scholarly journals Genetic approaches in comparative and evolutionary physiology

2015 ◽  
Vol 309 (3) ◽  
pp. R197-R214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay F. Storz ◽  
Jamie T. Bridgham ◽  
Scott A. Kelly ◽  
Theodore Garland
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Genetics ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Physiological Traits ◽  
Evolutionary Physiology ◽  
Trait Variation ◽  
Polygenic Inheritance ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
In The Wild

Whole animal physiological performance is highly polygenic and highly plastic, and the same is generally true for the many subordinate traits that underlie performance capacities. Quantitative genetics, therefore, provides an appropriate framework for the analysis of physiological phenotypes and can be used to infer the microevolutionary processes that have shaped patterns of trait variation within and among species. In cases where specific genes are known to contribute to variation in physiological traits, analyses of intraspecific polymorphism and interspecific divergence can reveal molecular mechanisms of functional evolution and can provide insights into the possible adaptive significance of observed sequence changes. In this review, we explain how the tools and theory of quantitative genetics, population genetics, and molecular evolution can inform our understanding of mechanism and process in physiological evolution. For example, lab-based studies of polygenic inheritance can be integrated with field-based studies of trait variation and survivorship to measure selection in the wild, thereby providing direct insights into the adaptive significance of physiological variation. Analyses of quantitative genetic variation in selection experiments can be used to probe interrelationships among traits and the genetic basis of physiological trade-offs and constraints. We review approaches for characterizing the genetic architecture of physiological traits, including linkage mapping and association mapping, and systems approaches for dissecting intermediary steps in the chain of causation between genotype and phenotype. We also discuss the promise and limitations of population genomic approaches for inferring adaptation at specific loci. We end by highlighting the role of organismal physiology in the functional synthesis of evolutionary biology.

scholarly journals Sex enhances survival in Paramecium

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarinder Singh Thind ◽  
Valerio Vitali ◽  
Mario R. Guarracino ◽  
Francesco Catania
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Paramecium Tetraurelia ◽  
Self Fertilization

AbstractThe pervasiveness of sex despite its well-known costs is a long-standing puzzle in evolutionary biology. Current explanations for the success of sex in nature largely rely on the adaptive significance of the new or rare genotypes that sex may generate. Less explored is the possibility that sex-underlying molecular mechanisms can enhance fitness and convey benefits to the individuals that bear the immediate costs of sex. Here we show that self-fertilization can increase stress resistance in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia. This advantage is independent of new genetic variation, coupled with a reduced nutritional input, and offers fresh insights into the mechanistic origin of sex. In addition to providing evidence that the molecular underpinnings of sexual reproduction and the stress response are linked in P. tetraurelia, these findings supply an explanation for the persistence of self-fertilization in this ciliate.

scholarly journals What’s Genetic Variation Got to Do with It? Starvation-Induced Self-Fertilization Enhances Survival in Paramecium

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 626-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarinder Singh Thind ◽  
Valerio Vitali ◽  
Mario Rosario Guarracino ◽  
Francesco Catania
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Paramecium Tetraurelia ◽  
Self Fertilization

Abstract The pervasiveness of sex despite its well-known costs is a long-standing puzzle in evolutionary biology. Current explanations for the success of sex in nature largely rely on the adaptive significance of the new or rare genotypes that sex may generate. Less explored is the possibility that sex-underlying molecular mechanisms can enhance fitness and convey benefits to the individuals that bear the immediate costs of sex. Here, we show that the molecular environment associated with self-fertilization can increase stress resistance in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia. This advantage is independent of new genetic variation, coupled with a reduced nutritional input, and offers fresh insights into the mechanistic origin of sex. In addition to providing evidence that the molecular underpinnings of sexual reproduction and the stress response are linked in P. tetraurelia, these findings supply an integrative explanation for the persistence of self-fertilization in this ciliate.

Plasticity and trade-offs in physiological traits of intertidal mussels subjected to freshwater-induced environmental variation

2016 ◽  
Vol 553 ◽  
pp. 93-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Ramajo ◽  
L Prado ◽  
AB Rodriguez-Navarro ◽  
MA Lardies ◽  
CM Duarte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Physiological Traits ◽  
Trade Offs

Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Walsh ◽  
Michael Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Quantitative Genetics ◽  
Complex Traits ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Quantitative Traits ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Holistic Treatment ◽  
Genetics And Genomics ◽  
Selection Of

Quantitative traits—be they morphological or physiological characters, aspects of behavior, or genome-level features such as the amount of RNA or protein expression for a specific gene—usually show considerable variation within and among populations. Quantitative genetics, also referred to as the genetics of complex traits, is the study of such characters and is based on mathematical models of evolution in which many genes influence the trait and in which non-genetic factors may also be important. Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits presents a holistic treatment of the subject, showing the interplay between theory and data with extensive discussions on statistical issues relating to the estimation of the biologically relevant parameters for these models. Quantitative genetics is viewed as the bridge between complex mathematical models of trait evolution and real-world data, and the authors have clearly framed their treatment as such. This is the second volume in a planned trilogy that summarizes the modern field of quantitative genetics, informed by empirical observations from wide-ranging fields (agriculture, evolution, ecology, and human biology) as well as population genetics, statistical theory, mathematical modeling, genetics, and genomics. Whilst volume 1 (1998) dealt with the genetics of such traits, the main focus of volume 2 is on their evolution, with a special emphasis on detecting selection (ranging from the use of genomic and historical data through to ecological field data) and examining its consequences. This extensive work of reference is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers (both empiricists and theoreticians) in the fields of evolutionary biology, genetics, and genomics. It will also be of particular relevance and use to plant and animal breeders, human geneticists, and statisticians.

Evolution of stickleback spines through independent cis-regulatory changes at HOXDB

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia I Wucherpfennig ◽  
Timothy R Howes ◽  
Jessica N Au ◽  
Eric H Au ◽  
Garrett A Roberts Kingman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Wild Populations ◽  
Gene Variation ◽  
Regulatory Changes ◽  
Fundamental Goal ◽  
Apeltes Quadracus ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms

Understanding the genetic mechanisms leading to new traits is a fundamental goal of evolutionary biology. We show that HOXDB regulatory changes have been used repeatedly in different stickleback fish species to alter the length and number of bony dorsal spines. In Gasterosteus aculeatus, a variant HOXDB allele is genetically linked to shortening an existing spine and adding a spine. In Apeltes quadracus, a variant allele is associated with lengthening an existing spine and adding a spine. The alleles alter the same conserved non-coding HOXDB enhancer by diverse molecular mechanisms, including SNPs, deletions, and transposable element insertions. The independent cis-acting regulatory changes are linked to anterior expansion or contraction of HOXDB expression. Our findings support the long-standing hypothesis that natural Hox gene variation underlies key morphological patterning changes in wild populations and illustrate how different mutational mechanisms affecting the same region may produce opposite gene expression changes with similar phenotypic outcomes.

scholarly journals Exploring the Adaptive Significance of Five Types of Puma (Puma concolor) Vocalizations

2017 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian L Allen ◽  
Yiwei Wang ◽  
Christopher C Wilmers
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Alarm Calls ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Indirect Cues ◽  
Limit Detection

Communication is a central component of animal behaviour, yet communicative behaviours are poorly studied due to their complexity and varied functions. Pumas (Puma concolor) are wide-ranging, solitary felids that primarily use indirect cues (e.g., scent marking) for communication. Because these cryptic carnivores are rarely observed directly, little is known about their vocalizations in the wild. We recorded a variety of Puma vocalizations among females and family groups using motion-triggered video cameras and then attempted to understand the function of each vocalization. We found two categories of vocalizations: 1) attention-attracting (caterwauling and mewing), and 2) calls (contact, agitated, and alarm). Vocalizations to attract attention ranged across broad frequencies. Contact, agitated, and alarm calls are narrow-frequency vocalizations that varied in intensity and were used to communicate with nearby conspecifics. Vocal communication entails risk, and while some Puma vocalizations may provide benefits that outweigh their risk, others are structured to limit detection and risk. These observations highlight the importance of the structure of vocalizations used during different behaviours to understand their adaptive significance.

scholarly journals Molecular mechanisms governing circulating immune cell heterogeneity across different species revealed by single cell sequencing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhibin Li ◽  
chengcheng Sun ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Xiran Wang ◽  
Jiacheng Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Genetic Regulatory Networks ◽  
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear

Background: Immune cells play important roles in mediating immune response and host defense against invading pathogens. However, insights into the molecular mechanisms governing circulating immune cell diversity among multiple species are limited. Methods: In this study, we compared the single-cell transcriptomes of 77 957 immune cells from 12 species using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq). Distinct molecular profiles were characterized for different immune cell types, including T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells. Results: The results revealed the heterogeneity and compositions of circulating immune cells among 12 different species. Additionally, we explored the conserved and divergent cellular cross-talks and genetic regulatory networks among vertebrate immune cells. Notably, the ligand and receptor pair VIM-CD44 was highly conserved among the immune cells. Conclusions: This study is the first to provide a comprehensive analysis of the cross-species single-cell atlas for peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This research should advance our understanding of the cellular taxonomy and fundamental functions of PBMCs, with important implications in evolutionary biology, developmental biology, and immune system disorders

Evolution: Medicine’s most basic science

2020 ◽  
pp. 39-42
Author(s):  
Randolph M. Nesse ◽  
Richard Dawkins
Keyword(s):  
Population Genetics ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Basic Science ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
The Body ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Cost

The role of evolutionary biology as a basic science for medicine is expanding rapidly. Some evolutionary methods are already widely applied in medicine, such as population genetics and methods for analysing phylogenetic trees. Newer applications come from seeking evolutionary as well as proximate explanations for disease. Traditional medical research is restricted to proximate studies of the body’s mechanism, but separate evolutionary explanations are needed for why natural selection has left many aspects of the body vulnerable to disease. There are six main possibilities: mismatch, infection, constraints, trade-offs, reproduction at the cost of health, and adaptive defences. Like other basic sciences, evolutionary biology has limited direct clinical implications, but it provides essential research methods, encourages asking new questions that foster a deeper understanding of disease, and provides a framework that organizes the facts of medicine.

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