Abstract
The genetic basis of vertebrate morphological evolution has traditionally been very difficult to examine in naturally occurring populations. Here we describe the generation of a genome-wide linkage map to allow quantitative trait analysis of evolutionarily derived morphologies in the Mexican cave tetra, a species that has, in a series of independent caves, repeatedly evolved specialized characteristics adapted to a unique and well-studied ecological environment. We focused on the trait of albinism and discovered that it is linked to Oca2, a known pigmentation gene, in two cave populations. We found different deletions in Oca2 in each population and, using a cell-based assay, showed that both cause loss of function of the corresponding protein, OCA2. Thus, the two cave populations evolved albinism independently, through similar mutational events.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 107-111 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Nature Genetics |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Genetics