Journal
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
Volume 16, Issue 2, Pages 408-427Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/eva.13464
Keywords
color; pearl farming; pigmentation evolution; Pinctada margaritifera; pooled whole genome sequencing; population genomics
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The genetic control of color expression in mollusk shells is still poorly understood. This study investigated color-associated genetic variants in pearl oysters using a pooled-sequencing approach. The results identified known and new genes involved in pigment-related pathways, as well as genes in novel pathways associated with shell coloration in P. margaritifera.
For hundreds of years, the color diversity of Mollusca shells has been a topic of interest for humanity. However, the genetic control underlying color expression is still poorly understood in mollusks. The pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera is increasingly becoming a biological model to study this process due to its ability to produce a large range of colors. Previous breeding experiments demonstrated that color phenotypes were partly under genetic control, and while a few genes were found in comparative transcriptomics and epigenetic experiments, genetic variants associated with the phenotypes have not yet been investigated. Here, we used a pooled-sequencing approach on 172 individuals to investigate color-associated variants on three color phenotypes of economic interest for pearl farming, in three wild and one hatchery populations. While our results uncovered SNPs targeting pigment-related genes already identified in previous studies, such as PBGD, tyrosinases, GST, or FECH, we also identified new color-related genes occurring in the same pathways, like CYP4F8, CYP3A4, and CYP2R1. Moreover, we identified new genes involved in novel pathways unknown to be involved in shell coloration for P. margaritifera, like the carotenoid pathway, BCO1. These findings are essential to possibly implement future breeding programs focused on individual selection for specific color production in pearl oysters and improve the footprint of perliculture on the Polynesian lagoon by producing less but with a better quality.
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