A key metabolic gene for recurrent freshwater colonization and radiation in fishes

Ishikawa, Asano; Kabeya, Naoki; Ikeya, Koki; Kakioka, Ryo; Cech, Jennifer N.; Osada, Naoki; Leal, Miguel C.; Inoue, Jun; Kume, Manabu; Toyoda, Atsushi; Tezuka, Ayumi; Nagano, Atsushi J.; Yamasaki, Yo Y.; Suzuki, Yuto; Kokita, Tomoyuki; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Lucek, Kay; Marques, David; Takehana, Yusuke; Naruse, Kiyoshi; ... (2019). A key metabolic gene for recurrent freshwater colonization and radiation in fishes. Science, 364(6443), pp. 886-889. American Association for the Advancement of Science 10.1126/science.aau5656

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Colonization of new ecological niches has triggered large adaptive radiations. Although some lineages have made use of such opportunities, not all do so. The factors causing this variation among lineages are largely unknown. Here, we show that deficiency in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an essential ω-3 fatty acid, can constrain freshwater colonization by marine fishes. Our genomic analyses revealed multiple independent duplications of the fatty acid desaturase gene Fads2 in stickleback lineages that subsequently colonized and radiated in freshwater habitats, but not in close relatives that failed to colonize. Transgenic manipulation of Fads2 in marine stickleback increased their ability to synthesize DHA and survive on DHA-deficient diets. Multiple freshwater ray-finned fishes also show a convergent increase in Fads2 copies, indicating its key role in freshwater colonization.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Evolutionary Ecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Aquatic Ecology

UniBE Contributor:

Marques, David Alexander, Peichel, Catherine, Seehausen, Ole

Subjects:

500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology

ISSN:

0036-8075

Publisher:

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Language:

English

Submitter:

Marcel Häsler

Date Deposited:

30 Jul 2019 15:50

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:30

Publisher DOI:

10.1126/science.aau5656

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.132263

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/132263

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