Expression Of Traits Research Articles

Effects of plasticity and genetic divergence in phenotypic trait expression of sulfide spring fishes

Effects of plasticity and genetic divergence in phenotypic trait expression of sulfide spring fishes

Island demographics and trait associations in white-tailed deer.

When a population is isolated and composed of few individuals, genetic drift is the paramount evolutionary force and results in the loss of genetic diversity. Inbreeding might also occur, resulting in genomic regions that are identical by descent, manifesting as runs of homozygosity (ROHs) and the expression of recessive traits. Likewise, the genes underlying traits of interest can be revealed by comparing fixed SNPs and divergent haplotypes between affected and unaffected individuals. Populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (SPM, France) have high incidences of leucism and malocclusions, both considered genetic defects; on the Florida Keys islands (USA) deer exhibit smaller body sizes, a polygenic trait. Here we aimed to reconstruct island demography and identify the genes associated with these traits in a pseudo case-control design. The two island populations showed reduced levels of genomic diversity and a build-up of deleterious mutations compared to mainland deer; there was also significant genome-wide divergence in Key deer. Key deer showed higher inbreeding levels, but not longer ROHs, consistent with long-term isolation. We identified multiple trait-related genes in ROHs including LAMTOR2 which has links to pigmentation changes, and NPVF which is linked to craniofacial abnormalities. Our mixed approach of linking ROHs, fixed SNPs and haplotypes matched a high number (~50) of a-priori body size candidate genes in Key deer. This suite of biomarkers and candidate genes should prove useful for population monitoring, noting all three phenotypes show patterns consistent with a complex trait and non-Mendelian inheritance.

Polygenic Risk Score-Based Association Analysis Identifies Genetic Comorbidities Associated with Age-Related Hearing Difficulty in Two Independent Samples.

Age-related hearing loss is the most common form of permanent hearing loss that is associated with various health traits, including Alzheimer's disease, cognitive decline, and depression. The present study aims to identify genetic comorbidities of age-related hearing loss. Past genome-wide association studies identified multiple genomic loci involved in common adult-onset health traits. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) could summarize the polygenic inheritance and quantify the genetic susceptibility of complex traits independent of trait expression. The present study conducted a PRS-based association analysis of age-related hearing difficulty in the UK Biobank sample (N = 425,240), followed by a replication analysis using hearing thresholds (HTs) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in 242 young adults with self-reported normal hearing. We hypothesized that young adults with genetic comorbidities associated with age-related hearing difficulty would exhibit subclinical decline in HTs and DPOAEs in both ears. A total of 111,243 participants reported age-related hearing difficulty in the UK Biobank sample (> 40years). The PRS models were derived from the polygenic risk score catalog to obtain 2627 PRS predictors across the health spectrum. HTs (0.25-16kHz) and DPOAEs (1-16kHz, L1/L2 = 65/55dB SPL, F2/F1 = 1.22) were measured on 242 young adults. Saliva-derived DNA samples were subjected to low-pass whole genome sequencing, followed by genome-wide imputation and PRS calculation. The logistic regression analyses were performed to identify PRS predictors of age-related hearing difficulty in the UK Biobank cohort. The linear mixed model analyses were performed to identify PRS predictors of HTs and DPOAEs. The PRS-based association analysis identified 977 PRS predictors across the health spectrum associated with age-related hearing difficulty. Hearing difficulty and hearing aid use PRS predictors revealed the strongest association with the age-related hearing difficulty phenotype. Youth with a higher genetic predisposition to hearing difficulty revealed a subclinical elevation in HTs and a decline in DPOAEs in both ears. PRS predictors associated with age-related hearing difficulty were enriched for mental health, lifestyle, metabolic, sleep, reproductive, digestive, respiratory, hematopoietic, and immune traits. Fifty PRS predictors belonging to various trait categories were replicated for HTs and DPOAEs in both ears. The study identified genetic comorbidities associated with age-related hearing loss across the health spectrum. Youth with a high genetic predisposition to age-related hearing difficulty and other related complex traits could exhibit sub-clinical decline in HTs and DPOAEs decades before clinically meaningful age-related hearing loss is observed. We posit that effective communication of genetic risk, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and reducing exposure to environmental risk factors at younger ages could help prevent or delay the onset of age-related hearing difficulty at older ages.

