A gene-based genetic linkage map of the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) reveals extensive synteny and gene-order conservation during 100 million years of avian evolution

The Genetic Architecture of Recombination Rates is Polygenic and Differs Between the Sexes in Wild House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Meiotic recombination through chromosomal crossing-over is a fundamental feature of sex and an important driver of genomic diversity. It ensures proper disjunction, allows increased selection responses, and prevents mutation accumulation; however, it is also mutagenic and can break up favorable haplotypes. This cost-benefit dynamic is likely to vary depending on mechanistic and evolutionary contexts, and indeed, recombination rates show huge variation in nature. Identifying the genetic architecture of this variation is key to understanding its causes and consequences. Here, we investigate individual recombination rate variation in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We integrate genomic and pedigree data to identify autosomal crossover counts (ACCs) and intrachromosomal allelic shuffling (r¯intra) in 13,056 gametes transmitted from 2,653 individuals to their offspring. Females had 1.37 times higher ACC, and 1.55 times higher r¯intra than males. ACC and r¯intra were heritable in females and males (ACC h2 = 0.23 and 0.11; r¯intra  h2 = 0.12 and 0.14), but cross-sex additive genetic correlations were low (rA = 0.29 and 0.32 for ACC and r¯intra). Conditional bivariate analyses showed that all measures remained heritable after accounting for genetic values in the opposite sex, indicating that sex-specific ACC and r¯intra can evolve somewhat independently. Genome-wide models showed that ACC and r¯intra are polygenic and driven by many small-effect loci, many of which are likely to act in trans as global recombination modifiers. Our findings show that recombination rates of females and males can have different evolutionary potential in wild birds, providing a compelling mechanism for the evolution of sexual dimorphism in recombination.

Fine-Scale Map Reveals Highly Variable Recombination Rates Associated with Genomic Features in the Eurasian Blackcap

Recombination is responsible for breaking up haplotypes, influencing genetic variability, and the efficacy of selection. Bird genomes lack the protein PR domain-containing protein 9, a key determinant of recombination dynamics in most metazoans. Historical recombination maps in birds show an apparent stasis in positioning recombination events. This highly conserved recombination pattern over long timescales may constrain the evolution of recombination in birds. At the same time, extensive variation in recombination rate is observed across the genome and between different species of birds. Here, we characterize the fine-scale historical recombination map of an iconic migratory songbird, the Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), using a linkage disequilibrium-based approach that accounts for population demography. Our results reveal variable recombination rates among and within chromosomes, which associate positively with nucleotide diversity and GC content and negatively with chromosome size. Recombination rates increased significantly at regulatory regions but not necessarily at gene bodies. CpG islands are associated strongly with recombination rates, though their specific position and local DNA methylation patterns likely influence this relationship. The association with retrotransposons varied according to specific family and location. Our results also provide evidence of heterogeneous intrachromosomal conservation of recombination maps between the blackcap and its closest sister taxon, the garden warbler. These findings highlight the considerable variability of recombination rates at different scales and the role of specific genomic features in shaping this variation. This study opens the possibility of further investigating the impact of recombination on specific population-genomic features.

Widespread genomic signatures of reproductive isolation and sex-specific selection in the Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis

How new species evolve is one of the most fundamental questions in biology. Population divergence, which may lead to speciation, may be occurring in the Eastern Yellow Robin, a common passerine that lives along the eastern coast of Australia. This species is composed of 2 parapatric lineages that have highly divergent mitochondrial DNA; however, similar levels of divergence have not been observed in the nuclear genome. Here we re-examine the nuclear genomes of these mitolineages to test potential mechanisms underlying the discordance between nuclear and mitochondrial divergence. We find that nuclear admixture occurs in a narrow hybrid zone, although the majority of markers across the genome show evidence of reproductive isolation between populations of opposing mitolineages. There is an 8 MB section of a previously identified putative neo-sex chromosome that is highly diverged between allopatric but not parapatric populations, which may be the result of a chromosomal inversion. The neo-sex chromosomal nature of this region, as well as the geographic patterns in which it exhibits divergence, suggest it is unlikely to be contributing to reproductive isolation through mitonuclear incompatibilities as reported in earlier studies. In addition, there are sex differences in the number of markers that are differentiated between populations of opposite mitolineages, with greater differentiation occurring in females, which are heterozygous, than males. These results suggest that, despite the absence of previously observed assortative mating, mitolineages of Eastern Yellow Robin experience at least some postzygotic isolation from each other, in a pattern consistent with Haldane’s Rule.

Habitat-linked genetic variation supports microgeographic adaptive divergence in an island-endemic bird species

We investigated the potential mechanisms driving habitat-linked genetic divergence within a bird species endemic to a single 250 km² island. The island scrub-jay (Aphelocoma insularis) exhibits microgeographic divergence in bill morphology across pine-oak ecotones on Santa Cruz Island, California (USA) similar to adaptive differences described in mainland congeners over much larger geographic scales. To test whether individuals exhibit genetic differentiation related to habitat type and divergence in bill length, we genotyped over 3,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 123 adult island scrub-jay males from across Santa Cruz Island using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). Neutral landscape genomic analyses revealed that genome-wide genetic differentiation was primarily related to geographic distance and differences in habitat composition. We also found 168 putatively adaptive loci associated with habitat type using multivariate redundancy analysis (RDA) while controlling for spatial effects. Finally, two genome-wide association analyses revealed a polygenic basis to variation in bill length with multiple loci detected in or near genes known to affect bill morphology in other birds. Our findings support the hypothesis that divergent selection at microgeographic scales can cause adaptive divergence in the presence of ongoing gene flow.

The genomic consequences of hybridization

In the past decade, advances in genome sequencing have allowed researchers to uncover the history of hybridization in diverse groups of species, including our own. Although the field has made impressive progress in documenting the extent of natural hybridization, both historical and recent, there are still many unanswered questions about its genetic and evolutionary consequences. Recent work has suggested that the outcomes of hybridization in the genome may be in part predictable, but many open questions about the nature of selection on hybrids and the biological variables that shape such selection have hampered progress in this area. We synthesize what is known about the mechanisms that drive changes in ancestry in the genome after hybridization, highlight major unresolved questions, and discuss their implications for the predictability of genome evolution after hybridization.

Heterochiasmy and Sexual Dimorphism: The Case of the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica, Hirundinidae, Aves)

Heterochiasmy, a sex-based difference in recombination rate, has been detected in many species of animals and plants. Several hypotheses about evolutionary causes of heterochiasmy were proposed. However, there is a shortage of empirical data. In this paper, we compared recombination related traits in females and males of the barn swallow Hirundo rustica (Linnaeus, 1758), the species under strong sexual selection, with those in the pale martin Riparia diluta (Sharpe and Wyatt, 1893), a related and ecologically similar species with the same karyotype (2N = 78), but without obvious sexual dimorphism. Recombination traits were examined in pachytene chromosome spreads prepared from spermatocytes and oocytes. Synaptonemal complexes and mature recombination nodules were visualized with antibodies to SYCP3 and MLH1 proteins, correspondingly. Recombination rate was significantly higher (p = 0.0001) in barn swallow females (55.6 ± 6.3 recombination nodules per autosomal genome), caused by the higher number of nodules at the macrochromosomes, than in males (49.0 ± 4.5). They also showed more even distribution of recombination nodules along the macrochromosomes. At the same time, in the pale martin, sexual differences in recombination rate and distributions were rather small. We speculate that an elevated recombination rate in the female barn swallows might have evolved as a compensatory reaction to runaway sexual selection in males.

Demographic history and genomics of local adaptation in blue tit populations

Understanding the genomic processes underlying local adaptation is a central aim of modern evolutionary biology. This task requires identifying footprints of local selection but also estimating spatio‐temporal variations in population demography and variations in recombination rate and in diversity along the genome. Here, we investigated these parameters in blue tit populations inhabiting deciduous versus evergreen forests, and insular versus mainland areas, in the context of a previously described strong phenotypic differentiation. Neighboring population pairs of deciduous and evergreen habitats were weakly genetically differentiated (F_ST = 0.003 on average), nevertheless with a statistically significant effect of habitat type on the overall genetic structure. This low differentiation was consistent with the strong and long‐lasting gene flow between populations inferred by demographic modeling. In turn, insular and mainland populations were moderately differentiated (F_ST = 0.08 on average), in line with the inference of moderate ancestral migration, followed by isolation since the end of the last glaciation. Effective population sizes were large, yet smaller on the island than on the mainland. Weak and nonparallel footprints of divergent selection between deciduous and evergreen populations were consistent with their high connectivity and the probable polygenic nature of local adaptation in these habitats. In turn, stronger footprints of divergent selection were identified between long isolated insular versus mainland birds and were more often found in regions of low recombination, as expected from theory. Lastly, we identified a genomic inversion on the mainland, spanning 2.8 Mb. These results provide insights into the demographic history and genetic architecture of local adaptation in blue tit populations at multiple geographic scales.

Insulinlike Growth Factor 1 Gene Variation in Vertebrates

IGF1-a small, single-chain, secreted peptide in mammals-is essential for normal somatic growth and is involved in a variety of other physiological and pathophysiological processes. IGF1 expression appears to be controlled by several different signaling mechanisms in mammals, with GH playing a key role by activating an inducible transcriptional pathway via the Jak2 protein kinase and the Stat5b transcription factor. Here, to understand aspects of Igf1 gene regulation over a substantially longer timeline than is discernible in mammals, Igf1 genes have been examined in 21 different nonmammalian vertebrates representing five different classes and ranging over ∼500 million years of evolutionary history. Parts of vertebrate Igf1 genes resemble components found in mammals. Conserved exons encoding the mature IGF1 protein are detected in all 21 species studied and are separated by a large intron, as seen in mammals; the single promoter contains putative regulatory elements that are similar to those functionally mapped in human IGF1 promoter 1. In contrast, GH-activated Stat5b-binding enhancers found in mammalian IGF1 loci are completely absent, there is no homolog of promoter 2 or exon 2 in any nonmammalian vertebrate, and different types of "extra" exons not present in mammals are found in birds, reptiles, and teleosts. These data collectively define properties of Igf1 genes and IGF1 proteins that were likely present in the earliest vertebrates and support the contention that common structural and regulatory features in Igf1 genes have a long evolutionary history.

Comparative analysis examining patterns of genomic differentiation across multiple episodes of population divergence in birds

Heterogeneous patterns of genomic differentiation are commonly documented between closely related populations and there is considerable interest in identifying factors that contribute to their formation. These factors could include genomic features (e.g., areas of low recombination) that promote processes like linked selection (positive or purifying selection that affects linked neutral sites) at specific genomic regions. Examinations of repeatable patterns of differentiation across population pairs can provide insight into the role of these factors. Birds are well suited for this work, as genome structure is conserved across this group. Accordingly, we reestimated relative (F_ST ) and absolute (d_XY ) differentiation between eight sister pairs of birds that span a broad taxonomic range using a common pipeline. Across pairs, there were modest but significant correlations in window-based estimates of differentiation (up to 3% of variation explained for F_ST and 26% for d_XY ), supporting a role for processes at conserved genomic features in generating heterogeneous patterns of differentiation; processes specific to each episode of population divergence likely explain the remaining variation. The role genomic features play was reinforced by linear models identifying several genomic variables (e.g., gene densities) as significant predictors of F_ST and d_XY repeatability. F_ST repeatability was higher among pairs that were further along the speciation continuum (i.e., more reproductively isolated) providing further insight into how genomic differentiation changes with population divergence; early stages of speciation may be dominated by positive selection that is different between pairs but becomes integrated with processes acting according to shared genomic features as speciation proceeds.

Genomic islands of differentiation in two songbird species reveal candidate genes for hybrid female sterility

Hybrid sterility is a common first step in the evolution of postzygotic reproductive isolation. According to Haldane's Rule, it affects predominantly the heterogametic sex. While the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in organisms with heterogametic males has been studied for decades, the genetic basis of hybrid female sterility in organisms with heterogametic females has received much less attention. We investigated the genetic basis of reproductive isolation in two closely related avian species, the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the thrush nightingale (L. luscinia), that hybridize in a secondary contact zone and produce viable hybrid progeny. In accordance with Haldane's Rule, hybrid females are sterile, while hybrid males are fertile, allowing gene flow to occur between the species. Using transcriptomic data from multiple individuals of both nightingale species, we identified genomic islands of high differentiation (F_ST ) and of high divergence (D_xy ), and we analysed gene content and patterns of molecular evolution within these islands. Interestingly, we found that these islands were enriched for genes related to female meiosis and metabolism. The islands of high differentiation and divergence were also characterized by higher levels of linkage disequilibrium than the rest of the genome in both species indicating that they might be situated in genomic regions of low recombination. This study provides one of the first insights into genetic basis of hybrid female sterility in organisms with heterogametic females.

Genomic differentiation and patterns of gene flow between two long-tailed tit species (Aegithalos)

Patterns of heterogeneous genomic differentiation have been well documented between closely related species, with some highly differentiated genomic regions ("genomic differentiation islands") spread throughout the genome. Differential levels of gene flow are proposed to account for this pattern, as genomic differentiation islands are suggested to be resistant to gene flow. Recent studies have also suggested that genomic differentiation islands could be explained by linked selection acting on genomic regions with low recombination rates. Here, we investigate genomic differentiation and gene-flow patterns for autosomes using RAD-seq data between two closely related species of long-tailed tits (Aegithalos bonvaloti and A. fuliginosus) in both allopatric and contact zone populations. The results confirm recent or ongoing gene flow between these two species. However, there is little evidence that the genomic regions that were found to be highly differentiated between the contact zone populations are resistant to gene flow, suggesting that differential levels of gene flow is not the cause of the heterogeneous genomic differentiation. Linked selection may be the cause of genomic differentiation islands between the allopatric populations with no or very limited gene flow, but this could not account for the heterogeneous genomic differentiation between the contact zone populations, which show evidence of recent or ongoing gene flow.

Correlated patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation across an avian family

Comparative studies of closely related taxa can provide insights into the evolutionary forces that shape genome evolution and the prevalence of convergent molecular evolution. We investigated patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in stonechats (genus Saxicola), a widely distributed avian species complex with phenotypic variation in plumage, morphology and migratory behaviour, to ask whether similar genomic regions have become differentiated in independent, but closely related, taxa. We used whole-genome pooled sequencing of 262 individuals from five taxa and found that levels of genetic diversity and divergence are strongly correlated among different stonechat taxa. We then asked whether these patterns remain correlated at deeper evolutionary scales and found that homologous genomic regions have become differentiated in stonechats and the closely related Ficedula flycatchers. Such correlation across a range of evolutionary divergence and among phylogenetically independent comparisons suggests that similar processes may be driving the differentiation of these independently evolving lineages, which in turn may be the result of intrinsic properties of particular genomic regions (e.g. areas of low recombination). Consequently, studies employing genome scans to search for areas important for reproductive isolation or adaptation should account for corresponding regions of differentiation, as these regions may not necessarily represent speciation islands or evidence of local adaptation.

Patterns of gene flow and selection across multiple species of Acrocephalus warblers: footprints of parallel selection on the Z chromosome

Background

Understanding the mechanisms and selective forces leading to adaptive radiations and origin of biodiversity is a major goal of evolutionary biology. Acrocephalus warblers are small passerines that underwent an adaptive radiation in the last approximately 10 million years that gave rise to 37 extant species, many of which still hybridize in nature. Acrocephalus warblers have served as model organisms for a wide variety of ecological and behavioral studies, yet our knowledge of mechanisms and selective forces driving their radiation is limited. Here we studied patterns of interspecific gene flow and selection across three European Acrocephalus warblers to get a first insight into mechanisms of radiation of this avian group.

Results

We analyzed nucleotide variation at eight nuclear loci in three hybridizing Acrocephalus species with overlapping breeding ranges in Europe. Using an isolation-with-migration model for multiple populations, we found evidence for unidirectional gene flow from A. scirpaceus to A. palustris and from A. palustris to A. dumetorum. Gene flow was higher between genetically more closely related A. scirpaceus and A. palustris than between ecologically more similar A. palustris and A. dumetorum, suggesting that gradual accumulation of intrinsic barriers rather than divergent ecological selection are more efficient in restricting interspecific gene flow in Acrocephalus warblers. Although levels of genetic differentiation between different species pairs were in general not correlated, we found signatures of apparently independent instances of positive selection at the same two Z-linked loci in multiple species.

Conclusions

Our study brings the first evidence that gene flow occurred during Acrocephalus radiation and not only between sister species. Interspecific gene flow could thus be an important source of genetic variation in individual Acrocephalus species and could have accelerated adaptive evolution and speciation rate in this avian group by creating novel genetic combinations and new phenotypes. Independent instances of positive selection at the same loci in multiple species indicate an interesting possibility that the same loci might have contributed to reproductive isolation in several speciation events.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0692-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Sixteen kiwi (Apteryx spp) transcriptomes provide a wealth of genetic markers and insight into sex chromosome evolution in birds

Background

Kiwi represent the most basal extant avian lineage (paleognaths) and exhibit biological attributes that are unusual or extreme among living birds, such as large egg size, strong olfaction, nocturnality, flightlessness and long lifespan. Despite intense interest in their evolution and their threatened status, genomic resources for kiwi were virtually non-existent until the recent publication of a single genome. Here we present the most comprehensive kiwi transcriptomes to date, obtained via Illumina sequencing of whole blood and de novo assembly of mRNA sequences of eight individuals from each of the two rarest kiwi species, little spotted kiwi (LSK; Apteryx owenii) and rowi (A. rowi).

Results

Sequences obtained were orthologous with a wide diversity of functional genes despite the sequencing of a single tissue type. Individual and composite assemblies contain more than 7900 unique protein coding transcripts in each of LSK and rowi that show strong homology with chicken (Gallus gallus), including those associated with growth, development, disease resistance, reproduction and behavior. The assemblies also contain 66,909 SNPs that distinguish between LSK and rowi, 12,384 SNPs among LSK (associated with 3088 genes), and 29,313 SNPs among rowi (associated with 4953 genes). We found 3084 transcripts differentially expressed between LSK and rowi and 150 transcripts differentially expressed between the sexes. Of the latter, 83 could be mapped to chicken chromosomes with 95% syntenic with chromosome Z.

