Disruptions of feather carotenoid pigmentation in a subset of hybrid northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) may be linked to genetic incompatibilities.

Autor: Hudon J; Royal Alberta Museum, 9810 103A Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0G2, Canada. Electronic address: jocelyn.hudon@gov.ab.ca., Wiebe KL; Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada. Electronic address: karen.wiebe@usask.ca., Stradi R; DISFARM, Sezione di Chimica Generale e Organica 'A. Marchesini', Facoltà di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Venezian, 21, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part B, Biochemistry & molecular biology [Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol] 2021 Jan; Vol. 251, pp. 110510. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Oct 01.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110510
Abstrakt: Hybridization can bring in single individuals alleles that were never designed to work together, which can result in unexpected or transgressive phenotypes. The Yellow-shafted (auratus group) and Red-shafted (cafer group) subspecies groups of the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) differ conspicuously in the coloration of their flight feathers, but hybridize freely where their ranges overlap in western North America. The difference in color is largely the result of the Red-shafted form harboring ketolated products at C4(4') of the carotenoids found in the Yellow-shafted form. Characterizing the carotenoid pigments in a series of birds of intermediate color (presumed hybrids) revealed that most accumulated a product of β-cryptoxanthin with a keto group on its hydroxylated ring (3-hydroxy-echinenone), while a few accumulated the product with a keto group on the unhydroxylated ring (3'-hydroxy-echinenone). Surprisingly, the latter group also had feather barbs that were noticeably yellower than the associated rachis, corresponding to a lower level of ketolation at C4(4'). We assessed possible biochemical explanations for the differences by probing the relative carotenoid concentration data in individuals of varying color. The difference between the hybrids could not be explained by the general level of ketolation of carotenoids or a particular selectivity of the 4-ketolase involved. We present a testable genetic explanation that invokes incompatibilities between divergent alleles of the two parental forms at interacting loci. Because the idiosyncrasies affect oxidation, they may be the product of mitonuclear incompatibilities.
(Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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