Early impact assessment of the paninvasive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle on commercial pear production

AbstractThe polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) beetle, Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), and its phytopathogenic fungal symbiont (Fusarium euwallaceae Freeman et al.) threaten commercial and urban tree species worldwide. This pest–fungus complex has been newly discovered in the commercial deciduous fruit industry (Western Cape, South Africa), where its effect is still unknown. This study explored the impact of PSHB infestation on fruit quality and plant water‐use efficiency (WUE) – as indicated by carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios – of commercially cultivated Packham's Triumph pear trees within the first year of invasion, as well as changes in phenotypic plasticity (trait expression range). The impact of PSHB infestation is currently most evident in fruit quality traits, with a clear distinction between the control and most densely attacked tree categories. Fruit and leaf traits showed high variation and a significant change in phenotypic plasticity. Increased PSHB attack density was associated with smaller, duller‐toned, sweeter fruit at the time of harvest and data tended towards reduced plant WUE. Producers can expect significant variation in fruit quality and plant WUE even in hosts without branch dieback, visible plant stress or extensive beetle breeding, especially in orchards where infestations persist beyond the first year. These findings necessitate additional research to describe the long‐term impact, examine the threat to other deciduous fruit crops and cultivars and assess the need for adapted management or harvesting methods.

Field response and genetic variability of elite spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for septoria tritici blotch under natural infection in Northwest Ethiopia

AbstractFungal diseases cause significant yield loss to wheat production. Septoria tritici blotch (STB), caused by the ascomycete fungus Zymoseptoria trtici, is one of the major fungal diseases affecting wheat production worldwide. In Ethiopia, STB is a severe problem that causes significant yield loss in high and mid‐altitude wheat‐growing areas. The use of resistant varieties is one of the sustainable disease management strategies, particularly for resource‐poor farmers in developing countries. Two hundred and fifty bread wheat genotypes were evaluated to identify septoria tritici resistant genotypes and estimate the extent of genetic variability for resistance to STB and other economically important traits using alpha lattice design under natural infestation in two STB hotspot environments. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among genotypes, environment, and genotype × environment interaction for all traits measured. The genetic coefficient of variance was lower than the phenotypic coefficient of variance for all traits studied, and both test environments showed the influence of the environment on trait expression. High and moderate heritability values were observed for the septoria disease severity parameters, indicating that the STB resistance trait was less influenced by the environment. The days to heading and plant height were inversely correlated with disease severity. This suggests that genotypes with tall plant height and long maturity period could be resistant to septoria tritici blotch through escape mechanisms. Four of the genotypes, namely, G‐215, G‐255, G‐257, and G‐258, were found to be resistant across all locations. These and other promising genotypes will be used in future breeding programmes to select or develop high‐yielding and STB‐resistant bread wheat genotypes that can be deployed in septoria tritici blotch‐prone areas. Highly susceptible genotypes will also be used as controls for STB resistance breeding programmes.

Decrease of ESKAPE virulence with a cationic heme-mimetic gallium porphyrin photosensitizer: The Trojan horse strategy that could help address antimicrobial resistance

