Preston Roxana, Rodil Iván F
Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland.
Tvärminne Zoological Station University of Helsinki Hanko Finland.
Ecol Evol. 2023 Jan 31;13(2):e9788. doi: 10.1002/ece3.9788. eCollection 2023 Feb.
Intraspecific variation is an important component of heterogeneity in biological systems that can manifest at the genotypic and phenotypic level. This study investigates the influence of genetic characteristics on the phenotype of free-living using traditional morphological measures and microsatellite genotyping. Two sympatric morphotypes were observed to be significantly genetically and morphologically differentiated despite experiencing analogous local environmental conditions; indicating a genetic element to morphology. Additionally, the observed intraclonal variation established divergent morphology within some genets. This demonstrated that clonal lineages have the ability to alter morphological traits by either a plastic response or somatic mutations. We provide support for the potential occurrence of the Gigas effect (cellular/organ enlargement through genome duplication) in the genus, with polyploidization appearing to correlate with a general increase in the size of morphological features. Phenotypic traits, as designated by morphology within the study, of are partially controlled by the genetic characteristics of the thalli. This study suggests that largely asexually reproducing algal populations may have the potential to adapt to changing environmental conditions through genome changes or phenotypic plasticity.
种内变异是生物系统异质性的一个重要组成部分，它可以在基因型和表型水平上表现出来。本研究使用传统形态学测量方法和微卫星基因分型，研究了遗传特征对自由生活[生物名称未给出]表型的影响。尽管经历了相似的当地环境条件，但观察到两种同域形态型在遗传和形态上有显著差异；这表明[生物名称未给出]形态存在遗传因素。此外，观察到的克隆内变异在一些无性系中形成了不同的形态。这表明克隆谱系有能力通过可塑性反应或体细胞突变来改变形态特征。我们为[生物名称未给出]属中可能出现的巨人效应（通过基因组复制实现细胞/器官增大）提供了支持，多倍体化似乎与形态特征大小的普遍增加相关。在本研究中，由形态学指定的[生物名称未给出]表型特征部分受叶状体的遗传特征控制。这项研究表明，主要进行无性繁殖的藻类种群可能有潜力通过基因组变化或表型可塑性来适应不断变化的环境条件。
