scholarly journals RNA-Seq Reveals Adaptive Genetic Potential of the Rare Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana) in the Face of Ips Bark Beetle Outbreaks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie E. Steele ◽  
Oliver Ryder ◽  
Joyce Maschinski
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Ips Paraconfusus ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Genetic Associations ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Pinus Torreyana

Abstract The ability of tree species to adapt to water stress and increased frequency of bark beetle outbreaks with climate change may increase with population size and standing genetic variation, calling into question the resilience of small, rare plant populations. The Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana) is a rare, genetically depauperate conifer that occurs naturally in a mainland and island population in southern California. Due to recent declines in the mainland population coinciding with drought and Ips paraconfusus bark beetle outbreaks, the species would benefit from an assessment of adaptive genetic diversity. Here, we use RNA-Seq to survey gene-coding diversity across 40 individuals to 1) characterize patterns of genetic diversity in the species and 2) test for genetic differentiation between trees that succumbed to beetle attack or survived following an outbreak. Consistent with previous studies, we found few genetic variants, with most SNPs occurring as fixed differences between populations. However, we found structure within the mainland and polymorphisms segregating in both populations. Interestingly, we found differentiation in genotypes between attacked and surviving trees, 11 SNPs associated with survival status, and an enrichment of defense-related functions among the top 10% of SNPs. While low diversity suggests limited adaptive capacity, genetic associations with survival in functionally relevant genes suggest adaptive potential for bark beetle defense. This initial study prompts future research to explore the genetic basis of putative resistance and suggests conservation efforts should protect surviving genotypes and the full spectrum of genetic diversity across populations to preserve the evolutionary potential of the species.

Genetic rescue by augmenting gene flow

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Frankham ◽  
Jonathan D. Ballou ◽  
Katherine Ralls ◽  
Mark D. B. Eldridge ◽  
Michele R. Dudash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Gene Flow ◽  
Inbreeding Coefficient ◽  
Outbreeding Depression ◽  
Genetic Rescue ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Inbred Populations ◽  
Harmful Effects

Inbreeding is reduced and genetic diversity enhanced when a small isolated inbred population is crossed to another unrelated population. Crossing can have beneficial or harmful effects on fitness, but beneficial effects predominate, and the risks of harmful ones (outbreeding depression) can be predicted and avoided. For crosses with a low risk of outbreeding depression, there are large and consistent benefits on fitness that persist across generations in outbreeding species. Benefits are greater in species that naturally outbreed than those that inbreed, and increase with the difference in inbreeding coefficient between crossed and inbred populations in mothers and zygotes. However, benefits are similar across invertebrates, vertebrates and plants. There are also important benefits for evolutionary potential of crossing between populations.

scholarly journals Evolving Patterns of Cryptosporidiosis: Issues and Implications in the Context of Public Health in India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bijay Ranjan Mirdha
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Recombination ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Transmission Intensity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cryptosporidium Hominis ◽  
Host Preferences ◽  
Childhood Growth ◽  
Life Years

AbstractCryptosporidiosis is one of the major causes of diarrhea in immune-compromised individuals and children besides causing sporadic water-borne, food-borne, and zoonotic outbreaks. In 2016, Cryptosporidium species infection was the fifth leading cause of diarrhea and acute infection causing more than 4.2 million disability-adjusted life years lost besides a decrease in childhood growth. Human cryptosporidiosis is primarily caused by two species/genotype: Cryptosporidium hominis (anthroponotic) and Cryptosporidium parvum (zoonotic) besides other six rare species/genotypes. Transmission intensity, genetic diversity, and occurrence of genetic recombination have shaped the genus Cryptosporidium population structures into palmitic, clonal, and epidemic. Genetic recombination is more in C. parvum compared with C. hominis. Furthermore, parasite–host co-evolution, host adaptation, and geographic segregation have led to the formation of “subtype- families.” Host-adapted subtype-families have distinct geographical distribution and host preferences. Genetic exchanges between subtypes played an important role throughout the evolution of the genus leading to “adaptation introgression” that led to emergence of virulent and hyper-transmissible subtypes. The population structure of C. hominis in India appears to be more complex where both transmission intensity and genetic diversity are much higher. Further, study based on “molecular strain surveillance” has resulted newer insights into the epidemiology and transmission of cryptosporidiosis in India. The identification at the species and genotype levels is essential for the assessment of infection sources in humans and the public health potential of the parasite at large. The results of the study over three decades on cryptosporidiosis in India, in the absence of a national surveillance data, were analyzed highlighting current situation on epidemiology, genetic diversity, and distribution particularly among vulnerable population. Despite creditable efforts, there are still many areas need to be explored; therefore, the intent of this article is to facilitate future research approaches for mitigating the burden associated with this disease.

3-Methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one and the Douglas-fir beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): history of successful bark beetle pheromone treatments

2020 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-78
Author(s):  
Darrell W. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Beetle Species ◽  
Successful Management ◽  
Dendroctonus Pseudotsugae ◽  
Successful Development ◽  
History Of ◽  
Antiaggregation Pheromone

AbstractThis paper reviews the literature on the identification of 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH) as the antiaggregation pheromone of the Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the development of successful management applications using the pheromone. Previously unpublished data from two studies on novel uses of MCH are included. The successful development of antiaggregation pheromone-based treatments for the Douglas-fir beetle is discussed in relation to efforts to develop similar treatments for other bark beetle species, and opportunities for future research on MCH and the Douglas-fir beetle are suggested.

Microsatellite markers provide evidence for sexual reproduction of Mycosphaerella graminicola in Saskatchewan

Genome ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 789-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Razavi ◽  
G R Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Mycosphaerella Graminicola ◽  
Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽  
Septoria Tritici ◽  
Allelic Series ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Wheat Field

This study examined the genetic structure of a Saskatchewan population of Mycosphaerella graminicola, cause of the foliar disease Septoria tritici blotch of wheat. Such knowledge is valuable for understanding the evolutionary potential of this pathogen and for developing control strategies based on host resistance. Nine pairs of single-locus microsatellite primers were used to analyze the genomic DNA of 90 isolates of M. graminicola that were collected using a hierarchical sampling procedure from different locations, leaves, and lesions within a wheat field near Saskatoon. Allelic series at eight different loci were detected. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one to five with an average of three alleles per locus. Genetic diversity values ranged from 0.04 to 0.67. Partitioning the total genetic variability into within- and among-location components revealed that 88% of the genetic variability occurred within locations, i.e., within areas of 1 m2, but relatively little variability occurred among locations. Low variability among locations and a high degree of variability within locations would result if the primary source of inoculum was airborne ascospores, which would be dispersed uniformly within the field. This finding was confirmed by gametic disequilibrium analysis and suggests that the sexual reproduction of M. graminicola occurs in Saskatchewan.Key words: Mycosphaerella graminicola, SSR markers, sexual reproduction, genetic diversity.

scholarly journals Low-Bias RNA Sequencing of the HIV-2 Genome from Blood Plasma

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine L. James ◽  
Thushan I. de Silva ◽  
Katherine Brown ◽  
Hilton Whittle ◽  
Stephen Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Blood Plasma ◽  
De Novo ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Hiv Vaccine ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Plasma Samples ◽  
Target Enrichment ◽  
Rna Seq

ABSTRACTAccurate determination of the genetic diversity present in the HIV quasispecies is critical for the development of a preventative vaccine: in particular, little is known about viral genetic diversity for the second type of HIV, HIV-2. A better understanding of HIV-2 biology is relevant to the HIV vaccine field because a substantial proportion of infected people experience long-term viral control, and prior HIV-2 infection has been associated with slower HIV-1 disease progression in coinfected subjects. The majority of traditional and next-generation sequencing methods have relied on target amplification prior to sequencing, introducing biases that may obscure the true signals of diversity in the viral population. Additionally, target enrichment through PCR requiresa priorisequence knowledge, which is lacking for HIV-2. Therefore, a target enrichment free method of library preparation would be valuable for the field. We applied an RNA shotgun sequencing (RNA-Seq) method without PCR amplification to cultured viral stocks and patient plasma samples from HIV-2-infected individuals. Libraries generated from total plasma RNA were analyzed with a two-step pipeline: (i)de novogenome assembly, followed by (ii) read remapping. By this approach, whole-genome sequences were generated with a 28× to 67× mean depth of coverage. Assembled reads showed a low level of GC bias, and comparison of the genome diversities at the intrahost level showed low diversity in the accessory genevpxin all patients. Our study demonstrates that RNA-Seq is a feasible full-genomede novosequencing method for blood plasma samples collected from HIV-2-infected individuals.IMPORTANCEAn accurate picture of viral genetic diversity is critical for the development of a globally effective HIV vaccine. However, sequencing strategies are often complicated by target enrichment prior to sequencing, introducing biases that can distort variant frequencies, which are not easily corrected for in downstream analyses. Additionally, detaileda priorisequence knowledge is needed to inform robust primer design when employing PCR amplification, a factor that is often lacking when working with tropical diseases localized in developing countries. Previous work has demonstrated that direct RNA shotgun sequencing (RNA-Seq) can be used to circumvent these issues for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and norovirus. We applied RNA-Seq to total RNA extracted from HIV-2 blood plasma samples, demonstrating the applicability of this technique to HIV-2 and allowing us to generate a dynamic picture of genetic diversity over the whole genome of HIV-2 in the context of low-bias sequencing.

scholarly journals Expansion of Genetic Diversity in Randomly Mating Founder Populations of Alternaria brassicicola Infecting Cakile maritima in Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 1946-1954 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Linde ◽  
J. A. Liles ◽  
P. H. Thrall
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Isolation By Distance ◽  
Population Expansion ◽  
Alternaria Brassicicola ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Recent Population Expansion ◽  
Fungal Plant Pathogens ◽  
Cakile Maritima ◽  
Founder Populations

ABSTRACT Founder populations of fungal plant pathogens are expected to have low levels of genetic diversity coupled with further genetic drift due to, e.g., limited host availability, which should result in additional population bottlenecks. This study used microsatellite markers in the interaction between Cakile maritima and the fungal pathogen Alternaria brassicicola to explore genetic expectations associated with such situations. The host, C. maritima, was introduced into Australia approximately 100 years ago, but it is unknown whether the pathogen was already present in Australia, as it has a wide occurrence, or whether it was introduced to Australia on brassicaceous hosts. Eleven A. brassicicola populations were studied, and all showed moderate levels of gene and genotypic diversity. Chi-square tests of the frequencies of mating type alleles, a large number of genotypes, and linkage equilibrium among microsatellite loci all suggest A. brassicicola reproduces sexually. Significant genetic differentiation was found among populations, but there was no evidence for isolation by distance effects. Bayesian analyses identified eight clusters where the inferred clusters did not represent geographical populations but instead consisted of individuals admixed from all populations. Further analysis indicated that fungal populations were more likely to have experienced a recent population expansion than a population bottleneck. It is suggested that A. brassicicola has been introduced into Australia multiple times, potentially increasing the diversity and size of any A. brassicola populations already present there. Combined with its ability to reproduce sexually, such processes appear to have increased the evolutionary potential of the pathogen through recent population expansions.

scholarly journals Population structure of Drosophila suzukii and signals of multiple invasions into the continental United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle M Lewald ◽  
Antoine Abrieux ◽  
Derek A Wilson ◽  
Yoosook Lee ◽  
William R Conner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Drosophila Suzukii ◽  
Significant Damage ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Multiple Invasions

Drosophila suzukii, or spotted-wing drosophila, is now an established pest in many parts of the world, causing significant damage to numerous fruit crop industries. Native to East Asia, D. suzukii infestations started in the United States a decade ago, occupying a wide range of climates. To better understand invasion ecology of this pest, knowledge of past migration events, population structure, and genetic diversity is needed. To improve on previous studies examining genetic structure of D. suzukii, we sequenced whole genomes of 237 individual flies collected across the continental U.S., as well as several representative sites in Europe, Brazil, and Asia, to identify hundreds of thousands of genetic markers for analysis. We analyzed these markers to detect population structure, to reconstruct migration events, and to estimate genetic diversity and differentiation within and among the continents. We observed strong population structure between West and East Coast populations in the U.S., but no evidence of any population structure North to South, suggesting there is no broad-scale adaptations occurring in response to the large differences in regional weather conditions. We also find evidence of repeated migration events from Asia into North America have provided increased levels of genetic diversity, which does not appear to be the case for Brazil or Europe. This large genomic dataset will spur future research into genomic adaptations underlying D. suzukii pest activity and development of novel control methods for this agricultural pest.