Conclusions

Our study has simultaneously sequenced multiple species, sexes, and individual kiwi at thousands of genes, and thus represents a significant leap forward in genomic resources available for kiwi. The expression pattern we observed among chromosome Z related genes in kiwi is similar to that observed in ostriches and emu, suggesting a common and ancestral pattern of sex chromosome homomorphy, recombination, and gene dosage among living paleognaths. The transcriptome assemblies described here will provide a rich resource for polymorphic marker development and studies of adaptation of these highly unusual and endangered birds.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2714-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

High-Resolution Mapping of Crossover and Non-crossover Recombination Events by Whole-Genome Re-sequencing of an Avian Pedigree

Recombination is an engine of genetic diversity and therefore constitutes a key process in evolutionary biology and genetics. While the outcome of crossover recombination can readily be detected as shuffled alleles by following the inheritance of markers in pedigreed families, the more precise location of both crossover and non-crossover recombination events has been difficult to pinpoint. As a consequence, we lack a detailed portrait of the recombination landscape for most organisms and knowledge on how this landscape impacts on sequence evolution at a local scale. To localize recombination events with high resolution in an avian system, we performed whole-genome re-sequencing at high coverage of a complete three-generation collared flycatcher pedigree. We identified 325 crossovers at a median resolution of 1.4 kb, with 86% of the events localized to <10 kb intervals. Observed crossover rates were in excellent agreement with data from linkage mapping, were 52% higher in male (3.56 cM/Mb) than in female meiosis (2.28 cM/Mb), and increased towards chromosome ends in male but not female meiosis. Crossover events were non-randomly distributed in the genome with several distinct hot-spots and a concentration to genic regions, with the highest density in promoters and CpG islands. We further identified 267 non-crossovers, whose location was significantly associated with crossover locations. We detected a significant transmission bias (0.18) in favour of 'strong' (G, C) over 'weak' (A, T) alleles at non-crossover events, providing direct evidence for the process of GC-biased gene conversion in an avian system. The approach taken in this study should be applicable to any species and would thereby help to provide a more comprehensive portray of the recombination landscape across organism groups.

DLGP: A database for lineage-conserved and lineage-specific gene pairs in animal and plant genomes

The conservation of gene organization in the genome with lineage-specificity is an invaluable resource to decipher their potential functionality with diverse selective constraints, especially in higher animals and plants. Gene pairs appear to be the minimal structure for such kind of gene clusters that tend to reside in their preferred locations, representing the distinctive genomic characteristics in single species or a given lineage. Despite gene families having been investigated in a widespread manner, the definition of gene pair families in various taxa still lacks adequate attention. To address this issue, we report DLGP (http://lcgbase.big.ac.cn/DLGP/) that stores the pre-calculated lineage-based gene pairs in currently available 134 animal and plant genomes and inspect them under the same analytical framework, bringing out a set of innovational features. First, the taxonomy or lineage has been classified into four levels such as Kingdom, Phylum, Class and Order. It adopts all-to-all comparison strategy to identify the possible conserved gene pairs in all species for each gene pair in certain species and reckon those that are conserved in over a significant proportion of species in a given lineage (e.g. Primates, Diptera or Poales) as the lineage-conserved gene pairs. Furthermore, it predicts the lineage-specific gene pairs by retaining the above-mentioned lineage-conserved gene pairs that are not conserved in any other lineages. Second, it carries out pairwise comparison for the gene pairs between two compared species and creates the table including all the conserved gene pairs and the image elucidating the conservation degree of gene pairs in chromosomal level. Third, it supplies gene order browser to extend gene pairs to gene clusters, allowing users to view the evolution dynamics in the gene context in an intuitive manner. This database will be able to facilitate the particular comparison between animals and plants, between vertebrates and arthropods, and between monocots and eudicots, accounting for the significant contribution of gene pairs to speciation and diversification in specific lineages.

Physical Mapping and Refinement of the Painted Turtle Genome (Chrysemys picta) Inform Amniote Genome Evolution and Challenge Turtle-Bird Chromosomal Conservation

Comparative genomics continues illuminating amniote genome evolution, but for many lineages our understanding remains incomplete. Here, we refine the assembly (CPI 3.0.3 NCBI AHGY00000000.2) and develop a cytogenetic map of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta-CPI) genome, the first in turtles and in vertebrates with temperature-dependent sex determination. A comparison of turtle genomes with those of chicken, selected nonavian reptiles, and human revealed shared and novel genomic features, such as numerous chromosomal rearrangements. The largest conserved syntenic blocks between birds and turtles exist in four macrochromosomes, whereas rearrangements were evident in these and other chromosomes, disproving that turtles and birds retain fully conserved macrochromosomes for greater than 300 Myr. C-banding revealed large heterochromatic blocks in the centromeric region of only few chromosomes. The nucleolar-organizing region (NOR) mapped to a single CPI microchromosome, whereas in some turtles and lizards the NOR maps to nonhomologous sex-chromosomes, thus revealing independent translocations of the NOR in various reptilian lineages. There was no evidence for recent chromosomal fusions as interstitial telomeric-DNA was absent. Some repeat elements (CR1-like, Gypsy) were enriched in the centromeres of five chromosomes, whereas others were widespread in the CPI genome. Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones were hybridized to 18 of the 25 CPI chromosomes and anchored to a G-banded ideogram. Several CPI sex-determining genes mapped to five chromosomes, and homology was detected between yet other CPI autosomes and the globally nonhomologous sex chromosomes of chicken, other turtles, and squamates, underscoring the independent evolution of vertebrate sex-determining mechanisms.

A microsatellite-based linkage map for song sparrows (Melospiza melodia)

Although linkage maps are important tools in evolutionary biology, their availability for wild populations is limited. The population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) on Mandarte Island, Canada, is among the more intensively studied wild animal populations. Its long-term pedigree data, together with extensive genetic sampling, have allowed the study of a range of questions in evolutionary biology and ecology. However, the availability of genetic markers has been limited. We here describe 191 new microsatellite loci, including 160 high-quality polymorphic autosomal, 7 Z-linked and 1 W-linked markers. We used these markers to construct a linkage map for song sparrows with a total sex-averaged map length of 1731 cM and covering 35 linkage groups, and hence, these markers cover most of the 38-40 chromosomes. Female and male map lengths did not differ significantly. We then bioinformatically mapped these loci to the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) genome and found that linkage groups were conserved between song sparrows and zebra finches. Compared to the zebra finch, marker order within small linkage groups was well conserved, whereas the larger linkage groups showed some intrachromosomal rearrangements. Finally, we show that as expected, recombination frequency between linked loci explained the majority of variation in gametic phase disequilibrium. Yet, there was substantial overlap in gametic phase disequilibrium between pairs of linked and unlinked loci. Given that the microsatellites described here lie on 35 of the 38-40 chromosomes, these markers will be useful for studies in this species, as well as for comparative genomics studies with other species.

Gene turnover in the avian globin gene families and evolutionary changes in hemoglobin isoform expression

The apparent stasis in the evolution of avian chromosomes suggests that birds may have experienced relatively low rates of gene gain and loss in multigene families. To investigate this possibility and to explore the phenotypic consequences of variation in gene copy number, we examined evolutionary changes in the families of genes that encode the α- and β-type subunits of hemoglobin (Hb), the tetrameric α2β2 protein responsible for blood-O2 transport. A comparative genomic analysis of 52 bird species revealed that the size and membership composition of the α- and β-globin gene families have remained remarkably constant during approximately 100 My of avian evolution. Most interspecific variation in gene content is attributable to multiple independent inactivations of the α(D)-globin gene, which encodes the α-chain subunit of a functionally distinct Hb isoform (HbD) that is expressed in both embryonic and definitive erythrocytes. Due to consistent differences in O2-binding properties between HbD and the major adult-expressed Hb isoform, HbA (which incorporates products of the α(A)-globin gene), recurrent losses of α(D)-globin contribute to among-species variation in blood-O2 affinity. Analysis of HbA/HbD expression levels in the red blood cells of 122 bird species revealed high variability among lineages and strong phylogenetic signal. In comparison with the homologous gene clusters in mammals, the low retention rate for lineage-specific gene duplicates in the avian globin gene clusters suggests that the developmental regulation of Hb synthesis in birds may be more highly conserved, with orthologous genes having similar stage-specific expression profiles and similar functional properties in disparate taxa.

Genomic resources for the endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers

Background

The Hawaiian honeycreepers are an avian adaptive radiation containing many endangered and extinct species. They display a dramatic range of phenotypic variation and are a model system for studies of evolution, conservation, disease dynamics and population genetics. Development of a genome-scale resources for this group would augment the quality of research focusing on Hawaiian honeycreepers and facilitate comparative avian genomic research.

Results

We assembled the genome sequence of a Hawaii amakihi (Hemignathus virens),and identified ~3.9 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genome. Using the amakihi genome as a reference, we also identified ~156,000 SNPs in RAD tag (restriction site associated DNA) sequencing of five honeycreeper species (palila [Loxioides bailleui], Nihoa finch [Telespiza ultima], iiwi [Vestiaria coccinea], apapane [Himatione sanguinea], and amakihi). SNPs are distributed throughout the amakihi genome, and the individual sequenced shows several large regions of low heterozygosity on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 8 and 11. SNPs from RAD tag sequencing were also found throughout the genome but were found to be more densely located on microchromosomes, apparently a result of differential distribution of the particular site recognized by restriction enzyme BseXI.

Conclusions

The amakihi genome sequence will be useful for comparative avian genomics research and provides a significant resource for studies in such areas as disease ecology, evolution, and conservation genetics. The genome sequences will enable mapping of transcriptome data for honeycreepers and comparison of gene sequences between avian taxa. Researchers will be able to use the large number of SNP markers to genotype honeycreepers in regions of interest or across the whole genome. There are enough markers to enable use of methods such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that will allow researchers to make connections between phenotypic diversity of honeycreepers and specific genetic variants. Genome-wide markers will also help resolve phylogenetic and population genetic questions in honeycreepers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1098) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A high-density linkage map enables a second-generation collared flycatcher genome assembly and reveals the patterns of avian recombination rate variation and chromosomal evolution

Detailed linkage and recombination rate maps are necessary to use the full potential of genome sequencing and population genomic analyses. We used a custom collared flycatcher 50 K SNP array to develop a high-density linkage map with 37 262 markers assigned to 34 linkage groups in 33 autosomes and the Z chromosome. The best-order map contained 4215 markers, with a total distance of 3132 cm and a mean genetic distance between markers of 0.12 cm. Facilitated by the array being designed to include markers from most scaffolds, we obtained a second-generation assembly of the flycatcher genome that approaches full chromosome sequences (N50 super-scaffold size 20.2 Mb and with 1.042 Gb (of 1.116 Gb) anchored to and mostly ordered and oriented along chromosomes). We found that flycatcher and zebra finch chromosomes are entirely syntenic but that inversions at mean rates of 1.5–2.0 event (6.6–7.5 Mb) per My have changed the organization within chromosomes, rates high enough for inversions to potentially have been involved with many speciation events during avian evolution. The mean recombination rate was 3.1 cm/Mb and correlated closely with chromosome size, from 2 cm/Mb for chromosomes >100 Mb to >10 cm/Mb for chromosomes <10 Mb. This size dependence seemed entirely due to an obligate recombination event per chromosome; if 50 cm was subtracted from the genetic lengths of chromosomes, the rate per physical unit DNA was constant across chromosomes. Flycatcher recombination rate showed similar variation along chromosomes as chicken but lacked the large interior recombination deserts characteristic of zebra finch chromosomes.

Insight into genomic changes accompanying divergence: genetic linkage maps and synteny of Lucania goodei and L. parva reveal a Robertsonian fusion

Linkage maps are important tools in evolutionary genetics and in studies of speciation. We performed a karyotyping study and constructed high-density linkage maps for two closely related killifish species, Lucania parva and L. goodei, that differ in salinity tolerance and still hybridize in their contact zone in Florida. Using SNPs from orthologous EST contigs, we compared synteny between the two species to determine how genomic architecture has shifted with divergence. Karyotyping revealed that L. goodei possesses 24 acrocentric chromosomes (1N) whereas L. parva possesses 23 chromosomes (1N), one of which is a large metacentric chromosome. Likewise, high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism-based linkage maps indicated 24 linkage groups for L. goodei and 23 linkage groups for L. parva. Synteny mapping revealed two linkage groups in L. goodei that were highly syntenic with the largest linkage group in L. parva. Together, this evidence points to the largest linkage group in L. parva being the result of a chromosomal fusion. We further compared synteny between Lucania with the genome of a more distant teleost relative medaka (Oryzias latipes) and found good conservation of synteny at the chromosomal level. Each Lucania LG had a single best match with each medaka chromosome. These results provide the groundwork for future studies on the genetic architecture of reproductive isolation and salinity tolerance in Lucania and other Fundulidae.

Replicated high-density genetic maps of two great tit populations reveal fine-scale genomic departures from sex-equal recombination rates

Linking variation in quantitative traits to variation in the genome is an important, but challenging task in the study of life-history evolution. Linkage maps provide a valuable tool for the unravelling of such trait-gene associations. Moreover, they give insight into recombination landscapes and between-species karyotype evolution. Here we used genotype data, generated from a 10k single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip, of over 2000 individuals to produce high-density linkage maps of the great tit (Parus major), a passerine bird that serves as a model species for ecological and evolutionary questions. We created independent maps from two distinct populations: a captive F2-cross from The Netherlands (NL) and a wild population from the United Kingdom (UK). The two maps contained 6554 SNPs in 32 linkage groups, spanning 2010 cM and 1917 cM for the NL and UK populations, respectively, and were similar in size and marker order. Subtle levels of heterochiasmy within and between chromosomes were remarkably consistent between the populations, suggesting that the local departures from sex-equal recombination rates have evolved. This key and surprising result would have been impossible to detect if only one population was mapped. A comparison with zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata, chicken Gallus gallus and the green anole lizard Anolis carolinensis genomes provided further insight into the evolution of avian karyotypes.

A first-generation microsatellite linkage map of the ruff

A linkage map of the ruff (Philomachus pugnax) genome was constructed based on segregation analysis of 58 microsatellite loci from 381 captive-bred individuals spanning fourteen breeding years and comprising 64 families. Twenty-eight of the markers were resolved into seven linkage groups and five single marker loci, homologous to known chicken (Gallus gallus) and zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) chromosomes. Linkage groups range from 10.1 to 488.7 cM in length and covered a total map distance of 641.6 cM, corresponding to an estimated 30–35% coverage of the ruff genome, with a mean spacing of 22.9 cM between loci. Through comparative mapping, we are able to assign linkage groups Ppu1, Ppu2, Ppu6, Ppu7, Ppu10, Ppu13, and PpuZ to chromosomes and identify several intrachromosomal rearrangements between the homologs of chicken, zebra finch, and ruff microsatellite loci. This is the first linkage map created in the ruff and is a major step toward providing genomic resources for this enigmatic species. It will provide an essential framework for mapping of phenotypically and behaviorally important loci in the ruff.

Demographic divergence history of pied flycatcher and collared flycatcher inferred from whole-genome re-sequencing data

Profound knowledge of demographic history is a prerequisite for the understanding and inference of processes involved in the evolution of population differentiation and speciation. Together with new coalescent-based methods, the recent availability of genome-wide data enables investigation of differentiation and divergence processes at unprecedented depth. We combined two powerful approaches, full Approximate Bayesian Computation analysis (ABC) and pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent modeling (PSMC), to reconstruct the demographic history of the split between two avian speciation model species, the pied flycatcher and collared flycatcher. Using whole-genome re-sequencing data from 20 individuals, we investigated 15 demographic models including different levels and patterns of gene flow, and changes in effective population size over time. ABC provided high support for recent (mode 0.3 my, range <0.7 my) species divergence, declines in effective population size of both species since their initial divergence, and unidirectional recent gene flow from pied flycatcher into collared flycatcher. The estimated divergence time and population size changes, supported by PSMC results, suggest that the ancestral species persisted through one of the glacial periods of middle Pleistocene and then split into two large populations that first increased in size before going through severe bottlenecks and expanding into their current ranges. Secondary contact appears to have been established after the last glacial maximum. The severity of the bottlenecks at the last glacial maximum is indicated by the discrepancy between current effective population sizes (20,000-80,000) and census sizes (5-50 million birds) of the two species. The recent divergence time challenges the supposition that avian speciation is a relatively slow process with extended times for intrinsic postzygotic reproductive barriers to evolve. Our study emphasizes the importance of using genome-wide data to unravel tangled demographic histories. Moreover, it constitutes one of the first examples of the inference of divergence history from genome-wide data in non-model species.

The genomics of incompatibility factors and sex determination in hybridizing species of Cottus (Pisces)

Cottus rhenanus and Cottus perifretum have formed hybrid lineages and narrow hybrid zones that can be best explained through the action of natural selection. However, the underlying selective forces as well as their genomic targets are not well understood. This study identifies genomic regions in the parental species that cause hybrid incompatibilities and tests whether these manifest in a sex-specific manner to learn about processes that affect natural hybridization in Cottus. Interspecific F2 crosses were analyzed for 255 markers for genetic mapping and to detect transmission distortion as a sign for genetic incompatibilities. The Cottus map consists of 24 linkage groups with a total length of 1575.4 cM. A male heterogametic (XY) sex determination region was found on different linkage groups in the two parental species. Genetic incompatibilities were incomplete, varied among individuals and populations and were not associated with the heterogametic sex. The variance between populations and individuals makes it unlikely that there are species-specific incompatibility loci that could affect the gene pool of natural hybrids in a simple and predictable way. Conserved synteny with sequenced fish genomes permits to genetically study the Cottus genome through the transfer of genomic information from the model fish species. Homology relationships of candidate genomic regions in Cottus indicate that sex determination is not based on the same genomic regions found in other fish species. This suggests a fast evolutionary turnover of the genetic basis of sex determination that, together with the small size of the heterogametic regions, may contribute to the absence of fitness effects related to the Haldane's rule.

