Fortes, M. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2021

Correlation scan: identifying genomic regions that affect genetic correlations applied to fertility traits

Reproductive traits are often genetically correlated. Yet, we dont fully understand the complexities, synergism, or trade-offs between male and female fertility. Here, we introduce correlation scan, a novel framework for identifying the drivers or antagonizers of the genetic correlation between male and female fertility traits across the bovine genome. The identification of these regions facilitates the understanding of the complexity of these traits. Although the methodology was applied to cattle phenotypes, using high-density SNP genotypes, the general framework developed can be applied to any species or traits, and it can easily accommodate genome sequence data.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2021

A root for massive crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks in the Pacific Ocean

Recurring outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) severely damage healthy corals in the Western Pacific Ocean. To determine the source of outbreaking COTS larvae and their dispersal routes across the Western Pacific, complete mitochondrial genomes were sequenced from 243 individuals collected in 11 reef regions. Our results indicate that Pacific COTS comprise two major clades, an East-Central Pacific clade (ECP-C) and a Pan-Pacific clade (PP-C). The ECP-C consists of COTS from French Polynesia (FP), Fiji, Vanuatu and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), and does not appear prone to outbreaks. In contrast, the PP-C, which repeatedly spawns outbreaks, is a large clade comprising COTS from FP, Fiji, Vanuatu, GBR, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Given the nature of Pacific Ocean currents, the vast area encompassing FP, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the GBR likely supplies larvae for repeated outbreaks, exacerbated by anthropogenic environmental changes, such as eutrophication.

ecology↗