IntroductionEmerging antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens has forced an urgent need for alternative non-antibiotic strategies development that could combat drug resistant-associated infections. Suppression of virulence of ESKAPE pathogens' by targeting multiple virulence traits provides a promising approach. ObjectivesHere we propose an iron-blocking antibacterial therapy based on a cationic heme-mimetic gallium porphyrin (GaCHP), which antibacterial efficacy could be further enhanced by photodynamic inactivation. MethodsWe used gallium heme mimetic porphyrin (GaCHP) excited with light to significantly reduce microbial viability and suppress both the expression and biological activity of several virulence traits of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative ESKAPE representatives, i.e., S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Moreover, further improvement of the proposed strategy by combining it with routinely used antimicrobials to resensitize the microbes to antibiotics and provide enhanced bactericidal efficacy was investigated. ResultsThe proposed strategy led to substantial inactivation of critical priority pathogens and has been evidenced to suppress the expression and biological activity of multiple virulence factors in S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Finally, the combination of GaCHP phototreatment and antibiotics resulted in promising strategy to overcome antibiotic resistance of the studied microbes and to enhance disinfection of drug resistant pathogens. ConclusionLastly, considering high safety aspects of the proposed treatment toward host cells, i.e., lack of mutagenicity, no dark toxicity and mild phototoxicity, we describe an efficient alternative that simultaneously suppresses the functionality of multiple virulence factors in ESKAPE pathogens.

The CpxRA two-component system of adherent and invasive Escherichia coli contributes to epithelial cell invasion and early-stage intestinal fitness in a dysbiotic mouse model mediated by type 1 fimbriae expression.

Adherent and invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) is a pathobiont that is involved in the onset and exacerbation of Crohn's disease. Although the inducible expression of virulence traits is a critical step for AIEC colonization in the host, the mechanism underlying AIEC colonization remains largely unclear. We here showed that the two-component signal transduction system CpxRA contributes to AIEC gut competitive colonization by activating type 1 fimbriae expression. CpxRA from AIEC strain LF82 functioned as a transcriptional regulator, as evidenced by our finding that an isogenic cpxRA mutant exhibits reduced expression of cpxP, a known regulon gene. Transcription levels of cpxP in LF82 increased in response to envelope stress, such as exposure to antimicrobials compromising the bacterial membrane, whereas the cpxRA mutant did not exhibit this response. Furthermore, we found that the cpxRA mutant exhibits less invasiveness into host cells than LF82, primarily due to reduced expression of the type 1 fimbriae. Finally, we found that the cpxRA mutant is impaired in gut competitive colonization in a mouse model. The colonization defects were reversed by the introduction of a plasmid encoding the cpxRA gene or expressing the type 1 fimbriae. Our findings indicate that modulating CpxRA activity could be a promising approach to regulating AIEC-involved Crohn's disease.

Effects of species diversity on trait expression of the clonal herb Taraxacum officinale and its relation to genotype diversity and phenotypic plasticity.

Plant species respond to varying plant species diversity and associated changes in their abiotic and biotic environment with changes in their phenotype. However, it is not clear to what degree this phenotypic differentiation is due to genotype diversity within populations or phenotypic plasticity of plant individuals. We studied individuals of 16 populations of the clonal herb Taraxacum officinale grown in plant communities of different species richness in a 17-year-old grassland biodiversity experiment (Jena Experiment). We collected 12 individuals in each population to measure phenotypic traits and identify distinct genotypes using microsatellite DNA markers. Plant species richness did not influence population-level genotype and trait diversity. However, it affected the expression of several phenotypic traits, e.g. leaf and inflorescence number, maximum leaf length and seed mass, which increased with increasing plant species richness. Moreover, population-level trait diversity correlated positively with genotype richness for leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and negatively with inflorescence number. For several traits (i.e. seed mass, germination rate, LDMC, specific leaf area (SLA)), a larger portion of variance was explained by genotype identity, while variance in other traits (i.e. number of inflorescences, leaf nitrogen concentration, leaf number, leaf length) resided within genotypes and thus was mostly due to phenotypic plasticity. Overall, our findings show that plant species richness positively affected the population means of some traits related to whole-plant performance, whose variation was achieved through both phenotypic plasticity and genotype composition of a population.

Maternal Practice and the Chuetas of Mallorca: The Inquisitorial Trials of Pedro Onofre Cortés

Maternal Practice and the Chuetas of Mallorca: The Inquisitorial Trials of Pedro Onofre Cortés

Lethal combination for seedlings: extreme heat drives mortality of drought-exposed high-elevation pine seedlings.

Hotter drought- and biotically-driven tree mortality are expected to increase with climate change in much of the western United States, and species persistence will depend upon ongoing establishment under novel conditions or migration to track ecological niche requirements. High-elevation tree species may be particularly vulnerable to increasing water stress as snowpack declines, increasing the potential for adult mortality and simultaneous regeneration failures. Seedling survival will be determined by ecophysiological limitations in response to changing water availability and temperature. We exposed seedlings from populations of Pinus longaeva, Pinus flexilis, and Pinus albicaulis to severe drought and concurrent temperature stress in common gardens testing timing of drought onset under two different temperature regimes. We monitored seedling functional traits, physiological function, and survival. The combined stressors of water limitation and extreme heat led to conservative water use strategies and declines in physiological function, with these joint stressors ultimately exceeding species' tolerances and leading to complete episodic mortality across all species. Growing conditions were the primary determinant of seedling trait expression, with seedlings exhibiting more drought-resistant traits such as lower specific leaf area in the hottest, driest treatment conditions. Water stress-induced stomatal closure was also widely apparent. Under adequate soil moisture, seedlings endured prolonged exposure to high air and surface temperatures, suggesting broad margins for survival. The critical interaction between soil moisture and temperature suggests that rising temperatures will exacerbate growing season moisture stress. Our results highlight the importance of local conditions over population- and species-level influences in shaping strategies for stress tolerance and resistance to desiccation at this early life stage. By quantifying some of the physiological consequences of drought and heat that lead to seedling mortality, we can better understand the future effects of global change on the composition and distribution of high-elevation conifer forests.

Genetic Variability and Character Association Studies in Diverse Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genotypes for Agro-Morphological Traits in Terai Region of West Bengal

Aims: The study aims to analyze the genetic variability in diverse rice genotypes and establish correlations with grain yield and its attributes. By identifying and quantifying the genetic elements influencing grain yield and associated traits, the research intends to offer insights for developing high-yielding and resilient rice varieties, ultimately enhancing food security and agricultural sustainability. Study Design: The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two replications, using a spacing of 20 cm × 15 cm. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal during the Kharif season (the period from June to October) of 2019 and 2020. The duration of the study encompassed the entire Kharif seasons of both years. Methodology: The study evaluated forty-two diverse rice genotypes based on nine agro-morphological traits. The methodology encompassed the utilization of ANOVA to evaluate significant differences in trait means and discern genetic variability among rice genotypes. Central tendency and variability were assessed through the calculation of mean, range, and standard deviation to gain insights into genetic variation. Furthermore, variation among traits was quantified using phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation to aid in understanding genetic variability. Heritability in broad sense was estimated to ascertain the genetic contribution to the observed variation, while the identification of traits with potential for improvement was achieved through the analysis of genetic advance as percent of mean. Furthermore, correlation and path coefficient analyses were conducted to comprehend the connections between the agro-morphological traits and grain yield, offering insights into the genetic relationships among the traits and their direct and indirect impacts on grain yield patterns. Results: The analysis of variance results confirmed the presence of significant differences among the evaluated genotypes. The phenotypic coefficient of variation displayed elevated values, closely associated with the genotypic coefficient of variation for all traits. Both phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation values were observed to be low to moderate for all the nine traits. Furthermore, specific traits such as grain breadth, panicles plant-1, and grain L/B ratio exhibited high heritability and high genetic advance percentage of mean, indicating their potential for selection and improvement in breeding programs. Additionally, the correlation study at the genotypic level revealed positive and significant correlations between grain yield plant-1, test weight, and spikelet fertility. Moreover, the path coefficient analysis showed that grain length had the maximum positive direct effect on grain yield plant-1. Conclusion: In conclusion, the analysis revealed significant genotype variations across multiple traits, indicating potential for targeted breeding improvements. Traits like grain breadth, panicles plant-1, and grain L/B ratio showed promising heritability and genetic advancement, emphasizing their value for selection in breeding programs. Correlation and path coefficient analyses highlighted interrelationships and direct effects on yield, underlining the importance of genetic factors in trait expression.

Digital Identities and Aesthetic Expression: Uncovering Young Indonesians Argumentation in Filter Usage on Social Media

This study delves into the diverse motivations and impacts of Instagram filter usage among young Indonesians, focusing on how these digital tools influence selfrepresentation and social interaction within the digital sphere. While Instagram filters are traditionally viewed as aesthetic enhancements, this research highlights their broader roles, including entertainment, education, and personal branding. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this paper collects data through interviews and netnography, employing snowball sampling to gather in-depth insights from eight young Instagram users. Findings indicate that young people use filters not only for visual enhancement but also for fun, educational engagement, and the expression of personal traits like humor and intelligence. This usage underscores young people's agency as active consumers, manipulating digital tools to craft their public personas and navigate social media spaces. This study underscores the need for further quantitative research to explore the widespread patterns of filter consumption among youth, aiming to enrich the understanding of digital identity formation in a globalized context.

Формализация процедуры выявления личностных характеристик потенциальной жертвы кибермошенничества

The current state of the problem of cybercrime is considered and the most common types of cyber fraud are highlighted. The concept of cybervictimisation is described as a combination of personality traits characterising an increased level of propensity to become a victim of cybercrime. A procedure for identifying personality characteristics of individuals with increased cybervictimisation is proposed. Approaches to researching the relationship between the degree of expression of certain character traits and the manifestation of cybervictimisation are studied. The methods of psychological diagnostics for the purpose of identifying personality traits are considered. To determine the quantitative characteristics of the degree of manifestation of character traits, the 16-factor personality questionnaire of R. Kettell was used to test a sample of respondents who were subjected to fraudulent actions in cyberspace. The respondents were divided into two control groups – those who succumbed to the actions of cyber fraudsters and those who managed to resist them. For each respondent, a set of walls describing the degree of manifestation of the relevant character traits was obtained. The task was to identify the personality traits most characteristic of the respondents in each of the control groups by finding the greatest variation in the wall values for each of the character traits across the types of cyberfraud under consideration. The Mann-Whitney criterion was used to evaluate the differences in the respective samples of walls translated into a ranking scale. Using the analysis of asymptotic significance of differences in the average ranks, the character traits for which the reliability of differences is maximum were selected, and a matrix was constructed that allows characterising the propensity to be exposed to a certain type of cyber fraud by the most pronounced manifestation of these character traits. The obtained results were compared with published research results in this area, and their qualitative correspondence was revealed. The set of personality characteristics significative in terms of exposure to cyber fraud is generated. The direction of development of the topic under study is set.

Genome-wide QTL and eQTL mapping reveal genes associated with growth rate trait of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

BackgroundGrowth rate is a crucial economic trait for farmed animals, but the genetic regulation of this trait is largely unknown in non-model organisms such as shrimp.ResultsIn this study, we performed genome-wide phenotypic quantitative trait loci (QTL) and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping analyses to identify genes affecting the growth rate of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), which is the most commercially-farmed crustacean worldwide. We used RNA-sequencing of 268 individuals in a mapping population, and subsequently validated our findings through gene silencing and shrimp growth experiments. We constructed a high-density genetic linkage map comprising 5533 markers spanning 44 linkage groups, with a total distance of 6205.75 cM and an average marker interval of 1.12 cM. Our analyses identified 11 QTLs significantly correlated with growth rate, and 117,525 eQTLs. By integrating QTL and eQTL data, we identified a gene (metalloreductase STEAP4) highly associated with shrimp growth rate. RNA interference (RNAi) analysis and growth experiments confirmed that STEAP4 was significantly correlated with growth rate in L. vannamei.ConclusionsOur results indicate that the comprehensive analysis of QTL and eQTL can effectively identify genes involved in complex animal traits. This is important for marker-assisted selection (MAS) of animals. Our work contributes to the development of shrimp breeding and available genetic resources.

Unraveling the immunogenetic landscape of autism spectrum disorder: a comprehensive bioinformatics approach.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disease characterized by social disorder. Recently, the population affected by ASD has gradually increased around the world. There are great difficulties in diagnosis and treatment at present. The ASD datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and the immune-relevant genes were downloaded from a previously published compilation. Subsequently, we used WGCNA to screen the modules related to the ASD and immune. We also choose the best combination and screen out the core genes from Consensus Machine Learning Driven Signatures (CMLS). Subsequently, we evaluated the genetic correlation between immune cells and ASD used GNOVA. And pleiotropic regions identified by PLACO and CPASSOC between ASD and immune cells. FUMA was used to identify pleiotropic regions, and expression trait loci (EQTL) analysis was used to determine their expression in different tissues and cells. Finally, we use qPCR to detect the gene expression level of the core gene. We found a close relationship between neutrophils and ASD, and subsequently, CMLS identified a total of 47 potential candidate genes. Secondly, GNOVA showed a significant genetic correlation between neutrophils and ASD, and PLACO and CPASSOC identified a total of 14 pleiotropic regions. We annotated the 14 regions mentioned above and identified a total of 6 potential candidate genes. Through EQTL, we found that the CFLAR gene has a specific expression pattern in neutrophils, suggesting that it may serve as a potential biomarker for ASD and is closely related to its pathogenesis. In conclusion, our study yields unprecedented insights into the molecular and genetic heterogeneity of ASD through a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. These valuable findings hold significant implications for tailoring personalized ASD therapies.

Changes in Induced-Antipredation Defense Traits and Transcriptome Regulations of Daphnia magna in Response to 5-HT1A Receptor Antagonist.

The serotonin signaling system plays a crucial role in regulating the ontogeny of crustaceans. Here, we describe the effects of different concentrations of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor antagonist (WAY-100635) on the induced antipredation (Rhodeus ocellatus as the predator), morphological, behavioral, and life-history defenses of Daphnia magna and use transcriptomics to analyze the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results indicate that exposure to WAY-100635 leads to changes in the expression of different defensive traits in D. magna when faced with fish predation risks. Specifically, as the length of exposure to WAY-100635 increases, high concentrations of WAY-100635 inhibit defensive responses associated with morphological and reproductive activities but promote the immediate negative phototactic behavioral defense of D. magna. This change is related to the underlying mechanism through which WAY-100635 interferes with gene expression of G-protein-coupled GABA receptors by affecting GABBR1 but promotes serotonin receptor signaling and ecdysteroid signaling pathways. In addition, we also find for the first time that fish kairomone can significantly activate the HIF-1α signaling pathway, which may lead to an increase in the rate of immediate movement. These results can help assess the potential impacts of serotonin-disrupting psychotropic drugs on zooplankton in aquatic ecosystems.

Perceived social competencies as moderators: examining the relationship between psychological distress and aggression, hostility, and anger in Lebanese adults

IntroductionThe majority of people experience anger at some point in their lives when confronted with unpleasant situations. In social settings, anger can lead to aggressive and hostile in the absence of adequate social competences. Our study aims to examine the moderating role of perceived social competences in the association between psychological distress and anger expression (trait anger, hostility, physical aggression, and verbal aggression) among a sample of Lebanese adults.Methods403 participants above 18 years (the mean age was 24.56 ± 8.46) were enrolled in the cross-sectional study with 73% female participants. The candidates were asked to complete a structured questionnaire including the following scales: (1) Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form (BPAQ-SF), (2) the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-8), (3) Perceived Social Competencies (PSC), and (4) The De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale.ResultsThe interaction psychological distress by perceived social competence was not significantly associated with physical aggression, verbal aggression, or hostility but was significantly associated with anger. After adjusting the results over variables that showed a p <.25 in the bivariate analysis, this association was significant at low (Beta = 0.24; p <.001), moderate (Beta = 0.20; p <.001) and high (Beta = 0.16; p <.001) levels of perceived social competencies, where higher psychological distress was significantly associated with more anger. On another note, with higher perceived social competence, we find a decrease in levels of psychological distress in our sample.ConclusionThis study provided evidence that perceived social competencies such as communication skills, empathy and prosocial behaviors act as moderators in the association between psychological distress and anger. In future works, investigating and building advanced program in order to develop social competences of individuals might prove important. It is crucial to implement such strategies and projects in schools: this educational setting could be fruitful in a way that social skills could be instilled during childhood and anger-aggressive behaviors could be managed throughout adulthood.

