CRISPR screening reveals genetic regulators associated with the evolution of eye degeneration.

ABSTRACT: Determining the genetic factors contributing to trait evolution is critical for understanding how and why traits evolve; however, establishing which genes underlie the evolution of complex traits remains challenging. The freshwater fish Astyanax mexicanus, a species that includes blind, cave-dwelling and eyed, surface-dwelling fish, is a powerful model for evolutionary genetics. While genetic mapping studies in this species previously identified genomic regions associated with cave-derived traits, few causative genes and genetic changes have been identified. Here, we develop methods to identify and rapidly functionally assess candidate genes in A. mexicanus, focusing on a defining trait of cave animals, eye loss. Candidate genes were identified based on whether they fell with

SUBMITTER: Shennard D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12776404 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature