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Polygenic sex determination in the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. 2016

Natalie B Roberts, and Scott A Juntti, and Kaitlin P Coyle, and Bethany L Dumont, and M Kaitlyn Stanley, and Allyson Q Ryan, and Russell D Fernald, and Reade B Roberts
Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.

The East African riverine cichlid species Astatotilapia burtoni serves as an important laboratory model for sexually dimorphic physiology and behavior, and also serves as an outgroup species for the explosive adaptive radiations of cichlid species in Lake Malawi and Lake Victoria. An astounding diversity of genetic sex determination systems have been revealed within the adaptive radiation of East African cichlids thus far, including polygenic sex determination systems involving the epistatic interaction of multiple, independently segregating sex determination alleles. However, sex determination has remained unmapped in A. burtoni. Here we present mapping results supporting the presence of multiple, novel sex determination alleles, and thus the presence of polygenic sex determination in A. burtoni. Using mapping in small families in conjunction with restriction-site associated DNA sequencing strategies, we identify associations with sex at loci on linkage group 13 and linkage group 5-14. Inheritance patterns support an XY sex determination system on linkage group 5-14 (a chromosome fusion relative to other cichlids studied), and an XYW system on linkage group 13, and these associations are replicated in multiple families. Additionally, combining our genetic data with comparative genomic analysis identifies another fusion that is unassociated with sex, with linkage group 8-24 and linkage group 16-21 fused in A. burtoni relative to other East African cichlid species. We identify genetic signals supporting the presence of three previously unidentified sex determination alleles at two loci in the species A. burtoni, strongly supporting the presence of polygenic sex determination system in the species. These results provide a foundation for future mapping of multiple sex determination genes and their interactions. A better understanding of sex determination in A. burtoni provides important context for their use in behavioral studies, as well as studies of the evolution of genetic sex determination and sexual conflicts in East African cichlids.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008040 Genetic Linkage The co-inheritance of two or more non-allelic GENES due to their being located more or less closely on the same CHROMOSOME. Genetic Linkage Analysis,Linkage, Genetic,Analyses, Genetic Linkage,Analysis, Genetic Linkage,Genetic Linkage Analyses,Linkage Analyses, Genetic,Linkage Analysis, Genetic
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012744 Sex Ratio The number of males per 100 females. Ratio, Sex,Ratios, Sex,Sex Ratios
D056726 Genetic Association Studies The analysis of a sequence such as a region of a chromosome, a haplotype, a gene, or an allele for its involvement in controlling the phenotype of a specific trait, metabolic pathway, or disease. Candidate Gene Identification,Candidate Gene Analysis,Candidate Gene Association Studies,Candidate Gene Association Study,Gene Discovery,Genotype-Phenotype Association,Genotype-Phenotype Associations,Genotype-Phenotype Correlation,Genotype-Phenotype Correlations,Analyses, Candidate Gene,Analysis, Candidate Gene,Association Studies, Genetic,Association Study, Genetic,Association, Genotype-Phenotype,Associations, Genotype-Phenotype,Candidate Gene Analyses,Correlation, Genotype-Phenotype,Correlations, Genotype-Phenotype,Discovery, Gene,Gene Analyses, Candidate,Gene Analysis, Candidate,Gene Identification, Candidate,Genetic Association Study,Genotype Phenotype Association,Genotype Phenotype Associations,Genotype Phenotype Correlation,Genotype Phenotype Correlations,Identification, Candidate Gene,Studies, Genetic Association,Study, Genetic Association
D019143 Evolution, Molecular The process of cumulative change at the level of DNA; RNA; and PROTEINS, over successive generations. Molecular Evolution,Genetic Evolution,Evolution, Genetic
D019683 Penetrance The percent frequency with which a dominant or homozygous recessive gene or gene combination manifests itself in the phenotype of the carriers. (From Glossary of Genetics, 5th ed)
D019849 Sex Determination Processes The mechanisms by which the SEX of an individual's GONADS are fixed. Sex Determination Genetics,Protandry,Protogyny,Sex Determination Genetic Processes,Sex Determination Process,Determination Process, Sex,Determination Processes, Sex,Genetics, Sex Determination,Process, Sex Determination,Processes, Sex Determination
D020641 Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide A single nucleotide variation in a genetic sequence that occurs at appreciable frequency in the population. SNPs,Single Nucleotide Polymorphism,Nucleotide Polymorphism, Single,Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Single,Polymorphisms, Single Nucleotide,Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms

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