Phenomics and transcriptomic profiling of fruit development in distinct apple varieties

Apple is one of the most economically important and popular temperate fruit trees. The domestication of apple has resulted in substantial phenotypic differences, particularly between wild and cultivated varieties. However, the relationship between gene expression and phenotypic variations in apple remains poorly understood. Here, we present a comprehensive dataset featuring five distinct apple varieties, including two wild varieties and three representative cultivated varieties. The dataset comprises of both phenomics data, encompassing twelve fruit quality-related traits continuously measured over two years, and transcriptomic data obtained at different developmental stages with three biological replicates. We performed basic quality control process, gene expression normalization and differential gene expression analysis to demonstrate the utility and reliability of the dataset. Our findings indicate that gene expression strongly related with phenotypic variations in apple. This dataset serves as a valuable resource, encompassing phenomics and transcriptomic data in multiple formats, thereby facilitating further exploration of the relationships between gene expression and phenotypic traits in apple.

Local adaptation to an altitudinal gradient: The interplay between mean phenotypic trait variation and phenotypic plasticity in Mimulus laciniatus

Organisms can adapt to environmental heterogeneity through two mechanisms: (1) expression of population genetic variation or (2) phenotypic plasticity. In this study we investigated whether patterns of variation in both trait means and phenotypic plasticity along elevational and latitudinal clines in a North American endemic plant, Mimulus laciniatus, were consistent with local adaptation. We grew inbred lines of M. laciniatus from across the species’ range in two common gardens varying in day length to measure mean and plastic trait expression in several traits previously shown to be involved in adaptation to M. laciniatus’s rocky outcrop microhabitat: flowering time, size-related traits, and leaf shape. We tested for phenotypic plasticity and GxE, examined correlations between the mean phenotype and plasticity, and tested for a relationship between trait variation and population elevation and latitude. We did not find a strong correlation between mean and plastic trait expression at the individual genotype level suggesting that they operate under independent genetic controls. We identified multiple traits that show patterns consistent with local adaptation to elevation: critical photoperiod, flowering time, flower size, mean leaf lobing, and leaf lobing plasticity. These trends occur along multiple geographically independent altitudinal clines indicating that selection is a more likely cause of this pattern than gene flow among nearby populations with similar trait values. We also found that population variation in mean leaf lobing is associated with latitude. Our results indicate that both having more highly lobed leaves and greater leaf shape plasticity may be adaptive at high elevation within M. laciniatus. Our data strongly suggest that traits known to be under divergent selection between M. laciniatus and close relative Mimulus guttatus are also under locally varying selection within M. laciniatus.

Unique spatially and temporary-regulated/sex-specific expression of a long ncRNA, Nb-1, suggesting its pleiotropic functions associated with honey bee lifecycle

Honey bees are social insects, and each colony member has unique morphological and physiological traits associated with their social tasks. Previously, we identified a long non-coding RNA from honey bees, termed Nb-1, whose expression in the brain decreases associated with the age-polyethism of workers and is detected in some neurosecretory cells and octopaminergic neurons, suggesting its role in the regulation of worker labor transition. Herein, we investigated its spatially and temporary-regulated/sex-specific expression. Nb-1 was expressed as an abundant maternal RNA during oogenesis and embryogenesis in both sexes. In addition, Nb-1 was expressed preferentially in the proliferating neuroblasts of the mushroom bodies (a higher-order center of the insect brain) in the pupal brains, suggesting its role in embryogenesis and mushroom body development. On the contrary, Nb-1 was expressed in a drone-specific manner in the pupal and adult retina, suggesting its role in the drone visual development and/or sense. Subcellular localization of Nb-1 in the brain during development differed depending on the cell type. Considering that Nb-1 is conserved only in Apidae, our findings suggest that Nb-1 potentially has pleiotropic functions in the expression of multiple developmental, behavioral, and physiological traits, which are closely associated with the honey bee lifecycle.