Foraging environment determines the genetic architecture and evolutionary potential of trophic morphology in cichlid fishes

Foraging environment determines the genetic architecture and evolutionary potential of trophic morphology in cichlid fishes

Phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to change their phenotype in response to shifts in the environment. While a central topic in current discussions of evolutionary potential, a comprehensive understanding of the genetic underpinnings of plasticity is lacking in systems undergoing adaptive divers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular ecology Vol. 25; no. 24; pp. 6012 - 6023
Main Authors: Parsons, Kevin J., Concannon, Moira, Navon, Dina, Wang, Jason, Ea, Ilene, Groveas, Kiran, Campbell, Calum, Albertson, R. Craig
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-12-2016
Subjects:
Adaptation, Biological - genetics
Animals
cichlid
Cichlidae
Cichlids - genetics
craniofacial
cryptic genetic variation
Environment
Evolution
Feeding Behavior
Fish
Genetics, Population
Hybridization, Genetic
Morphology
Phenotype
phenotypic plasticity
Pisces
Population genetics
Quantitative Trait Loci
phenotypic plasticity
cryptic genetic variation
quantitative trait loci
cichlid
craniofacial
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Summary:Phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to change their phenotype in response to shifts in the environment. While a central topic in current discussions of evolutionary potential, a comprehensive understanding of the genetic underpinnings of plasticity is lacking in systems undergoing adaptive diversification. Here, we investigate the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity in a textbook adaptive radiation, Lake Malawi cichlid fishes. Specifically, we crossed two divergent species to generate an F3 hybrid mapping population. At early juvenile stages, hybrid families were split and reared in alternate foraging environments that mimicked benthic/scraping or limnetic/sucking modes of feeding. These alternate treatments produced a variation in morphology that was broadly similar to the major axis of divergence among Malawi cichlids, providing support for the flexible stem theory of adaptive radiation. Next, we found that the genetic architecture of several morphological traits was highly sensitive to the environment. In particular, of 22 significant quantitative trait loci (QTL), only one was shared between the environments. In addition, we identified QTL acting across environments with alternate alleles being differentially sensitive to the environment. Thus, our data suggest that while plasticity is largely determined by loci specific to a given environment, it may also be influenced by loci operating across environments. Finally, our mapping data provide evidence for the evolution of plasticity via genetic assimilation at an important regulatory locus, ptch1. In all, our data address long‐standing discussions about the genetic basis and evolution of plasticity. They also underscore the importance of the environment in affecting developmental outcomes, genetic architectures, morphological diversity and evolutionary potential. see also the Perspective by Sikkink and Snell‐Rood
Bibliography:istex:4E7D5CE6763C800D517321668BFECC5AE3F2F2B4
NSF - No. IOS-1054909
ark:/67375/WNG-F3416HV0-W
University of Glasgow
Table S1. Results of QTL analyses for seven foraging-associated traits in each environment.Movie S1. Benthic foraging behaviour (separate attachment).Movie S2. Limnetic foraging behaviour (separate attachment).
ArticleID:MEC13801
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0962-1083
1365-294X
DOI:10.1111/mec.13801