Genomic Signatures of Recent Adaptation in a Wild Bumblebee.

ABSTRACT: Environmental changes threaten insect pollinators, creating risks for agriculture and ecosystem stability. Despite their importance, we know little about how wild insects respond to environmental pressures. To understand the genomic bases of adaptation in an ecologically important pollinator, we analyzed genomes of Bombus terrestris bumblebees collected across Great Britain. We reveal extensive genetic diversity within this population, and strong signatures of recent adaptation throughout the genome affecting key processes including neurobiology and wing development. We also discover unusual features of the genome, including a region containing 53 genes that lacks genetic diversity in many bee species, and a horizontal gene transfer from a Wolbachia bacteria. Overall, the genetic diversity

SUBMITTER: Colgan TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8845123 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature