Plasticity in gene transcription explains the differential performance of two invasive fish species.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic plasticity buffers organisms from environmental change and is hypothesized to aid the initial establishment of nonindigenous species in novel environments and postestablishment range expansion. The genetic mechanisms that underpin phenotypically plastic traits are generally poorly characterized; however, there is strong evidence that modulation of gene transcription is an important component of these responses. Here, we use RNA sequencing to examine the transcriptional basis of temperature tolerance for round and tubenose goby, two nonindigenous fish species that differ dramatically in the extent of their Great Lakes invasions despite similar invasion dates. We used generalized linear models of read count data to compare gene transcription responses of organisms exposed to incre

SUBMITTER: Wellband KW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5469171 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature