The decision to migrate is known to be highly heritable, and yet, the underlying genes and alleles associated with migration are not fully characterized. Here we used a pooled approach of whole-genome sequence data from migratory and resident trout of two native populations-Sashin Creek, Alaska and Little Sheep Creek, Oregon-to obtain a genome-wide perspective of the genetic architecture of resident and migratory life history. We calculated estimates of genetic differentiation, genetic diversity, and selection between the two phenotypes to locate regions of interest and then compared these associations between populations. We identified numerous genes and alleles associated with life history development in the Sashin Creek population with a notable area on chromosome 8 that may play a critical role in the development of the migratory phenotype. However, very few alleles appeared to be associated with life history development in the Little Sheep Creek system, suggesting population-specific genetic effects are likely important in the development of anadromy. Our results indicate that a migratory life history is not controlled by a singular gene or region but supports the idea that there are many independent ways for a migratory phenotype to emerge in a population. Therefore, conserving and promoting genetic diversity in migratory individuals is paramount to conserving these populations. Ultimately, our data add to a growing body of literature that suggests that population-specific genetic effects, likely mediated through environmental variation, contribute to life history development in rainbow trout.

Whole-Genome Resequencing to Evaluate Life History Variation in Anadromous Migration of Oncorhynchus mykiss

Anadromous fish experience physiological modifications necessary to migrate between vastly different freshwater and marine environments, but some species such as Oncorhynchus mykiss demonstrate variation in life history strategies with some individuals remaining exclusively resident in freshwater, whereas others undergo anadromous migration. Because there is limited understanding of genes involved in this life history variation across populations of this species, we evaluated the genomic difference between known anadromous (n = 39) and resident (n = 78) Oncorhynchus mykiss collected from the Klickitat River, WA, USA, with whole-genome resequencing methods. Sequencing of these collections yielded 5.64 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms that were tested for significant differences between resident and anadromous groups along with previously identified candidate gene regions. Although a few regions of the genome were marginally significant, there was one region on chromosome Omy12 that provided the most consistent signal of association with anadromy near two annotated genes in the reference assembly: COP9 signalosome complex subunit 6 (CSN6) and NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain–containing protein 3 (NLRP3). Previously identified candidate genes for anadromy within the inversion region of chromosome Omy05 in coastal steelhead and rainbow trout were not informative for this population as shown in previous studies. Results indicate that the significant region on chromosome Omy12 may represent a minor effect gene for male anadromy and suggests that this life history variation in Oncorhynchus mykiss is more strongly driven by other mechanisms related to environmental rearing such as epigenetic modification, gene expression, and phenotypic plasticity. Further studies into regulatory mechanisms of this trait are needed to understand drivers of anadromy in populations of this protected species.

Polygenic basis and the role of genome duplication in adaptation to similar selective environments

Genetic changes underlying adaptation vary greatly in terms of complexity and, within the same species, genetic responses to similar selective pressures may or may not be the same. We examine both complex (supergene) and simple (SNP) genetic variants occurring in populations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) independently isolated from ocean access and compared them to each other and to an anadromous below-barrier population representing their ancestral source to search for signatures of both parallel and non-parallel adaptation. All landlocked populations displayed an increased frequency of a large inversion on chromosome Omy05, while three of the four populations exhibited elevated frequencies of another inversion located on chromosome Omy20. In addition, we identified numerous regions outside these two inversions that also show significant shifts in allele frequencies consistent with adaptive evolution. However, there was little concordance among above-barrier populations in these specific genomic regions under selection. In part, the lack of concordance appears to arise from ancestral autopolyploidy in rainbow trout that provides duplicate genomic regions of similar functional composition for selection to act upon. Thus, while selection acting on landlocked populations universally favors the resident ecotype, outside of the major chromosomal inversions, the resulting genetic changes are largely distinct among populations. Our results indicate that selection on standing genetic variation is likely the primary mode of rapid adaptation, and that both supergene complexes and individual loci contribute to adaptive evolution, further highlighting the diversity of adaptive genomic variation involved in complex phenotypic evolution.

Alternative migratory tactics in brown trout (Salmo trutta) are underpinned by divergent regulation of metabolic but not neurological genes

The occurrence of alternative morphs within populations is common, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Many animals, for example, exhibit facultative migration, where two or more alternative migratory tactics (AMTs) coexist within populations. In certain salmonid species, some individuals remain in natal rivers all their lives, while others (in particular, females) migrate to sea for a period of marine growth. Here, we performed transcriptional profiling ("RNA-seq") of the brain and liver of male and female brown trout to understand the genes and processes that differentiate between migratory and residency morphs (AMT-associated genes) and how they may differ in expression between the sexes. We found tissue-specific differences with a greater number of genes expressed differentially in the liver (n = 867 genes) compared with the brain (n = 10) between the morphs. Genes with increased expression in resident livers were enriched for Gene Ontology terms associated with metabolic processes, highlighting key molecular-genetic pathways underlying the energetic requirements associated with divergent migratory tactics. In contrast, smolt-biased genes were enriched for biological processes such as response to cytokines, suggestive of possible immune function differences between smolts and residents. Finally, we identified evidence of sex-biased gene expression for AMT-associated genes in the liver (n = 12) but not the brain. Collectively, our results provide insights into tissue-specific gene expression underlying the production of alternative life histories within and between the sexes, and point toward a key role for metabolic processes in the liver in mediating divergent physiological trajectories of migrants versus residents.

The Impacts of Dam Construction and Removal on the Genetics of Recovering Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Populations across the Elwha River Watershed

Dam construction and longitudinal river habitat fragmentation disrupt important life histories and movement of aquatic species. This is especially true for Oncorhynchus mykiss that exhibits both migratory (steelhead) and non-migratory (resident rainbow) forms. While the negative effects of dams on salmonids have been extensively documented, few studies have had the opportunity to compare population genetic diversity and structure prior to and following dam removal. Here we examine the impacts of the removal of two dams on the Elwha River on the population genetics of O. mykiss. Genetic data were produced from >1200 samples collected prior to dam removal from both life history forms, and post-dam removal from steelhead. We identified three genetic clusters prior to dam removal primarily explained by isolation due to dams and natural barriers. Following dam removal, genetic structure decreased and admixture increased. Despite large O. mykiss population declines after dam construction, we did not detect shifts in population genetic diversity or allele frequencies of loci putatively involved in migratory phenotypic variation. Steelhead descendants from formerly below and above dammed populations recolonized the river rapidly after dam removal, suggesting that dam construction did not significantly reduce genetic diversity underlying O. mykiss life history strategies. These results have significant evolutionary implications for the conservation of migratory adaptive potential in O. mykiss populations above current anthropogenic barriers.

Adaptive and maladaptive genetic diversity in small populations: Insights from the Brook Charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) case study

Investigating the relative importance of neutral versus selective processes governing the accumulation of genetic variants is a key goal in both evolutionary and conservation biology. This is particularly true in the context of small populations, where genetic drift can counteract the effect of selection. Using Brook Charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) from Québec, Canada, as a case study, we investigated the importance of demographic versus selective processes governing the accumulation of both adaptive and maladaptive mutations in closed versus open and connected populations to assess gene flow effect. This was achieved by using 14,779 high-quality filtered SNPs genotyped among 1,416 fish representing 50 populations from three life history types: lacustrine (closed populations), riverine and anadromous (connected populations). Using the PROVEAN algorithm, we observed a considerable accumulation of putative deleterious mutations across populations. The absence of correlation between the occurrence of putatively beneficial or deleterious mutations and local recombination rate supports the hypothesis that genetic drift might be the main driver of the accumulation of such variants. However, despite a lower genetic diversity observed in lacustrine than in riverine or anadromous populations, lacustrine populations do not exhibit more deleterious mutations than the two other history types, suggesting that the negative effect of genetic drift in lacustrine populations may be mitigated by that of relaxed purifying selection. Moreover, we also identified genomic regions associated with anadromy, as well as an overrepresentation of transposable elements associated with variation in environmental variables, thus supporting the importance of transposable elements in adaptation.

Plasma proteome profiling of freshwater and seawater life stages of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The sea-run phenotype of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), like other anadromous salmonids, present a juvenile stage fully adapted to life in freshwater known as parr. Development in freshwater is followed by the smolt stage, where preadaptations needed for seawater life are developed making fish ready to migrate to the ocean, after which event they become post-smolts. While these three life stages have been studied using a variety of approaches, proteomics has never been used for such purpose. The present study characterised the blood plasma proteome of parr, smolt and post-smolt rainbow trout using a gel electrophoresis liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry approach alone or in combination with low-abundant protein enrichment technology (combinatorial peptide ligand library). In total, 1,822 proteins were quantified, 17.95% of them being detected only in plasma post enrichment. Across all life stages, the most abundant proteins were ankyrin-2, DNA primase large subunit, actin, serum albumin, apolipoproteins, hemoglobin subunits, hemopexin-like proteins and complement C3. When comparing the different life stages, 17 proteins involved in mechanisms to cope with hyperosmotic stress and retinal changes, as well as the downregulation of nonessential processes in smolts, were significantly different between parr and smolt samples. On the other hand, 11 proteins related to increased growth in post-smolts, and also related to coping with hyperosmotic stress and to retinal changes, were significantly different between smolt and post-smolt samples. Overall, this study presents a series of proteins with the potential to complement current seawater-readiness assessment tests in rainbow trout, which can be measured non-lethally in an easily accessible biofluid. Furthermore, this study represents a first in-depth characterisation of the rainbow trout blood plasma proteome, having considered three life stages of the fish and used both fractionation alone or in combination with enrichment methods to increase protein detection.

Conservation and Management of Salmon in the Age of Genomics

Salmon were among the first nonmodel species for which systematic population genetic studies of natural populations were conducted, often to support management and conservation. The genomics revolution has improved our understanding of the evolutionary ecology of salmon in two major ways: (a) Large increases in the numbers of genetic markers (from dozens to 10⁴-10⁶) provide greater power for traditional analyses, such as the delineation of population structure, hybridization, and population assignment, and (b) qualitatively new insights that were not possible with traditional genetic methods can be achieved by leveraging detailed information about the structure and function of the genome. Studies of the first type have been more common to date, largely because it has taken time for the necessary tools to be developed to fully understand the complex salmon genome. We expect that the next decade will witness many new studies that take full advantage of salmonid genomic resources.

Ontogenetic and ecotypic variation in the coloration and morphology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a stream–lake system

Alternative ecotypes of diverse animal taxa exhibit distinct, habitat-specific phenotypes. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a salmonid fish, exhibits stream-resident (fluvial), lake-migrant (adfluvial) and ocean-migrant (anadromous) ecotypes throughout its range. We investigated the coloration, and morphology associated with swimming performance of wild, native non-anadromous rainbow trout in connected stream and lake habitats of a south-west Alaskan watershed to assess if they exhibited phenotypic diversity consistent with the presence of alternative fluvial and adfluvial ecotypes. Colour differences among rainbow trout of different size classes and habitats (stream or lake) indicated ecotype-specific pathways, diverging at the same point in ontogeny and resulting in different terminal coloration patterns. Specifically, lake-caught fish exhibited distinct silvering of the body, whereas stream-caught fish displayed banded coloration when small and bronze colour when larger. The morphology of lake-caught rainbow trout also differed from that of stream-caught fish in features associated with swimming performance, and they exhibited both shared and unique morphological patterns compared to sympatric Salvelinus species in those habitats [Dolly Varden (S. malma) in streams, and Arctic char (S. alpinus) in the lake]. Greater morphological variation within stream- than lake-caught rainbow trout, and their limited overlap in morphology, suggested population-specific partial migration. This study highlights the intraspecific diversity of migratory behaviour and how conservation of particular phenotypes depends on managing both for genotypes and for habitats.

A large-scale chromosomal inversion is not associated with life history development in rainbow trout from Southeast Alaska

In studying the causative mechanisms behind migration and life history, the salmonids-salmon, trout, and charr-are an exemplary taxonomic group, as life history development is known to have a strong genetic component. A double inversion located on chromosome 5 in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is associated with life history development in multiple populations, but the importance of this inversion has not been thoroughly tested in conjunction with other polymorphisms in the genome. To that end, we used a high-density SNP chip to genotype 192 F1 migratory and resident rainbow trout and focused our analyses to determine whether this inversion is important in life history development in a well-studied population of rainbow trout from Southeast Alaska. We identified 4,994 and 436 SNPs-predominantly outside of the inversion region-associated with life history development in the migrant and resident familial lines, respectively. Although F1 samples showed genomic patterns consistent with the double inversion on chromosome 5 (reduced observed and expected heterozygosity and an increase in linkage disequilibrium), we found no statistical association between the inversion and life history development. Progeny produced by crossing resident trout and progeny produced by crossing migrant trout both consisted of a mix of migrant and resident individuals, irrespective of the individuals' inversion haplotype on chromosome 5. This suggests that although the inversion is present at a low frequency, it is not strongly associated with migration as it is in populations of Oncorhynchus mykiss from lower latitudes.

Association Mapping Based on a Common-Garden Migration Experiment Reveals Candidate Genes for Migration Tendency in Brown Trout

A better understanding of the environmental and genetic contribution to migratory behavior and the evolution of traits linked to migration is crucial for fish conservation and fisheries management. Up to date, a few genes with unequivocal influence on the adoption of alternative migration strategies have been identified in salmonids. Here, we used a common garden set-up to measure individual migration distances of generally highly polymorphic brown trout Salmo trutta from two populations. Fish from the assumedly resident population showed clearly shorter migration distances than the fish from the assumed migratory population at the ages of 2 and 3 years. By using two alternative analytical pipelines with 22186 and 18264 SNPs obtained through RAD-sequencing, we searched for associations between individual migration distance, and both called genotypes and genotype probabilities. None of the SNPs showed statistically significant individual effects on migration after correction for multiple testing. By choosing a less stringent threshold, defined as an overlap of the top 0.1% SNPs identified by the analytical pipelines, GAPIT and Angsd, we identified eight candidate genes that are potentially linked to individual migration distance. While our results demonstrate large individual and population level differences in migration distances, the detected genetic associations were weak suggesting that migration traits likely have multigenic control.

Anadromy, potamodromy and residency in brown trout Salmo trutta: the role of genes and the environment

Brown trout Salmo trutta is endemic to Europe, western Asia and north-western Africa; it is a prominent member of freshwater and coastal marine fish faunas. The species shows two resident (river-resident, lake-resident) and three main facultative migratory life histories (downstream-upstream within a river system, fluvial-adfluvial potamodromous; to and from a lake, lacustrine-adfluvial (inlet) or allacustrine (outlet) potamodromous; to and from the sea, anadromous). River-residency v. migration is a balance between enhanced feeding and thus growth advantages of migration to a particular habitat v. the costs of potentially greater mortality and energy expenditure. Fluvial-adfluvial migration usually has less feeding improvement, but less mortality risk, than lacustrine-adfluvial or allacustrine and anadromous, but the latter vary among catchments as to which is favoured. Indirect evidence suggests that around 50% of the variability in S. trutta migration v. residency, among individuals within a population, is due to genetic variance. This dichotomous decision can best be explained by the threshold-trait model of quantitative genetics. Thus, an individual's physiological condition (e.g., energy status) as regulated by environmental factors, genes and non-genetic parental effects, acts as the cue. The magnitude of this cue relative to a genetically predetermined individual threshold, governs whether it will migrate or sexually mature as a river-resident. This decision threshold occurs early in life and, if the choice is to migrate, a second threshold probably follows determining the age and timing of migration. Migration destination (mainstem river, lake, or sea) also appears to be genetically programmed. Decisions to migrate and ultimate destination result in a number of subsequent consequential changes such as parr-smolt transformation, sexual maturity and return migration. Strong associations with one or a few genes have been found for most aspects of the migratory syndrome and indirect evidence supports genetic involvement in all parts. Thus, migratory and resident life histories potentially evolve as a result of natural and anthropogenic environmental changes, which alter relative survival and reproduction. Knowledge of genetic determinants of the various components of migration in S. trutta lags substantially behind that of Oncorhynchus mykiss and other salmonines. Identification of genetic markers linked to migration components and especially to the migration-residency decision, is a prerequisite for facilitating detailed empirical studies. In order to predict effectively, through modelling, the effects of environmental changes, quantification of the relative fitness of different migratory traits and of their heritabilities, across a range of environmental conditions, is also urgently required in the face of the increasing pace of such changes.

Long-Term Conservation of Ohnologs Through Partial Tetrasomy Following Whole-Genome Duplication in Salmonidae

Whole-genome duplications (WGDs) have occurred repeatedly and broadly throughout the evolutionary history of eukaryotes. However, the effects of WGD on genome function and evolution remain unclear. The salmonid WGD that occurred approximately 88 million years ago presents an excellent opportunity for studying the effects of WGD as ∼10-15% of each salmonid genome still exhibits tetrasomic inheritance. Herein, we utilized the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) genome assembly and brain transcriptome data to examine the fate of gene pairs (ohnologs) following the salmonid whole-genome duplication. We find higher sequence identity between ohnologs located within known tetrasomic regions than between ohnologs found in disomic regions, and that tetrasomically inherited ohnologs showed greater similarity in patterns of gene expression and per ohnolog were lower expressed, than disomically inherited ohnologs. Enrichment testing for Gene Ontology terms identified 49 over-represented terms in tetrasomically inherited ohnologs compared to disomic ohnologs. However, why these ohnologs are retained as tetrasomic is difficult to answer. It could be that we have identified salmonid specific "dangerous duplicates", that is, genes that cannot take on new roles following WGD. Alternatively, there may be adaptive advantages for retaining genes as functional duplicates in tetrasomic regions, as presumably, movement of these genes into disomic regions would affect both their sequence identity and their gene expression patterns.

The genetics and epigenetics of animal migration and orientation: birds, butterflies and beyond

Migration is a complex behavioural adaptation for survival that has evolved across the animal kingdom from invertebrates to mammals. In some taxa, closely related migratory species, or even populations of the same species, exhibit different migratory phenotypes, including timing and orientation of migration. In these species, a significant proportion of the phenotypic variance in migratory traits is genetic. In others, the migratory phenotype and direction is triggered by seasonal changes in the environment, suggesting an epigenetic control of their migration. The genes and epigenetic changes underpinning migratory behaviour remain largely unknown. The revolution in (epi)genomics and functional genomic tools holds great promise to rapidly move the field of migration genetics forward. Here, we review our current understanding of the genetic and epigenetic architecture of migratory traits, focusing on two emerging models: the European blackcap and the North American monarch butterfly. We also outline a vision of how technical advances and integrative approaches could be employed to identify and functionally validate candidate genes and cis-regulatory elements on these and other migratory species across both small and broad phylogenetic scales to significantly advance the field of genetics of animal migration.

Comparison of Migratory and Resident Populations of Brown Trout Reveals Candidate Genes for Migration Tendency

Candidate genes associated with migration have been identified in multiple taxa: including salmonids, many of whom perform migrations requiring a series of physiological changes associated with the freshwater–saltwater transition. We screened over 5,500 SNPs for signatures of selection related to migratory behavior of brown trout Salmo trutta by focusing on ten differentially migrating freshwater populations from two watersheds (the Koutajoki and the Oulujoki). We found eight outlier SNPs potentially associated with migratory versus resident life history using multiple (≥3) outlier detection approaches. Comparison of three migratory versus resident population pairs in the Koutajoki watershed revealed seven outlier SNPs, of which three mapped close to genes ZNF665-like, GRM4-like, and PCDH8-like that have been previously associated with migration and smoltification in salmonids. Two outlier SNPs mapped to genes involved in mucus secretion (ST3GAL1-like) and osmoregulation (C14orf37-like). The last two strongly supported outlier SNPs mapped to thermally induced genes (FNTA1-like, FAM134C-like). Within the Oulujoki, the only consistent outlier SNP mapped close to a gene (EZH2) that is associated with compensatory growth in fasted trout. Our results suggest that a relatively small yet common set of genes responsible for physiological functions associated with resident and migratory life histories is evolutionarily conserved.

Flexible and non-invasive passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging protocols for tropical freshwater fish species

Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging has proven to be an effective mark-recapture technique for many temperate freshwater and marine fish species, but its adaptability to tropical freshwater species remains largely unknown. Nevertheless, many tropical river systems, such as the Mekong in South East Asia, are currently being developed at an unprecedented rate for their relatively abundant water resources. Consequently, there is an urgent need for efficient mark-recapture technologies to understand and assess the impacts of human developments on the movement ecology of tropical freshwater fish species. This paper discusses the development of an optimal protocol for PIT tagging tropical freshwater fishes, using two Mekong River species – Striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and Goldfin tinfoil barb (Hypsibarbus malcolmi) – as model species.

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The PIT tagging protocol is flexible in that it allows the transponders to be placed in a variety of body locations.

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The protocol has high tag retention rates (>90%) and is non-invasive, since it does not affect fish growth or mortality rates.

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The application of PIT tags can be used to evaluate the success of fishways and other remedial works for supporting crucial life-cycle processes potentially requiring fish passage, such as spawning.

Genetic analysis reveals candidate genes for activity QTL in the blind Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus

Animal models provide useful tools for exploring the genetic basis of morphological, physiological and behavioral phenotypes. Cave-adapted species are particularly powerful models for a broad array of phenotypic changes with evolutionary, developmental and clinical relevance. Here, we explored the genetic underpinnings of previously characterized differences in locomotor activity patterns between the surface-dwelling and Pachón cave-dwelling populations of Astyanax mexicanus. We identified multiple novel QTL underlying patterns in overall levels of activity (velocity), as well as spatial tank use (time spent near the top or bottom of the tank). Further, we demonstrated that different regions of the genome mediate distinct patterns in velocity and tank usage. We interrogated eight genomic intervals underlying these activity QTL distributed across six linkage groups. In addition, we employed transcriptomic data and draft genomic resources to generate and evaluate a list of 36 potential candidate genes. Interestingly, our data support the candidacy of a number of genes, but do not suggest that differences in the patterns of behavior observed here are the result of alterations to certain candidate genes described in other species (e.g., teleost multiple tissue opsins, melanopsins or members of the core circadian clockwork). This study expands our knowledge of the genetic architecture underlying activity differences in surface and cavefish. Future studies will help define the role of specific genes in shaping complex behavioral phenotypes in Astyanax and other vertebrate taxa.

Varied Genomic Responses to Maladaptive Gene Flow and Their Evidence

Adaptation to a local environment often occurs in the face of maladaptive gene flow. In this perspective, I discuss several ideas on how a genome may respond to maladaptive gene flow during adaptation. On the one hand, selection can build clusters of locally adaptive alleles at fortuitously co-localized loci within a genome, thereby facilitating local adaptation with gene flow ('allele-only clustering'). On the other hand, the selective pressure to link adaptive alleles may drive co-localization of the actual loci relevant for local adaptation within a genome through structural genome changes or an evolving intra-genomic crossover rate ('locus clustering'). While the expected outcome is, in both cases, a higher frequency of locally adaptive alleles in some genome regions than others, the molecular units evolving in response to gene flow differ (i.e., alleles versus loci). I argue that, although making this distinction is important, we commonly lack the critical empirical evidence to do so. This is mainly because many current approaches are biased towards detecting local adaptation in genome regions with low crossover rates. The importance of low-crossover genome regions for adaptation with gene flow, such as in co-localizing relevant loci within a genome, thus remains unclear. Future empirical investigations should address these questions by making use of comparative genomics, where multiple de novo genome assemblies from species evolved under different degrees of genetic exchange are compared. This research promises to advance our understanding of how a genome adapts to maladaptive gene flow, thereby promoting adaptive divergence and reproductive isolation.

Evidence of sex-bias in gene expression in the brain transcriptome of two populations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with divergent life histories

Sex-bias in gene expression is a mechanism that can generate phenotypic variance between the sexes, however, relatively little is known about how patterns of sex-bias vary during development, and how variable sex-bias is between different populations. To that end, we measured sex-bias in gene expression in the brain transcriptome of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during the first two years of development. Our sampling included from the fry stage through to when O. mykiss either migrate to the ocean or remain resident and undergo sexual maturation. Samples came from two F1 lines: One from migratory steelhead trout and one from resident rainbow trout. All samples were reared in a common garden environment and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to estimate patterns of gene expression. A total of 1,716 (4.6% of total) genes showed evidence of sex-bias in gene expression in at least one time point. The majority (96.7%) of sex-biased genes were differentially expressed during the second year of development, indicating that patterns of sex-bias in expression are tied to key developmental events, such as migration and sexual maturation. Mapping of differentially expressed genes to the O. mykiss genome revealed that the X chromosome is enriched for female upregulated genes, and this may indicate a lack of dosage compensation in rainbow trout. There were many more sex-biased genes in the migratory line than the resident line suggesting differences in patterns of gene expression in the brain between populations subjected to different forces of selection. Overall, our results suggest that there is considerable variation in the extent and identity of genes exhibiting sex-bias during the first two years of life. These differentially expressed genes may be connected to developmental differences between the sexes, and/or between adopting a resident or migratory life history.

Mechanisms of thermal adaptation and evolutionary potential of conspecific populations to changing environments

Heterogeneous and ever-changing thermal environments drive the evolution of populations and species, especially when extreme conditions increase selection pressure for traits influencing fitness. However, projections of biological diversity under scenarios of climate change rarely consider evolutionary adaptive potential of natural species. In this study, we tested for mechanistic evidence of evolutionary thermal adaptation among ecologically divergent redband trout populations (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) in cardiorespiratory function, cellular response and genomic variation. In a common garden environment, fish from an extreme desert climate had significantly higher critical thermal maximum (p < .05) and broader optimum thermal window for aerobic scope (>3°C) than fish from cooler montane climate. In addition, the desert population had the highest maximum heart rate during warming (20% greater than montane populations), indicating improved capacity to deliver oxygen to internal tissues. In response to acute heat stress, distinct sets of cardiac genes were induced among ecotypes, which helps to explain the differences in cardiorespiratory function. Candidate genomic markers and genes underlying these physiological adaptations were also pinpointed, such as genes involved in stress response and metabolic activity (hsp40, ldh-b and camkk2). These markers were developed into a multivariate model that not only accurately predicted critical thermal maxima, but also evolutionary limit of thermal adaptation in these specific redband trout populations relative to the expected limit for the species. This study demonstrates mechanisms and limitations of an aquatic species to evolve under changing environments that can be incorporated into advanced models to predict ecological consequences of climate change for natural organisms.

Rainbow trout personality: individual behavioural variation in juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss

We evaluated the variation in dispersal, exploration, and aggression across time in juvenile progeny produced from wild caught rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at a critical developmental shift associated with the highest mortality in fish. By testing multiple ecologically relevant behaviours repeatedly in the same individuals, we simultaneously tested multiple hypotheses regarding personality, plasticity, and behavioural syndromes to better understand the innate behavioural variation in a population containing both migratory and resident life histories. There were consistent behavioural differences, or personality, between individuals across time, for dispersal, aggression, and exploration, unrelated to size or sex. The significant repeatabilities (0.10–0.46) indicate that these traits are potentially heritable. Also, we found both habituation in all behaviours and significant differences between individuals in the rate of that habituation, despite no evidence of a behavioural syndrome. The identification of this individual level variation is a step towards understanding which heritable traits selection could influence.

Landscape features along migratory routes influence adaptive genomic variation in anadromous steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Organisms typically show evidence of adaptation to features within their local environment. However, many species undergo long-distance dispersal or migration across larger geographic regions that consist of highly heterogeneous habitats. Therefore, selection may influence adaptive genetic variation associated with landscape features at residing sites and along migration routes in migratory species. We tested for genomic adaptation to landscape features at natal spawning sites and along migration paths to the ocean of anadromous steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Columbia River Basin. Results from multivariate ordination, gene-environment association and outlier analyses using 24,526 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) provided evidence that adaptive allele frequencies were more commonly associated with landscape features along migration paths than features at natal sites (91.8% vs. 8.2% of adaptive loci, respectively). Among the 45 landscape variables tested, migration distance to the ocean and mean annual precipitation along migration paths were significantly associated with adaptive genetic variation in three distinct genetic groups. Additionally, variables such as minimum migration water temperature and mean migration slope were significant only in inland stocks of steelhead that migrate up to 1,200 km farther than those near the coast, indicating regional differences in migratory selective pressures. This study provides novel approaches for investigating migratory corridors and some of the first evidence that environment along migration paths can lead to substantial divergent selection. Consequently, our approach to understand genetic adaptation to migration conditions can be applied to other migratory species when migration or dispersal paths are generally known.

Using Linkage Maps as a Tool To Determine Patterns of Chromosome Synteny in the Genus Salvelinus

Next generation sequencing techniques have revolutionized the collection of genome and transcriptome data from nonmodel organisms. This manuscript details the application of restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to generate a marker-dense genetic map for Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The consensus map was constructed from three full-sib families totaling 176 F₁ individuals. The map consisted of 42 linkage groups with a total female map size of 2502.5 cM, and a total male map size of 1863.8 cM. Synteny was confirmed with Atlantic Salmon for 38 linkage groups, with Rainbow Trout for 37 linkage groups, Arctic Char for 36 linkage groups, and with a previously published Brook Trout linkage map for 39 linkage groups. Comparative mapping confirmed the presence of 8 metacentric and 34 acrocentric chromosomes in Brook Trout. Six metacentric chromosomes seem to be conserved with Arctic Char suggesting there have been at least two species-specific fusion and fission events within the genus Salvelinus. In addition, the sex marker (sdY; sexually dimorphic on the Y chromosome) was mapped to Brook Trout BC35, which is homologous with Atlantic Salmon Ssa09qa, Rainbow Trout Omy25, and Arctic Char AC04q. Ultimately, this linkage map will be a useful resource for studies on the genome organization of Salvelinus, and facilitates comparisons of the Salvelinus genome with Salmo and Oncorhynchus.

Similar Genetic Architecture with Shared and Unique Quantitative Trait Loci for Bacterial Cold Water Disease Resistance in Two Rainbow Trout Breeding Populations

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) causes significant mortality and economic losses in salmonid aquaculture. In previous studies, we identified moderate-large effect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for BCWD resistance in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). However, the recent availability of a 57 K SNP array and a reference genome assembly have enabled us to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that overcome several experimental limitations from our previous work. In the current study, we conducted GWAS for BCWD resistance in two rainbow trout breeding populations using two genotyping platforms, the 57 K Affymetrix SNP array and restriction-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing. Overall, we identified 14 moderate-large effect QTL that explained up to 60.8% of the genetic variance in one of the two populations and 27.7% in the other. Four of these QTL were found in both populations explaining a substantial proportion of the variance, although major differences were also detected between the two populations. Our results confirm that BCWD resistance is controlled by the oligogenic inheritance of few moderate-large effect loci and a large-unknown number of loci each having a small effect on BCWD resistance. We detected differences in QTL number and genome location between two GWAS models (weighted single-step GBLUP and Bayes B), which highlights the utility of using different models to uncover QTL. The RAD-SNPs detected a greater number of QTL than the 57 K SNP array in one population, suggesting that the RAD-SNPs may uncover polymorphisms that are more unique and informative for the specific population in which they were discovered.

Genomic Changes Associated with Reproductive and Migratory Ecotypes in Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

Mechanisms underlying adaptive evolution can best be explored using paired populations displaying similar phenotypic divergence, illuminating the genomic changes associated with specific life history traits. Here, we used paired migratory [anadromous vs. resident (kokanee)] and reproductive [shore- vs. stream-spawning] ecotypes of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) sampled from seven lakes and two rivers spanning three catchments (Columbia, Fraser, and Skeena) in British Columbia, Canada to investigate the patterns and processes underlying their divergence. Restriction-site associated DNA sequencing was used to genotype this sampling at 7,347 single nucleotide polymorphisms, 334 of which were identified as outlier loci and candidates for divergent selection within at least one ecotype comparison. Sixty-eight of these outliers were present in two or more comparisons, with 33 detected across multiple catchments. Of particular note, one locus was detected as the most significant outlier between shore and stream-spawning ecotypes in multiple comparisons and across catchments (Columbia, Fraser, and Snake). We also detected several genomic islands of divergence, some shared among comparisons, potentially showing linked signals of differential selection. The single nucleotide polymorphisms and genomic regions identified in our study offer a range of mechanistic hypotheses associated with the genetic basis of O. nerka life history variation and provide novel tools for informing fisheries management.

Restricted gene flow between resident Oncorhynchus mykiss and an admixed population of anadromous steelhead

The species Oncorhynchus mykiss is characterized by a complex life history that presents a significant challenge for population monitoring and conservation management. Many factors contribute to genetic variation in O. mykiss populations, including sympatry among migratory phenotypes, habitat heterogeneity, hatchery introgression, and immigration (stray) rates. The relative influences of these and other factors are contingent on characteristics of the local environment. The Rock Creek subbasin in the middle Columbia River has no history of hatchery supplementation and no dams or artificial barriers. Limited intervention and minimal management have led to a dearth of information regarding the genetic distinctiveness of the extant O. mykiss population in Rock Creek and its tributaries. We used 192 SNP markers and collections sampled over a 5‐year period to evaluate the temporal and spatial genetic structures of O. mykiss between upper and lower watersheds of the Rock Creek subbasin. We investigated potential limits to gene flow within the lower watershed where the stream is fragmented by seasonally dry stretches of streambed, and between upper and lower watershed regions. We found minor genetic differentiation within the lower watershed occupied by anadromous steelhead (F_ST = 0.004), and evidence that immigrant influences were prevalent and ubiquitous. Populations in the upper watershed above partial natural barriers were highly distinct (F_ST = 0.093) and minimally impacted by apparent introgression. Genetic structure between watersheds paralleled differences in local demographics (e.g., variation in size), migratory restrictions, and habitat discontinuity. The evidence of restricted gene flow between putative remnant resident populations in the upper watershed and the admixed anadromous population in the lower watershed has implications for local steelhead productivity and regional conservation.

Sex Chromosome Evolution, Heterochiasmy, and Physiological QTL in the Salmonid Brook Charr Salvelinus fontinalis

Whole-genome duplication (WGD) can have large impacts on genome evolution, and much remains unknown about these impacts. This includes the mechanisms of coping with a duplicated sex determination system and whether this has an impact on increasing the diversity of sex determination mechanisms. Other impacts include sexual conflict, where alleles having different optimums in each sex can result in sequestration of genes into nonrecombining sex chromosomes. Sex chromosome development itself may involve sex-specific recombination rate (i.e., heterochiasmy), which is also poorly understood. The family Salmonidae is a model system for these phenomena, having undergone autotetraploidization and subsequent rediploidization in most of the genome at the base of the lineage. The salmonid master sex determining gene is known, and many species have nonhomologous sex chromosomes, putatively due to transposition of this gene. In this study, we identify the sex chromosome of Brook Charr Salvelinus fontinalis and compare sex chromosome identities across the lineage (eight species and four genera). Although nonhomology is frequent, homologous sex chromosomes and other consistencies are present in distantly related species, indicating probable convergence on specific sex and neo-sex chromosomes. We also characterize strong heterochiasmy with 2.7-fold more crossovers in maternal than paternal haplotypes with paternal crossovers biased to chromosome ends. When considering only rediploidized chromosomes, the overall heterochiasmy trend remains, although with only 1.9-fold more recombination in the female than the male. Y chromosome crossovers are restricted to a single end of the chromosome, and this chromosome contains a large interspecific inversion, although its status between males and females remains unknown. Finally, we identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for 21 unique growth, reproductive, and stress-related phenotypes to improve knowledge of the genetic architecture of these traits important to aquaculture and evolution.

A Dense Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) Linkage Map Reveals Recent Chromosomal Rearrangements in the Salmo Genus and the Impact of Selection on Linked Neutral Diversity

High-density linkage maps are valuable tools for conservation and eco-evolutionary issues. In salmonids, a complex rediploidization process consecutive to an ancient whole genome duplication event makes linkage maps of prime importance for investigating the evolutionary history of chromosome rearrangements. Here, we developed a high-density consensus linkage map for the brown trout (Salmo trutta), a socioeconomically important species heavily impacted by human activities. A total of 3977 ddRAD markers were mapped and ordered in 40 linkage groups using sex- and lineage-averaged recombination distances obtained from two family crosses. Performing map comparison between S. trutta and its sister species, S. salar, revealed extensive chromosomal rearrangements. Strikingly, all of the fusion and fission events that occurred after the S. salar/S. trutta speciation happened in the Atlantic salmon branch, whereas the brown trout remained closer to the ancestral chromosome structure. Using the strongly conserved synteny within chromosome arms, we aligned the brown trout linkage map to the Atlantic salmon genome sequence to estimate the local recombination rate in S. trutta at 3721 loci. A significant positive correlation between recombination rate and within-population nucleotide diversity (π) was found, indicating that selection constrains variation at linked neutral sites in brown trout. This new high-density linkage map provides a useful genomic resource for future aquaculture, conservation, and eco-evolutionary studies in brown trout.

The genetic architecture of novel trophic specialists: larger effect sizes are associated with exceptional oral jaw diversification in a pupfish adaptive radiation

The genetic architecture of adaptation is fundamental to understanding the mechanisms and constraints governing diversification. However, most case studies focus on loss of complex traits or parallel speciation in similar environments. It is still unclear how the genetic architecture of these local adaptive processes compares to the architecture of evolutionary transitions contributing to morphological and ecological novelty. Here, we identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) between two trophic specialists in an excellent case study for examining the origins of ecological novelty: a sympatric radiation of pupfishes endemic to San Salvador Island, Bahamas, containing a large-jawed scale-eater and a short-jawed molluscivore with a skeletal nasal protrusion. These specialized niches and trophic traits are unique among over 2000 related species. Measurements of the fitness landscape on San Salvador demonstrate multiple fitness peaks and a larger fitness valley isolating the scale-eater from the putative ancestral intermediate phenotype of the generalist, suggesting that more large-effect QTL should contribute to its unique phenotype. We evaluated this prediction using an F2 intercross between these specialists. We present the first linkage map for pupfishes and detect significant QTL for sex and eight skeletal traits. Large-effect QTL contributed more to enlarged scale-eater jaws than the molluscivore nasal protrusion, consistent with predictions from the adaptive landscape. The microevolutionary genetic architecture of large-effect QTL for oral jaws parallels the exceptional diversification rates of oral jaws within the San Salvador radiation observed over macroevolutionary timescales and may have facilitated exceptional trophic novelty in this system.

Genome-wide nucleotide diversity of hatchery-reared Atlantic and Mediterranean strains of brown trout Salmo trutta compared to wild Mediterranean populations

A genome-wide assessment of diversity is provided for wild Mediterranean brown trout Salmo trutta populations from headwater tributaries of the Orb River and from Atlantic and Mediterranean hatchery-reared strains that have been used for stocking. Double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (dd-RADseq) was performed and the efficiency of de novo and reference-mapping approaches to obtain individual genotypes was compared. Large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with similar genome-wide distributions were discovered using both approaches (196 639 v. 121 016 SNPs, respectively), with c. 80% of the loci detected de novo being also found with reference mapping, using the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar genome as a reference. Lower mapping density but larger nucleotide diversity (π) was generally observed near extremities of linkage groups, consistent with regions of residual tetrasomic inheritance observed in salmonids. Genome-wide diversity estimates revealed reduced polymorphism in hatchery strains (π = 0·0040 and π = 0·0029 in Atlantic and Mediterranean strains, respectively) compared to wild populations (π = 0·0049), a pattern that was congruent with allelic richness estimated from microsatellite markers. Finally, pronounced heterozygote deficiency was found in hatchery strains (Atlantic F_IS = 0·18; Mediterranean F_IS = 0·42), indicating that stocking practices may affect the genetic diversity in wild populations. These new genomic resources will provide important tools to define better conservation strategies in S. trutta.

Ancestry and adaptive evolution of anadromous, resident, and adfluvial rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the San Francisco bay area: application of adaptive genomic variation to conservation in a highly impacted landscape

The streams draining of into San Francisco Bay, California, have been impacted by habitat alteration for over 150 years, and roads, dams, water diversions, and other impediments now block the paths of many aquatic migratory species. These changes can affect the genetic structure of fish populations, as well as driving adaptive evolution to novel environmental conditions. Here, we determine the evolutionary relationships of San Francisco Bay Area steelhead/rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations and show that (i) they are more closely related to native coastal steelhead than to the California Central Valley lineage, with no evidence of introgression by domesticated hatchery rainbow trout, (ii) populations above and below barriers within watersheds are each other's closest relatives, and (iii) adaptive genomic variation associated with migratory life-history traits in O. mykiss shows substantial evolutionary differences between fish above and below dams. These findings support continued habitat restoration and protection of San Francisco Bay Area O. mykiss populations and demonstrate that ecological conditions in novel habitats above barriers to anadromy influence life-history evolution. We highlight the importance of considering the adaptive landscape in conservation and restoration programs for species living in highly modified habitats, particularly with respect to key life-history traits.

Genomic signatures among Oncorhynchus nerka ecotypes to inform conservation and management of endangered Sockeye Salmon

Conservation of life history variation is an important consideration for many species with trade-offs in migratory characteristics. Many salmonid species exhibit both resident and migratory strategies that capitalize on benefits in freshwater and marine environments. In this study, we investigated genomic signatures for migratory life history in collections of resident and anadromous Oncorhynchus nerka (Kokanee and Sockeye Salmon, respectively) from two lake systems, using ~2,600 SNPs from restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). Differing demographic histories were evident in the two systems where one pair was significantly differentiated (Redfish Lake, F_ST = 0.091 [95% confidence interval: 0.087 to 0.095]) but the other pair was not (Alturas Lake, F_ST = -0.007 [-0.008 to -0.006]). Outlier and association analyses identified several candidate markers in each population pair, but there was limited evidence for parallel signatures of genomic variation associated with migration. Despite lack of evidence for consistent markers associated with migratory life history in this species, candidate markers were mapped to functional genes and provide evidence for adaptive genetic variation within each lake system. Life history variation has been maintained in these nearly extirpated populations of O. nerka, and conservation efforts to preserve this diversity are important for long-term resiliency of this species.

Evaluation of Genome-Enabled Selection for Bacterial Cold Water Disease Resistance Using Progeny Performance Data in Rainbow Trout: Insights on Genotyping Methods and Genomic Prediction Models

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) causes significant economic losses in salmonid aquaculture, and traditional family-based breeding programs aimed at improving BCWD resistance have been limited to exploiting only between-family variation. We used genomic selection (GS) models to predict genomic breeding values (GEBVs) for BCWD resistance in 10 families from the first generation of the NCCCWA BCWD resistance breeding line, compared the predictive ability (PA) of GEBVs to pedigree-based estimated breeding values (EBVs), and compared the impact of two SNP genotyping methods on the accuracy of GEBV predictions. The BCWD phenotypes survival days (DAYS) and survival status (STATUS) had been recorded in training fish (n = 583) subjected to experimental BCWD challenge. Training fish, and their full sibs without phenotypic data that were used as parents of the subsequent generation, were genotyped using two methods: restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing and the Rainbow Trout Axiom® 57 K SNP array (Chip). Animal-specific GEBVs were estimated using four GS models: BayesB, BayesC, single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP), and weighted ssGBLUP (wssGBLUP). Family-specific EBVs were estimated using pedigree and phenotype data in the training fish only. The PA of EBVs and GEBVs was assessed by correlating mean progeny phenotype (MPP) with mid-parent EBV (family-specific) or GEBV (animal-specific). The best GEBV predictions were similar to EBV with PA values of 0.49 and 0.46 vs. 0.50 and 0.41 for DAYS and STATUS, respectively. Among the GEBV prediction methods, ssGBLUP consistently had the highest PA. The RAD genotyping platform had GEBVs with similar PA to those of GEBVs from the Chip platform. The PA of ssGBLUP and wssGBLUP methods was higher with the Chip, but for BayesB and BayesC methods it was higher with the RAD platform. The overall GEBV accuracy in this study was low to moderate, likely due to the small training sample used. This study explored the potential of GS for improving resistance to BCWD in rainbow trout using, for the first time, progeny testing data to assess the accuracy of GEBVs, and it provides the basis for further investigation on the implementation of GS in commercial rainbow trout populations.

Quantitative trait locus analysis of body shape divergence in nine-spined sticklebacks based on high-density SNP-panel

Heritable phenotypic differences between populations, caused by the selective effects of distinct environmental conditions, are of commonplace occurrence in nature. However, the actual genomic targets of this kind of selection are still poorly understood. We conducted a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping study to identify genomic regions responsible for morphometric differentiation between genetically and phenotypically divergent marine and freshwater nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) populations. Using a dense panel of SNP-markers obtained by restriction site associated DNA sequencing of an F2 recombinant cross, we found 22 QTL that explained 3.5-12.9% of phenotypic variance in the traits under investigation. We detected one fairly large-effect (PVE = 9.6%) QTL for caudal peduncle length-a trait with a well-established adaptive function showing clear differentiation among marine and freshwater populations. We also identified two large-effect QTL for lateral plate numbers, which are different from the lateral plate QTL reported in earlier studies of this and related species. Hence, apart from identifying several large-effect QTL in shape traits showing adaptive differentiation in response to different environmental conditions, the results suggest intra- and interspecific heterogeneity in the genomic basis of lateral plate number variation.

Hiding in Plain Sight: A Case for Cryptic Metapopulations in Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)

A fundamental issue in the management and conservation of biodiversity is how to define a population. Spatially contiguous fish occupying a stream network have often been considered to represent a single, homogenous population. However, they may also represent multiple discrete populations, a single population with genetic isolation-by-distance, or a metapopulation. We used microsatellite DNA and a large-scale mark-recapture study to assess population structure in a spatially contiguous sample of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), a species of conservation concern. We found evidence for limited genetic exchange across small spatial scales and in the absence of barriers to physical movement. Mark-recapture and stationary passive integrated transponder antenna records demonstrated that fish from two tributaries very seldom moved into the opposite tributary, but movements between the tributaries and mainstem were more common. Using Bayesian genetic clustering, we identified two genetic groups that exhibited significantly different growth rates over three years of study, yet survival rates were very similar. Our study highlights the importance of considering the possibility of multiple genetically distinct populations occurring within spatially contiguous habitats, and suggests the existence of a cryptic metapopulation: a spatially continuous distribution of organisms exhibiting metapopulation-like behaviors.

Identification of Multiple QTL Hotspots in Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) Using Genotyping-by-Sequencing and a Dense Linkage Map

Understanding the genetic architecture of phenotypic traits can provide important information about the mechanisms and genomic regions involved in local adaptation and speciation. Here, we used genotyping-by-sequencing and a combination of previously published and newly generated data to construct sex-specific linkage maps for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). We then used the denser female linkage map to conduct quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for 4 phenotypic traits in 3 families. The female linkage map consisted of 6322 loci distributed across 29 linkage groups and was 4082 cM long, and the male map contained 2179 loci found on 28 linkage groups and was 2291 cM long. We found 26 QTL: 6 for thermotolerance, 5 for length, 9 for weight, and 6 for condition factor. QTL were distributed nonrandomly across the genome and were often found in hotspots containing multiple QTL for a variety of phenotypic traits. These hotspots may represent adaptively important regions and are excellent candidates for future research. Comparing our results with studies in other salmonids revealed several regions with overlapping QTL for the same phenotypic trait, indicating these regions may be adaptively important across multiple species. Altogether, our study demonstrates the utility of genomic data for investigating the genetic basis of important phenotypic traits. Additionally, the linkage map created here will enable future research on the genetic basis of phenotypic traits in salmon.

Detection and Validation of QTL Affecting Bacterial Cold Water Disease Resistance in Rainbow Trout Using Restriction-Site Associated DNA Sequencing

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) causes significant economic loss in salmonid aquaculture. Using microsatellite markers in a genome scan, we previously detected significant and suggestive QTL affecting phenotypic variation in survival following challenge with Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of BCWD in rainbow trout. In this study, we performed selective genotyping of SNPs from restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) sequence data from two pedigreed families (2009070 and 2009196) to validate the major QTL from the previous work and to detect new QTL. The use of RAD SNPs in the genome scans increased the number of mapped markers from ~300 to ~5,000 per family. The significant QTL detected in the microsatellites scan on chromosome Omy8 in family 2009070 was validated explaining up to 58% of the phenotypic variance in that family, and in addition, a second QTL was also detected on Omy8. Two novel QTL on Omy11 and 14 were also detected, and the previously suggestive QTL on Omy1, 7 and 25 were also validated in family 2009070. In family 2009196, the microsatellite significant QTL on Omy6 and 12 were validated and a new QTL on Omy8 was detected, but none of the previously detected suggestive QTL were validated. The two Omy8 QTL from family 2009070 and the Omy12 QTL from family 2009196 were found to be co-localized with handling and confinement stress response QTL that our group has previously identified in a separate pedigreed family. With the currently available data we cannot determine if the co-localized QTL are the result of genes with pleiotropic effects or a mere physical proximity on the same chromosome segment. The genetic markers linked to BCWD resistance QTL were used to query the scaffolds of the rainbow trout reference genome assembly and the QTL-positive scaffold sequences were found to include 100 positional candidate genes. Several of the candidate genes located on or near the two Omy8 QTL detected in family 2009070 suggest potential linkages between stress response and the regulation of immune response in rainbow trout.

Exploring the utility of cross-laboratory RAD-sequencing datasets for phylogenetic analysis

BACKGROUND

Restriction site-Associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) is widely applied to generate genome-wide sequence and genetic marker datasets. RAD-Seq has been extensively utilised, both at the population level and across species, for example in the construction of phylogenetic trees. However, the consistency of RAD-Seq data generated in different laboratories, and the potential use of cross-species orthologous RAD loci in the estimation of genetic relationships, have not been widely investigated. This study describes the use of SbfI RAD-Seq data for the estimation of evolutionary relationships amongst ten teleost fish species, using previously established phylogeny as a benchmark.

RESULTS

The number of orthologous SbfI RAD loci identified decreased with increasing evolutionary distance between the species, with several thousand loci conserved across five salmonid species (divergence ~50 MY), and several hundred conserved across the more distantly related teleost species (divergence ~100-360 MY). The majority (>70%) of loci identified between the more distantly related species were genic in origin, suggesting that the bias of SbfI towards genic regions is useful for identifying distant orthologs. Interspecific single nucleotide variants at each orthologous RAD locus were identified. Evolutionary relationships estimated using concatenated sequences of interspecific variants were congruent with previously published phylogenies, even for distantly (divergence up to ~360 MY) related species.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this study has demonstrated that orthologous SbfI RAD loci can be identified across closely and distantly related species. This has positive implications for the repeatability of SbfI RAD-Seq and its potential to address research questions beyond the scope of the original studies. Furthermore, the concordance in tree topologies and relationships estimated in this study with published teleost phylogenies suggests that similar meta-datasets could be utilised in the prediction of evolutionary relationships across populations and species with readily available RAD-Seq datasets, but for which relationships remain uncharacterised.

Migration-related phenotypic divergence is associated with epigenetic modifications in rainbow trout

Migration is essential for the reproduction and survival of many animals, yet little is understood about its underlying molecular mechanisms. We used the salmonid Oncorhynchus mykiss to gain mechanistic insight into smoltification, which is a morphological, physiological and behavioural transition undertaken by juveniles in preparation for seaward migration. O. mykiss is experimentally tractable and displays intra- and interpopulation variation in migration propensity. Migratory individuals can produce nonmigratory progeny and vice versa, indicating a high degree of phenotypic plasticity. One potential way that phenotypic plasticity might be linked to variation in migration-related life history tactics is through epigenetic regulation of gene expression. To explore this, we quantitatively measured genome-scale DNA methylation in fin tissue using reduced representation bisulphite sequencing of F2 siblings produced from a cross between steelhead (migratory) and rainbow trout (nonmigratory) lines. We identified 57 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between smolt and resident O. mykiss juveniles. DMRs were high in magnitude, with up to 62% differential methylation between life history types, and over half of the gene-associated DMRs were in transcriptional regulatory regions. Many of the DMRs encode proteins with activity relevant to migration-related transitions (e.g. circadian rhythm pathway, nervous system development, protein kinase activity). This study provides the first evidence of a relationship between epigenetic variation and life history divergence associated with migration-related traits in any species.

Identification of single-nucleotide polymorphism markers associated with cortisol response to crowding in rainbow trout

Understanding stress responses is essential for improving animal welfare and increasing agriculture production efficiency. Previously, we reported microsatellite markers associated with quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting plasma cortisol response to crowding in rainbow trout. In this study, our main objectives were to identify single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with cortisol response to crowding in rainbow trout using both GWAS (genome-wide association studies) and QTL mapping methods and to employ rapidly expanding genomic resources for rainbow trout toward the identification of candidate genes affecting this trait. A three-generation F2 mapping family (2008052) was genotyped using RAD-seq (restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing) to identify 4874 informative SNPs. GWAS identified 26 SNPs associated with cortisol response to crowding whereas QTL mapping revealed two significant QTL on chromosomes Omy8 and Omy12, respectively. Positional candidate genes were identified using marker sequences to search the draft genome assembly of rainbow trout. One of the genes in the QTL interval on Omy12 is a putative serine/threonine protein kinase gene that was differentially expressed in the liver in response to handling and confinement stress in our previous study. A homologue of this gene was differentially expressed in zebrafish embryos exposed to diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and an environmental toxicant. NSAIDs have been shown to affect the cortisol response in rainbow trout; therefore, this gene is a good candidate based on its physical position and expression. However, the reference genome resources currently available for rainbow trout require continued improvement as demonstrated by the unmapped SNPs and the putative assembly errors detected in this study.

RAD-QTL Mapping Reveals Both Genome-Level Parallelism and Different Genetic Architecture Underlying the Evolution of Body Shape in Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) Species Pairs

Parallel changes in body shape may evolve in response to similar environmental conditions, but whether such parallel phenotypic changes share a common genetic basis is still debated. The goal of this study was to assess whether parallel phenotypic changes could be explained by genetic parallelism, multiple genetic routes, or both. We first provide evidence for parallelism in fish shape by using geometric morphometrics among 300 fish representing five species pairs of Lake Whitefish. Using a genetic map comprising 3438 restriction site−associated DNA sequencing single-nucleotide polymorphisms, we then identified quantitative trait loci underlying body shape traits in a backcross family reared in the laboratory. A total of 138 body shape quantitative trait loci were identified in this cross, thus revealing a highly polygenic architecture of body shape in Lake Whitefish. Third, we tested for evidence of genetic parallelism among independent wild populations using both a single-locus method (outlier analysis) and a polygenic approach (analysis of covariation among markers). The single-locus approach provided limited evidence for genetic parallelism. However, the polygenic analysis revealed genetic parallelism for three of the five lakes, which differed from the two other lakes. These results provide evidence for both genetic parallelism and multiple genetic routes underlying parallel phenotypic evolution in fish shape among populations occupying similar ecological niches.

Effects of crossovers between homeologs on inheritance and population genomics in polyploid-derived salmonid fishes

A whole genome duplication occurred in the ancestor of all salmonid fishes some 50-100 million years ago. Early inheritance studies with allozymes indicated that loci in the salmonid genome are inherited disomically in females. However, some pairs of duplicated loci showed patterns of inheritance in males indicating pairing and recombination between homeologous chromosomes. Nearly 20% of loci in the salmonid genome are duplicated and share the same alleles (isoloci), apparently due to homeologous recombination. Half-tetrad analysis revealed that isoloci tend to be telomeric. These results suggested that residual tetrasomic inheritance of isoloci results from homeologous recombination near chromosome ends and that continued disomic inheritance resulted from homologous pairing of centromeric regions. Many current genetic maps of salmonids are based on single nucleotide polymorphisms and microsatellites that are no longer duplicated. Therefore, long sections of chromosomes on these maps are poorly represented, especially telomeric regions. In addition, preferential multivalent pairing of homeologs from the same species in F1 hybrids results in an excess of nonparental gametes (so-called pseudolinkage). We consider how not including duplicated loci has affected our understanding of population and evolutionary genetics of salmonids, and we discuss how incorporating these loci will benefit our understanding of population genomics.

Quantitative genetics of migration-related traits in rainbow and steelhead trout

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exhibit remarkable life history diversity throughout their native range, and among the most evident is variation in migratory propensity. Although some populations and ecotypes will remain resident in freshwater habitats throughout their life history, others have the ability to undertake tremendous marine migrations. Those that migrate undergo a suite of behavioral, morphological, and physiological adaptations in a process called smoltification. We describe a quantitative genetic analysis of 22 growth, size, and morphological traits in addition to overall life history classification (resident or migrant) over the temporal process of smoltification in a large multi-generation experimental pedigree (n = 16,139) of migratory and resident rainbow trout derived from a wild population, which naturally segregates for migratory propensity. We identify significant additive genetic variance and covariance among the suite of traits that make up a component of the migratory syndrome in this species. Additionally, we identify high heritability estimates for the life history classifications and observe a strong negative genetic correlation between the migratory and resident life history trajectories. Given the large heritability estimates of all of the traits that segregate between migratory and resident rainbow trout, we conclude that these traits can respond to selection. However, given the high degree of genetic correlation between these traits, they do not evolve in isolation, but rather as a suite of coordinated characters in a predictable manner.

De novo assembly and analysis of crow lungs transcriptome

The jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) belongs to the order Passeriformes of bird species and is important for avian ecological and evolutionary genetics studies. However, there is limited information on the transcriptome data of this species. In the present study, we report the characterization of the lung transcriptome of the jungle crow using GS FLX Titanium XLR70. Altogether, 1,510,303 high-quality sequence reads with 581,198,230 bases was de novo assembled into 22,169 isotigs (isotig represents an individual transcript) and 784,009 singletons. Using these isotigs and 581,681 length-filtered (greater than 300 bp) singletons, 20,010 unique protein-coding genes were identified by BLASTx comparison against a nonredundant (nr) protein sequence database. Comparative analysis revealed that 46,604 (70.29%) and 51,642 (72.48%) of the assembled transcripts have significant similarity to zebra finch and chicken RefSeq proteins, respectively. As determined by GO annotation and KEGG pathway mapping, functional annotation of the unigenes recovered diverse biological functions and processes. Transcripts putatively involved in the immune response were identified. Furthermore, 20,599 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 7525 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were retrieved from the assembled transcript database. This resource should lay an important base for future ecological, evolutionary, and conservation genetic studies on this species and in other related species.