Life-history trait plasticity and its relationships with plant adaptation and insect fitness: a case study on the aphid Sitobion avenae

AbstractThe adaptive potential of pathogens in novel or heterogeneous environments underpins the risk of disease epidemics. Antagonistic pleiotropy or differential resource allocation among life-history traits can constrain pathogen adaptation. However, we lack understanding of how the genetic architecture of individual traits can generate trade-offs. Here, we report a large-scale study based on 145 global strains of the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici from four continents. We measured 50 life-history traits, including virulence and reproduction on 12 different wheat hosts and growth responses to several abiotic stressors. To elucidate the genetic basis of adaptation, we used genome-wide association mapping coupled with genetic correlation analyses. We show that most traits are governed by polygenic architectures and are highly heritable suggesting that adaptation proceeds mainly through allele frequency shifts at many loci. We identified negative genetic correlations among traits related to host colonization and survival in stressful environments. Such genetic constraints indicate that pleiotropic effects could limit the pathogen’s ability to cause host damage. In contrast, adaptation to abiotic stress factors was likely facilitated by synergistic pleiotropy. Our study illustrates how comprehensive mapping of life-history trait architectures across diverse environments allows to predict evolutionary trajectories of pathogens confronted with environmental perturbations.

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Natural variation in fecundity is correlated with species-wide levels of divergence in Caenorhabditis elegans

G3 Genes|Genome|Genetics ◽

10.1093/g3journal/jkab168 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gaotian Zhang ◽

Jake D Mostad ◽

Erik C Andersen

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Life History Trait ◽

Selective Sweeps ◽

C Elegans ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Genetic Complexity ◽

Genomic Regions ◽

Global Population

Abstract Life history traits underlie the fitness of organisms and are under strong natural selection. A new mutation that positively impacts a life history trait will likely increase in frequency and become fixed in a population (e.g. a selective sweep). The identification of the beneficial alleles that underlie selective sweeps provides insights into the mechanisms that occurred during the evolution of a species. In the global population of Caenorhabditis elegans, we previously identified selective sweeps that have drastically reduced chromosomal-scale genetic diversity in the species. Here, we measured the fecundity of 121 wild C. elegans strains, including many recently isolated divergent strains from the Hawaiian islands and found that strains with larger swept genomic regions have significantly higher fecundity than strains without evidence of the recent selective sweeps. We used genome-wide association (GWA) mapping to identify three quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying the fecundity variation. Additionally, we mapped previous fecundity data from wild C. elegans strains and C. elegans recombinant inbred advanced intercross lines that were grown in various conditions and detected eight QTL using GWA and linkage mappings. These QTL show the genetic complexity of fecundity across this species. Moreover, the haplotype structure in each GWA QTL region revealed correlations with recent selective sweeps in the C. elegans population. North American and European strains had significantly higher fecundity than most strains from Hawaii, a hypothesized origin of the C. elegans species, suggesting that beneficial alleles that caused increased fecundity could underlie the selective sweeps during the worldwide expansion of C. elegans.

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Loci, genes, and gene networks associated with life history variation in a model ecological organism,Daphnia pulex(complex)

10.1101/436733 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob W. Malcom ◽

Thomas E. Juenger ◽

Mathew A. Leibold

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Life History ◽

Molecular Basis ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Evolutionary Dynamics ◽

Daphnia Pulex ◽

Life History Trait ◽

Life History Variation ◽

Trait Variation

ABSTRACTBackgroundIdentifying the molecular basis of heritable variation provides insight into the underlying mechanisms generating phenotypic variation and the evolutionary history of organismal traits. Life history trait variation is of central importance to ecological and evolutionary dynamics, and contemporary genomic tools permit studies of the basis of this variation in non-genetic model organisms. We used high density genotyping, RNA-Seq gene expression assays, and detailed phenotyping of fourteen ecologically important life history traits in a wild-caught panel of 32Daphnia pulexclones to explore the molecular basis of trait variation in a model ecological species.ResultsWe found extensive phenotypic and a range of heritable genetic variation (~0 < H2< 0.44) in the panel, and accordingly identify 75-261 genes—organized in 3-6 coexpression modules—associated with genetic variation in each trait. The trait-related coexpression modules possess well-supported promoter motifs, and in conjunction with marker variation at trans- loci, suggest a relatively small number of important expression regulators. We further identify a candidate genetic network with SNPs in eight known transcriptional regulators, and dozens of differentially expressed genes, associated with life history variation. The gene-trait associations include numerous un-annotated genes, but also support several a priori hypotheses, including an ecdysone-induced protein and several Gene Ontology pathways.ConclusionThe genetic and gene expression architecture ofDaphnialife history traits is complex, and our results provide numerous candidate loci, genes, and coexpression modules to be tested as the molecular mechanisms that underlieDaphniaeco-evolutionary dynamics.

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Life-history trait and functional diversity patterns of ground beetles and spiders along a coastal heathland successional gradient

Basic and Applied Ecology ◽

10.1016/j.baae.2012.08.015 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 606-614 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Jens Schirmel ◽

Irmgard Blindow ◽

Sascha Buchholz

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Ground Beetles ◽

Life History Trait ◽

Diversity Patterns ◽

Successional Gradient

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Linking life-history traits, spatial distribution and abundance of two species of lugworms to bait collection: A case study for sustainable management plan

Marine Environmental Research ◽

10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.07.009 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 140 ◽

pp. 433-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lola De Cubber ◽

Sébastien Lefebvre ◽

Charline Fisseau ◽

Vincent Cornille ◽

Sylvie Marylène Gaudron

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Life History ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Management Plan

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The construction of a leadership identity based on empathy, care, and participation: María Eliana's history

Educational Management Administration & Leadership ◽

10.1177/17411432211038012 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174114322110380

Author(s):

Andrea Carrasco ◽

María E Díaz

Keyword(s):

Social Justice ◽

Life History ◽

Academic Research ◽

Leadership Positions ◽

Leadership Identity ◽

Self Recognition ◽

History Of ◽

Identity Based

Recent academic research highlights the role of leadership identity when thinking about the improvement of the educational field. Based on this research, this article aims to identify and analyze the elements that affect the development of leadership identity in female school principals within the Chilean context. This is achieved by working from a biographical-narrative approach, specifically from the life history technique. This analysis emerges from a considerate reflection on the teachings, and personal and professional milestones highlighted in the biogram. Both personally and professionally, a multiplicity of elements is observed in the life history of María Eliana, influencing the development of her leadership identity, particularly highlighting her self-recognition as a woman. This identity is oriented towards social justice, based on socio-emotional tools such as care, empathy, and participation; and understands and values the role these elements must take in Chilean education. The case study presents tensions for the Chilean educational system, which must be able to address the complexities that women experience while holding leadership positions, especially when challenged with the perspective that school is an inclusive space of social justice.

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