Quantitative trait loci concentrate in specific regions of the Mexican cavefish genome and reveal key candidate genes for cave-associated evolution.

ABSTRACT: A major goal of modern biology is connecting phenotype with its underlying genetic basis. The Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), a characin fish species comprised of a surface ecotype and a cave-derived ecotype, is well suited as a model to study the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptation to extreme environments. Here, we map 206 previously published quantitative trait loci (QTL) for cave-derived traits in A. mexicanus to the newest version of the surface fish genome assembly, AstMex3. These analyses revealed that QTL clusters in the genome more than expected by chance, and this clustering is not explained by the distribution of genes in the genome. To investigate whether certain characteristics of the genome facilitate phenotypic evolution, we tested whether genomic characteristics

SUBMITTER: Wiese J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12278912 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature