Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
Laboratory for Chromosome Segregation, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 18;11(1):22485. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01754-w.
Asexual vertebrates are rare and at risk of extinction due to their restricted adaptability through the loss of genetic recombination. We explore the mechanisms behind the generation and maintenance of genetic diversity in triploid asexual (gynogenetic) Carassius auratus fish, which is widespread in East Asian fresh waters and exhibits one of the most extensive distribution among asexual vertebrates despite its dependence on host sperm. Our analyses of genetic composition using dozens of genetic markers and genome-wide transcriptome sequencing uncover admixed genetic composition of Japanese asexual triploid Carassius consisting of both the diverged Japanese and Eurasian alleles, suggesting the involvement of Eurasian lineages in its origin. However, coexisting sexual diploid relatives and asexual triploids in Japan show regional genetic similarity in both mitochondrial and nuclear markers. These results are attributed to a unique unidirectional gene flow from diploids to sympatric triploids, with the involvement of occasional sexual reproduction. Additionally, the asexual triploid shows a weaker population structure than the sexual diploid, and multiple triploid lineages coexist in most Japanese rivers. The generated diversity via repeated interploidy gene flow as well as an increased establishment of immigrants is assumed to offset the cost of asexual reproduction and might contribute to the successful broad distribution of this asexual vertebrate.
有性生殖的脊椎动物较为罕见,且由于遗传重组的丧失,其适应性受到限制,面临灭绝的风险。我们探索了三倍体(雌核发育)鲤鱼中遗传多样性产生和维持的机制,这种鲤鱼广泛分布于东亚淡水水域,尽管其依赖宿主精子,但在有性脊椎动物中分布最为广泛。我们使用数十个遗传标记和全基因组转录组测序对遗传组成进行了分析,发现日本三倍体无融合生殖鲤鱼的遗传组成是由日本和欧亚分化的等位基因混合而成,这表明欧亚谱系参与了其起源。然而,在日本共存的有性二倍体亲属和三倍体无融合生殖体在线粒体和核标记上表现出区域遗传相似性。这些结果归因于从二倍体到同域三倍体的单向基因流,偶尔涉及有性繁殖。此外,三倍体无融合生殖的种群结构比有性二倍体弱,而且大多数日本河流中存在多个三倍体谱系。通过反复的倍间基因流产生的多样性以及移民的增加,被认为可以抵消有性生殖的代价,并有助于这种无性生殖脊椎动物的广泛分布。