| Autor: |
Smith EG; Department of Biological Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.; Water Research Center & Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE., Hazzouri KM; Water Research Center & Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.; Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, UAE., Choi JY; Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA., Delaney P; Water Research Center & Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE., Al-Kharafi M; Department of Fisheries Resource Development, Public Authority of Agriculture and Fisheries Resources, Kuwait City, Kuwait., Howells EJ; Water Research Center & Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.; National Marine Science Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia., Aranda M; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia., Burt JA; Water Research Center & Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE. |
| Abstrakt: |
Coral populations in the world’s warmest reefs, the Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG), represent an ideal model system to understand the evolutionary response of coral populations to past and present environmental change and to identify genomic loci that contribute to elevated thermal tolerance. Here, we use population genomics of the brain coral Platygyra daedalea to show that corals in the PAG represent a distinct subpopulation that was established during the Holocene marine transgression, and identify selective sweeps in their genomes associated with thermal adaptation. We demonstrate the presence of positive and disruptive selection and provide evidence for selection of differentially methylated haplotypes. While demographic analyses suggest limited potential for genetic rescue of neighboring Indian Ocean reefs, the presence of putative targets of selection in corals outside of the PAG offers hope that loci associated with thermal tolerance may be present in the standing genetic variation. |
