Molecular ecology, quantitative genetic and genomics Dave Coltman + Melissa Gunn, Andrew Leviston, Katie Hartnup & Jon Slate
Past, present & future Characterized microsatellites previously developed at U of A and new ones developed at Sheffield (NERC ) Genotyping and pedigree in progress (NERC Sheffield ) Quantitative genetic analyses next (NERC Sheffield ) Genomics (U of A ?)
Molecular ecology Microsatellites developed in Sheffield & will/can be used for –Parentage (vertical pedigree) paternity –Kinship (horizontal pedigree) Full sib vs. half sib vs. unrelated –Relatedness Pair-wise R network across population
Molecular ecology Mating system (Jeff) –Levels of multiple paternity and polygyny Male mating success (Jeff) –Relationship between phenotype and paternity Spatial relatedness structure (Jeff & Mark) –relationship to dispersal dynamics & resource abundance
Quantitative genetics Estimation of (co)variance components Prediction of individual genetic values
The animal model y i = + a i + c i + i V P = V A + V E + V R h 2 = V A / V P Additive genetic breeding value Other specific environmental effect Residual error Fixed effects (e.g. age, year)
NERC Objectives 1. Heritability of trait means and plasticities
NERC Objectives (2) 2. Identify constraints/accelerants through multivariate models (genetic correlations and maternal effects) 3. Characterize selection, predict response and compare to observed data & ebv 4. What happens under supplementation?
Other QG ideas? Other traits –Heritability and ebvs for physiological, metabolic, behavioural parameters? Spatial QG structure –Spatial autocorrelation in ebvs, relationship with resource landscape, temporal stability
Genomics *QG basis means we can focus on heritable traits using ebvs* Targeted gene approach –Use bioinformatics to sequence specific genes & search for association with ebv Sciurid genome map & QTL scan –map linkage groups & fish for association with ebv Population genomics –Map QTL & genes onto broad scale environmental & biogeographic gradients