scholarly journals Loss of Genetic Diversity with Captive Breeding and Re-Introduction: A Case Study on Pateke/Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Gemma Bowker-Wright
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Barrier Island ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Introduced Populations ◽  
Loss Of Genetic Diversity

<p>Pateke/brown teal (Anas chlorotis) have experienced a severe population crash leaving only two remnant wild populations (at Great Barrier Island and Mimiwhangata, Northland). Recovery attempts over the last 35 years have focused on an intensive captive breeding programme which breeds pateke, sourced almost exclusively from Great Barrier Island, for release to establish re-introduced populations in areas occupied in the past. While this important conservation measure may have increased pateke numbers, it was unclear how much of their genetic diversity was being retained. The goal of this study was to determine current levels of genetic variation in the remnant, captive and re-introduced pateke populations using two types of molecular marker, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite DNA. Feathers were collected from pateke at Great Barrier Island, Mimiwhangata, the captive breeding population and four re-introduced populations (at Moehau, Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiritiri Matangi Island and Mana Island). DNA was extracted from the base of the feathers, the mitochondrial DNA control region was sequenced, and DNA microsatellite markers were used to genotype individuals. The Great Barrier Island population was found to have only two haplotypes, one in very high abundance which may indicate that historically this population was very small. The captive breeding population and all four re-introduced populations were found to contain only the abundant Great Barrier Island haplotype as the vast majority of captive founders were sourced from this location. In contrast, the Mimiwhangata population contained genetic diversity and 11 haplotypes were found, including the Great Barrier Island haplotype which may have been introduced by captive-bred releases which occurred until the early 1990s. From the microsatellite results, a loss of genetic diversity (measured as average alleles per locus, heterozygosity and allelic richness) was found from Great Barrier Island to captivity and from captivity to re-introduction. Overall genetic diversity within the re-introduced populations (particularly the smaller re-introduced populations at Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiritiri Matangi Island and Mana Island) was much reduced compared with the remnant populations, most probably as a result of small release numbers and small population size. Such loss of genetic diversity could render the re-introduced populations more susceptible to inbreeding depression in the future. Suggested future genetic management options are included which aim for a broader representation of genetic diversity in the pateke captive breeding and release programme.</p>

scholarly journals Genetic diversity and differentiation in reef-buildingMilleporaspecies, as revealed by cross-species amplification of fifteen novel microsatellite loci

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e2936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline E. Dubé ◽  
Serge Planes ◽  
Yuxiang Zhou ◽  
Véronique Berteaux-Lecellier ◽  
Emilie Boissin
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Microsatellite Markers ◽  
Microsatellite Loci ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
454 Sequencing ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Null Alleles ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Significant Linkage ◽  
Pacific Species

Quantifying the genetic diversity in natural populations is crucial to address ecological and evolutionary questions. Despite recent advances in whole-genome sequencing, microsatellite markers have remained one of the most powerful tools for a myriad of population genetic approaches. Here, we used the 454 sequencing technique to develop microsatellite loci in the fire coralMillepora platyphylla, an important reef-builder of Indo-Pacific reefs.We tested the cross-species amplification of these loci in five other species of the genusMilleporaand analysed its success in correlation with the genetic distances between species using mitochondrial 16S sequences. We succeeded in discovering fifteen microsatellite loci in our target speciesM. platyphylla,among which twelve were polymorphic with 2–13 alleles and a mean observed heterozygosity of 0.411. Cross-species amplification in the five otherMilleporaspecies revealed a high probability of amplification success (71%) and polymorphism (59%) of the loci. Our results show no evidence of decreased heterozygosity with increasing genetic distance. However, only one locus enabled measures of genetic diversity in the Caribbean speciesM. complanatadue to high proportions of null alleles for most of the microsatellites. This result indicates that our novel markers may only be useful for the Indo-Pacific species ofMillepora.Measures of genetic diversity revealed significant linkage disequilibrium, moderate levels of observed heterozygosity (0.323–0.496) and heterozygote deficiencies for the Indo-Pacific species. The accessibility to new polymorphic microsatellite markers for hydrozoanMilleporaspecies creates new opportunities for future research on processes driving the complexity of their colonisation success on many Indo-Pacific reefs.

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