scholarly journals Within-population genome size variation is mediated by multiple genomic elements that segregate independently during meiosis

Author(s):  
Claus-Peter Stelzer ◽  
Maria Pichler ◽  
Peter Stadler ◽  
Anita Hatheuer ◽  
Simone Riss

Abstract Within-species variation in genome size has been documented in many animals and plants. Despite its importance for understanding eukaryotic genome diversity, there is only sparse knowledge about how individual-level processes mediate genome size variation in populations. Here we study a natural population of the rotifer Brachionus asplanchnoidis whose members differ up to 1.9-fold in diploid genome size, but were still able to interbreed and produce viable offspring. We show that genome size is highly heritable and can be artificially selected up or down, but not below a certain basal diploid genome size for this species. Analyses of segregation patterns in haploid males reveal that large genomic elements (several megabases in size) provide the substrate of genome size variation. These elements, and their segregation patterns, explain the generation of new genome size variants, the short-term evolutionary potential of genome size change in populations, and some seemingly paradoxical patterns, like an increase in genome size variation among highly inbred lines. Our study suggests that a conceptual model involving only two variables, (1) a basal genome size of the population, and (2) a vector containing information on additional elements that may increase genome size in this population (size, number, and meiotic segregation behaviour), can effectively address most scenarios of short-term evolutionary change of genome size in a population.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus-Peter Stelzer ◽  
Maria Pichler ◽  
Peter Stadler ◽  
Anita Hatheuer ◽  
Simone Riss

AbstractWithin-species variation in genome size has been documented in many animals and plants. Despite its importance for understanding eukaryotic genome diversity, there is only sparse knowledge about how individual-level processes mediate genome size variation in populations. Here we study a natural population of the rotifer Brachionus asplanchnoidis whose members differ up to 1.9-fold in genome size, but were still able to interbreed and produce viable offspring. We show that genome size is highly heritable and can be artificially selected up or down, but not beyond a minimum diploid genome size. Analyses of segregation patterns in haploid males reveal that large genomic elements (several megabases in size) provide the substrate of genome size variation. These elements, and their segregation patterns, explain the generation of new genome size variants, the short-term evolutionary potential of genome size change in populations, and some seemingly paradoxical patterns, like an increase in genome size variation among highly inbred lines. Our study suggests that a conceptual model involving only two variables, (1) a minimum genome size of the population, and (2) a vector containing information on additional elements that may increase genome size in this population (size, number, and meiotic segregation behaviour), can effectively address most scenarios of short-term evolutionary change of genome size in a population.


2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1872) ◽  
pp. 20172732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Marburger ◽  
Markos A. Alexandrou ◽  
John B. Taggart ◽  
Simon Creer ◽  
Gary Carvalho ◽  
...  

Genome size varies significantly across eukaryotic taxa and the largest changes are typically driven by macro-mutations such as whole genome duplications (WGDs) and proliferation of repetitive elements. These two processes may affect the evolutionary potential of lineages by increasing genetic variation and changing gene expression. Here, we elucidate the evolutionary history and mechanisms underpinning genome size variation in a species-rich group of Neotropical catfishes (Corydoradinae) with extreme variation in genome size—0.6 to 4.4 pg per haploid cell. First, genome size was quantified in 65 species and mapped onto a novel fossil-calibrated phylogeny. Two evolutionary shifts in genome size were identified across the tree—the first between 43 and 49 Ma (95% highest posterior density (HPD) 36.2–68.1 Ma) and the second at approximately 19 Ma (95% HPD 15.3–30.14 Ma). Second, restriction-site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing was used to identify potential WGD events and quantify transposable element (TE) abundance in different lineages. Evidence of two lineage-scale WGDs was identified across the phylogeny, the first event occurring between 54 and 66 Ma (95% HPD 42.56–99.5 Ma) and the second at 20–30 Ma (95% HPD 15.3–45 Ma) based on haplotype numbers per contig and between 35 and 44 Ma (95% HPD 30.29–64.51 Ma) and 20–30 Ma (95% HPD 15.3–45 Ma) based on SNP read ratios. TE abundance increased considerably in parallel with genome size, with a single TE-family (TC1-IS630-Pogo) showing several increases across the Corydoradinae, with the most recent at 20–30 Ma (95% HPD 15.3–45 Ma) and an older event at 35–44 Ma (95% HPD 30.29–64.51 Ma). We identified signals congruent with two WGD duplication events, as well as an increase in TE abundance across different lineages, making the Corydoradinae an excellent model system to study the effects of WGD and TEs on genome and organismal evolution.


Crop Science ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lane Rayburn ◽  
D. P. Biradar ◽  
R. L. Nelson ◽  
R. McCloskey ◽  
K. M. Yeater

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. 170862 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Ritchie ◽  
A. J. Jamieson ◽  
S. B. Piertney

Genome size varies considerably across taxa, and extensive research effort has gone into understanding whether variation can be explained by differences in key ecological and life-history traits among species. The extreme environmental conditions that characterize the deep sea have been hypothesized to promote large genome sizes in eukaryotes. Here we test this supposition by examining genome sizes among 13 species of deep-sea amphipods from the Mariana, Kermadec and New Hebrides trenches. Genome sizes were estimated using flow cytometry and found to vary nine-fold, ranging from 4.06 pg (4.04 Gb) in Paralicella caperesca to 34.79 pg (34.02 Gb) in Alicella gigantea . Phylogenetic independent contrast analysis identified a relationship between genome size and maximum body size, though this was largely driven by those species that display size gigantism. There was a distinct shift in the genome size trait diversification rate in the supergiant amphipod A. gigantea relative to the rest of the group. The variation in genome size observed is striking and argues against genome size being driven by a common evolutionary history, ecological niche and life-history strategy in deep-sea amphipods.


Genome ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 393-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas W. Jeffery ◽  
Kristin Hultgren ◽  
Solomon Tin Chi Chak ◽  
T. Ryan Gregory ◽  
Dustin R. Rubenstein

Although crustaceans vary extensively in genome size, little is known about how genome size may affect the ecology and evolution of species in this diverse group, in part due to the lack of large genome size datasets. Here we investigate interspecific, intraspecific, and intracolony variation in genome size in 39 species of Synalpheus shrimps, representing one of the largest genome size datasets for a single genus within crustaceans. We find that genome size ranges approximately 4-fold across Synalpheus with little phylogenetic signal, and is not related to body size. In a subset of these species, genome size is related to chromosome size, but not to chromosome number, suggesting that despite large genomes, these species are not polyploid. Interestingly, there appears to be 35% intraspecific genome size variation in Synalpheus idios among geographic regions, and up to 30% variation in Synalpheus duffyi genome size within the same colony.


Caryologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oriane Hidalgo ◽  
Joan Vallès ◽  
Angel Romo ◽  
Miguel-Ángel Canela ◽  
Teresa Garnatje

2008 ◽  
Vol 276 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 209-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itayguara Ribeiro da Costa ◽  
Marcelo Carnier Dornelas ◽  
Eliana Regina Forni-Martins

BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. P. Stelzer ◽  
J. Blommaert ◽  
A. M. Waldvogel ◽  
M. Pichler ◽  
B. Hecox-Lea ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Eukaryotic genomes are known to display an enormous variation in size, but the evolutionary causes of this phenomenon are still poorly understood. To obtain mechanistic insights into such variation, previous studies have often employed comparative genomics approaches involving closely related species or geographically isolated populations within a species. Genome comparisons among individuals of the same population remained so far understudied—despite their great potential in providing a microevolutionary perspective to genome size evolution. The rotifer Brachionus asplanchnoidis represents one of the most extreme cases of within-population genome size variation among eukaryotes, displaying almost twofold variation within a geographic population. Results Here, we used a whole-genome sequencing approach to identify the underlying DNA sequence differences by assembling a high-quality reference genome draft for one individual of the population and aligning short reads of 15 individuals from the same geographic population including the reference individual. We identified several large, contiguous copy number variable regions (CNVs), up to megabases in size, which exhibited striking coverage differences among individuals, and whose coverage overall scaled with genome size. CNVs were of remarkably low complexity, being mainly composed of tandemly repeated satellite DNA with only a few interspersed genes or other sequences, and were characterized by a significantly elevated GC-content. CNV patterns in offspring of two parents with divergent genome size and CNV patterns in several individuals from an inbred line differing in genome size demonstrated inheritance and accumulation of CNVs across generations. Conclusions By identifying the exact genomic elements that cause within-population genome size variation, our study paves the way for studying genome size evolution in contemporary populations rather than inferring patterns and processes a posteriori from species comparisons.


2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-113
Author(s):  
Sandra Cichorz ◽  
Maria Gośka ◽  
Monika Rewers

AbstractSinceM. sinensisAnderss.,M. sacchariflorus(Maxim.) Hack. andM. ×giganteusJ.M.Greef & Deuter ex Hodk. and Renvoize have considerably the highest potential for biomass production amongMiscanthusAnderss. species, there is an urgent need to broaden the knowledge about cytological characteristics required for their improvement. In this study our objectives were to assess the genome size variation among eighteenMiscanthusaccessions, as well as estimation of the monoploid genome size (2C and Cx) of theM. sinensiscultivars, which have not been analyzed yet. The characterization of threeMiscanthusspecies was performed with the use of flow cytometry and analysis of the stomatal length. The triploid (2n = 3x = 57)M. sinensis‘Goliath’ andM. ×giganteusclones possessed the highest 2C DNA content (8.34 pg and 7.43 pg, respectively). The intermediate 2C-values were found in the nuclei of the diploid (2n = 2x = 38)M. sinensisaccessions (5.52–5.72 pg), whereas they were the lowest in the diploid (2n = 2x = 38)M. sacchariflorusecotypes (4.58–4.59 pg). The presented study revealed interspecific variation of nuclear DNA content (P<0.01) and therefore allowed for recognition of particular taxa, inter- and intraspecific hybrids and prediction of potential parental components. Moreover, intraspecific genome size variation (P<0.01) was observed inM. sinensiscultivars at 3.62%. The values of the stomatal size obtained for the triploidM. ×giganteus‘Great Britain’ (mean 30.70 μm) or ‘Canada’ (mean 29.67 μm) and diploidM. sinensis‘Graziella’ (mean 29.96 μm) did not differ significantly, therefore this parameter is not recommended for ploidy estimation.


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