Abstract
Mapping Determinants of Gene Expression Plasticity by Genetical Genomics in C. elegans
Highlights
Expression quantitative trait loci are polymorphic genetic loci that cause heritable differences in mRNA concentration. expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) have been used in recent genetical genomics studies [1] to infer the structure of genome-wide gene regulatory networks [2,3,4]
We show that the plasticity of gene expression in C. elegans is mainly controlled by trans-acting plasticity quantitative trait loci (pQTL)
Our results demonstrate widespread heritable variation in gene expression responses to environmental changes, which are used to generate the first comprehensive map of the genetic polymorphisms underlying differences in expression plasticity
Summary
Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) are polymorphic genetic loci that cause heritable differences in mRNA concentration. eQTLs have been used in recent genetical genomics studies [1] to infer the structure of genome-wide gene regulatory networks [2,3,4]. We found 308 transcripts showing significant trans-acting eQTL effects (effective p , 0.001) and 182 of these (59%) showed a significant pQTL effect (eQTLby-temperature interaction) (Figure 2) This indicates that a large part of the observed gene expression dynamics differs consistently between the two parental alleles at plasticitycontrolling loci. Out of 182 genes with pQTL, equal numbers of genes show strong differential expression when the plasticity-controlling trans locus carries the Hawaiian allele as when it carries the Bristol allele, and the most extreme differential expression is seen for control by the Hawaiian allele ( p 1⁄4 0.002, one-sided t-test), exactly the opposite of the predicted pattern This result may be due to a lack of adaptation of Hawaiian worm strains to their specific environment, possibly due to recent population dispersal. This suggests that our detection power is more than sufficient
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