Speciation: clash of the genomes

Complete genomes of hybridizing bird species demonstrate the importance of the sex chromosomes, telomeres and centromeres to the initial stages of speciation.

Characterisation of a transcriptome to find sequence differences between two differentially migrating subspecies of the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus

BACKGROUND

Animal migration requires adaptations in morphological, physiological and behavioural traits. Several of these traits have been shown to possess a strong heritable component in birds, but little is known about their genetic architecture. Here we used 454 sequencing of brain-derived transcriptomes from two differentially migrating subspecies of the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus to detect genes potentially underlying traits associated with migration.

RESULTS

The transcriptome sequencing resulted in 1.8 million reads following filtering steps. Most of the reads (84%) were successfully mapped to the genome of the zebra finch Taeniopygia gutatta. The mapped reads were situated within at least 12,101 predicted zebra finch genes, with the greatest sequencing depth in exons. Reads that were mapped to intergenic regions were generally located close to predicted genes and possibly located in uncharacterized untranslated regions (UTRs). Out of 85,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with a minimum sequencing depth of eight reads from each of two subspecies-specific pools, only 55 showed high differentiation, confirming previous studies showing that most of the genetic variation is shared between the subspecies. Validation of a subset of the most highly differentiated SNPs using Sanger sequencing demonstrated that several of them also were differentiated between an independent set of individuals of each subspecies. These SNPs were clustered in two chromosome regions that are likely to be influenced by divergent selection between the subspecies and that could potentially be associated with adaptations to their different migratory strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study represents the first large-scale sequencing analysis aiming at detecting genes underlying migratory phenotypes in birds and provides new candidates for genes potentially involved in migration.

Genomic rearrangements and the evolution of clusters of locally adaptive loci

Numerous studies of ecological genetics have found that alleles contributing to local adaptation sometimes cluster together, forming "genomic islands of divergence." Divergence hitchhiking theory posits that these clusters evolve by the preferential establishment of tightly linked locally adapted mutations, because such linkage reduces the rate that recombination breaks up locally favorable combinations of alleles. Here, I use calculations based on previously developed analytical models of divergence hitchhiking to show that very few clustered mutations should be expected in a single bout of adaptation, relative to the number of unlinked mutations, suggesting that divergence hitchhiking theory alone may often be insufficient to explain empirical observations. Using individual-based simulations that allow for the transposition of a single genetic locus from one position on a chromosome to another, I then show that tight clustering of the loci involved in local adaptation tends to evolve on biologically realistic time scales. These results suggest that genomic rearrangements may often be an important component of local adaptation and the evolution of genomic islands of divergence. More generally, these results suggest that genomic architecture and functional neighborhoods of genes may be actively shaped by natural selection in heterogeneous environments. Because small-scale changes in gene order are relatively common in some taxa, comparative genomic studies could be coupled with studies of adaptation to explore how commonly such rearrangements are involved in local adaptation.

Sex-biased gene expression at homomorphic sex chromosomes in emus and its implication for sex chromosome evolution

Sex chromosomes originate from autosomes. The accumulation of sexually antagonistic mutations on protosex chromosomes selects for a loss of recombination and sets in motion the evolutionary processes generating heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Recombination suppression and differentiation are generally viewed as the default path of sex chromosome evolution, and the occurrence of old, homomorphic sex chromosomes, such as those of ratite birds, has remained a mystery. Here, we analyze the genome and transcriptome of emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) and confirm that most genes on the sex chromosome are shared between the Z and W. Surprisingly, however, levels of gene expression are generally sex-biased for all sex-linked genes relative to autosomes, including those in the pseudoautosomal region, and the male-bias increases after gonad formation. This expression bias suggests that the emu sex chromosomes have become masculinized, even in the absence of ZW differentiation. Thus, birds may have taken different evolutionary solutions to minimize the deleterious effects imposed by sexually antagonistic mutations: some lineages eliminate recombination along the protosex chromosomes to physically restrict sexually antagonistic alleles to one sex, whereas ratites evolved sex-biased expression to confine the product of a sexually antagonistic allele to the sex it benefits. This difference in conflict resolution may explain the preservation of recombining, homomorphic sex chromosomes in other lineages and illustrates the importance of sexually antagonistic mutations driving the evolution of sex chromosomes.

Inferring the demographic history of European Ficedula flycatcher populations

Background

Inference of population and species histories and population stratification using genetic data is important for discriminating between different speciation scenarios and for correct interpretation of genome scans for signs of adaptive evolution and trait association. Here we use data from 24 intronic loci re-sequenced in population samples of two closely related species, the pied flycatcher and the collared flycatcher.

Results

We applied Isolation-Migration models, assignment analyses and estimated the genetic differentiation and diversity between species and between populations within species. The data indicate a divergence time between the species of <1 million years, significantly shorter than previous estimates using mtDNA, point to a scenario with unidirectional gene-flow from the pied flycatcher into the collared flycatcher and imply that barriers to hybridisation are still permeable in a recently established hybrid zone. Furthermore, we detect significant population stratification, predominantly between the Spanish population and other pied flycatcher populations.

Conclusions

Our results provide further evidence for a divergence process where different genomic regions may be at different stages of speciation. We also conclude that forthcoming analyses of genotype-phenotype relations in these ecological model species should be designed to take population stratification into account.

The genomic landscape of species divergence in Ficedula flycatchers

Unravelling the genomic landscape of divergence between lineages is key to understanding speciation. The naturally hybridizing collared flycatcher and pied flycatcher are important avian speciation models that show pre- as well as postzygotic isolation. We sequenced and assembled the 1.1-Gb flycatcher genome, physically mapped the assembly to chromosomes using a low-density linkage map and re-sequenced population samples of each species. Here we show that the genomic landscape of species differentiation is highly heterogeneous with approximately 50 'divergence islands' showing up to 50-fold higher sequence divergence than the genomic background. These non-randomly distributed islands, with between one and three regions of elevated divergence per chromosome irrespective of chromosome size, are characterized by reduced levels of nucleotide diversity, skewed allele-frequency spectra, elevated levels of linkage disequilibrium and reduced proportions of shared polymorphisms in both species, indicative of parallel episodes of selection. Proximity of divergence peaks to genomic regions resistant to sequence assembly, potentially including centromeres and telomeres, indicate that complex repeat structures may drive species divergence. A much higher background level of species divergence of the Z chromosome, and a lower proportion of shared polymorphisms, indicate that sex chromosomes and autosomes are at different stages of speciation. This study provides a roadmap to the emerging field of speciation genomics.

Development of Exon-Primed Intron-Crossing (EPIC) PCR primers for the malaria vector Anopheles pseudopunctipennis (Diptera: Culicidae)

Using the Anopheles gambiae Giles genome as a template, we designed, screened and identified 14 novel Exon-Primed Intron-Crossing (EPIC) PCR primer pairs for Anopheles pseudopunctipennis Theobald 1901, a major vector of human Plasmodium sp. in South America. These primers were designed to target the conserved regions flanking consecutive exons of different genes and enabled the amplification of 17 loci of which nine were polymorphic. Polymorphisms at these loci ranged from two to four alleles. Intron length polymorphism analysis is a useful tool, which will allow the study of the population structure of this mosquito species, which remains poorly understood.

Microsatellite resources for Passeridae species: a predicted microsatellite map of the house sparrow Passer domesticus

We identified microsatellite sequences of potential utility in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and assigned their predicted genome locations. These sequences included newly isolated house sparrow loci, which we fully characterized. Many of the newly isolated loci were polymorphic in two other species of Passeridae: Berthelot's pipit Anthus berthelotii and zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata. In total, we identified 179 microsatellite markers that were either isolated directly from, or are of known utility in, the house sparrow. Sixty-seven of these markers were designed from unique sequences that we isolated from a house sparrow genomic library. These new markers were combined with 36 house sparrow markers isolated by other studies and 76 markers isolated from other passerine species but known to be polymorphic in the house sparrow. We utilized sequence homology to assign chromosomal locations for these loci in the assembled zebra finch genome. One hundred and thirty-four loci were assigned to 25 different autosomes and eight loci to the Z chromosome. Examination of the genotypes of known-sex house sparrows for 37 of the new loci revealed a W-linked locus and an additional Z-linked locus. Locus Pdoμ2, previously reported as autosomal, was found to be Z-linked. These loci enable the creation of powerful and cost-effective house sparrow multiplex primer sets for population and parentage studies. They can be used to create a house sparrow linkage map and will aid the identification of quantitative trait loci in passerine species.

Comparative BAC-based mapping in the white-throated sparrow, a novel behavioral genomics model, using interspecies overgo hybridization

Background

The genomics era has produced an arsenal of resources from sequenced organisms allowing researchers to target species that do not have comparable mapping and sequence information. These new "non-model" organisms offer unique opportunities to examine environmental effects on genomic patterns and processes. Here we use comparative mapping as a first step in characterizing the genome organization of a novel animal model, the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), which occurs as white or tan morphs that exhibit alternative behaviors and physiology. Morph is determined by the presence or absence of a complex chromosomal rearrangement. This species is an ideal model for behavioral genomics because the association between genotype and phenotype is absolute, making it possible to identify the genomic bases of phenotypic variation.

Findings

We initiated a genomic study in this species by characterizing the white-throated sparrow BAC library via filter hybridization with overgo probes designed for the chicken, turkey, and zebra finch. Cross-species hybridization resulted in 640 positive sparrow BACs assigned to 77 chicken loci across almost all macro-and microchromosomes, with a focus on the chromosomes associated with morph. Out of 216 overgos, 36% of the probes hybridized successfully, with an average number of 3.0 positive sparrow BACs per overgo.

Conclusions

These data will be utilized for determining chromosomal architecture and for fine-scale mapping of candidate genes associated with phenotypic differences. Our research confirms the utility of interspecies hybridization for developing comparative maps in other non-model organisms.

Samia cynthia versus Bombyx mori: comparative gene mapping between a species with a low-number karyotype and the model species of Lepidoptera

We performed gene-based comparative FISH mapping between a wild silkmoth, Samia cynthia ssp. with a low number of chromosomes (2n=25-28) and the model species, Bombyx mori (2n=56), in order to identify the genomic components that make up the chromosomes in a low-number karyotype. Mapping of 64 fosmid probes containing orthologs of B. mori genes revealed that the homologues of either two or four B. mori chromosomes constitute the S. c. ricini (Vietnam population, 2n=27♀/28♂, Z0/ZZ) autosomes. Where tested, even the gene order was conserved between S. c. ricini and B. mori. This was also true for the originally autosomal parts of the neo-sex chromosomes in S. c. walkeri (Sapporo population, 2n=26♀/26♂, neo-Wneo-Z/neo-Zneo-Z) and S. cynthia subsp. indet. (Nagano population, 2n=25♀/26♂, neo-WZ₁Z₂/Z₁Z₁Z₂Z₂). The results are evidence for an internal stability of lepidopteran chromosomes even when all autosomes had undergone fusion processes to form a low-number karyotype.

Characterization of a divergent chromosome region in the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus using avian genomic resources

Genome scans have made it possible to find outlier markers thought to have been influenced by divergent selection in almost any wild population. However, the lack of genomic information in nonmodel species often makes it difficult to associate these markers with certain genes or chromosome regions. Furthermore, the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the genome will determine the density of markers required to identify the genes under selection. In this study, we investigated a chromosome region in the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus surrounding a single marker previously identified in a genome scan. We first located the marker in the assembled genome of another species, the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata, and amplified surrounding sequences in Fennoscandian willow warblers. Within an investigated chromosome region of 7.3 Mb as mapped to the zebra finch genome, we observed elevated genetic differentiation between a southern and a northern population across a 2.5-Mb interval comprising numerous coding genes. Within the southern and northern populations, higher values of LD were mostly found between SNPs within the same locus, but extended across distantly situated loci when the analyses were restricted to sampling sites showing intermediate allele frequencies of southern and northern alleles. Our study shows that cross-species genome information is a useful resource to obtain candidate sequences adjacent to outlier markers in nonmodel species.