Cross-species transcriptomics uncovers genes underlying genetic accommodation of developmental plasticity in spadefoot toads

Liedtke, H. Christoph ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6221-8043, Harney, Ewan and Gomez-Mestre, Ivan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0094-8195 (2021) Cross-species transcriptomics uncovers genes underlying genetic accommodation of developmental plasticity in spadefoot toads. [Data Collection]

External DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cnp5hqc3z

Description

That hardcoded genomes can manifest as plastic phenotypes responding to environmental perturbations is a fascinating feature of living organisms. How such developmental plasticity is regulated at the molecular level is beginning to be uncovered aided by the development of -omic techniques. Here, we compare the transcriptome-wide responses of two species of spadefoot toads with differing capacity for developmental acceleration of their larvae in the face of a shared environmental risk: pond drying. By comparing gene expression profiles over time and performing cross-species network analyses, we identified orthologues and functional gene pathways whose environmental sensitivity in expression have diverged between species. Genes related to lipid, cholesterol and steroid biosynthesis and metabolism make up most of a module of genes environmentally responsive in one species, but canalized in the other. The evolutionary changes in the regulation of the genes identified through these analyses may have been key in the genetic accommodation of developmental plasticity in this system.

Keywords: Dryad,edgeR,WGCNA,functional enrichment,Pelobates cultripes,Scaphiopus couchii,
Depositing User: Data Catalogue Admin
Date Deposited: 26 Jan 2023 17:29
Last Modified: 26 Jan 2023 19:03
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cnp5hqc3z
Original Record Link: https://datadryad.org/stash/share/wms0QIbVRpqXqQJJElhqOVQdi0UxdH1GuZul7szaGQs
URI: https://datacat.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/2051

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