The contribution of new mutations to phenotypic variation, and the consequences of this variation for individual fitness, are fundamental concepts for understanding genetic variation and adaptation. Here, we investigated how mutation influenced variation in a complex trait in zebrafish, Danio rerio. Typical of many ecologically relevant traits in ectotherms, swimming speed in fish is temperature-dependent, with evidence of adaptive evolution of thermal performance. We chemically induced novel germline point mutations in males, and measured sprint speed in their sons at six temperatures (between 16°C and 34°C). Mutational effects on speed were strongly positively correlated among temperatures, resulting in statistical support for only a single axis of mutational variation, reflecting temperature-independent variation in speed (faster-slower mode). While these results suggest pleiotropic effects on speed across different temperatures, when mutation have consistent directional effects on each trait, spurious correlations arise via linkage, or heterogeneity in mutation number. However, mutation did not change mean speed, indicating no directional bias in mutational effects. The results contribute to emerging evidence that mutations may predominantly have synergistic cross-environment effects, in contrast to conditionally neutral or antagonistic effects which underpin thermal adaptation. However, aspects of experimental design might limit resolution of mutations with non-synergistic effects.
Details
Title
The contribution of mutation to variation in temperature-dependent sprint speed in zebrafish, Danio rerio
Authors
Christina L. Miller (Corresponding Author) - The University of Queensland
Derek Sun (Author) - The University of Queensland
Lauren Haylee Thornton (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Katrina McGuigan (Author) - The University of Queensland
Publication details
bioRxiv, Vol.30 September 2022
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
Date published
2022
DOI
10.1101/2022.09.28.509995
ISSN
2692-8205
Copyright note
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Organisation Unit
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering