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| Examining the molecular and genetic basis of behavioral divergence in three-spined stickleback |
| Colby Behrens, Alison M. Bell. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States |
Understanding the proximate mechanisms underlying behavioral diversity within and among taxa is a central question in the study of animal behavior. Rapid divergence of behavior can drive reproductive isolation between populations, but the molecular and genetic basis of divergence is rarely understood. To address this, I examined neurogenomic and genetic mechanisms of reproductive behaviors in two populations of behaviorally-divergent three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) known as “whites” and “commons”. After behavioral observations to quantify variation between the two ecotypes and their F1 hybrids, I measured gene expression of both populations and their F1 hybrids across the reproductive cycle and identified substantial transcriptomic divergence. To investigate the underlying genetic mechanisms, I performed QTL mapping and identified 10 genomic loci associated with behavioral traits. These loci were primarily non-overlapping, suggesting that distinct genetic mechanisms are responsible for the divergence of multiple reproductive behaviors. Together, these results address outstanding questions about the mechanisms promoting rapid divergence in reproductive strategies. |