Characterization of genetic diversity in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus from population-scale resequencing data.

ABSTRACT: The hermaphroditic nematode Pristionchus pacificus is an established model system for comparative studies with Caenorhabditis elegans in developmental biology, ecology, and population genetics. In this study, we present whole-genome sequencing data of 104 P. pacificus strains and the draft assembly of the obligate outcrossing sister species P. exspectatus. We characterize genetic diversity within P. pacificus and investigate the population genetic processes shaping this diversity. P. pacificus is 10 times more diverse than C. elegans and exhibits substantial population structure that allows us to probe its evolution on multiple timescales. Consistent with reduced effective recombination in this self-fertilizing species, we find haplotype blocks that span several megabases. Using the P. exs

SUBMITTER: Rodelsperger C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3982705 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature