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Updated: Apr 8, 2026
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Analyzing Gene Expression from Marine Microbial Communities using Environmental Transcriptomics
Published on: February 18, 2009
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Transcriptome sequencing reveals both neutral and adaptive genome dynamics in a marine invader
1Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA.
Molecular Ecology
|June 30, 2015
Summary
High-throughput sequencing reveals population structure in the invasive European green crab. Non-neutral processes shape native populations, while neutral processes dominate invaded ranges, highlighting adaptation
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Invasive species research
- Population genetics
Background:
- Species invasions cause significant ecological and economic damage.
- High dispersal and gene flow in marine invasive species challenge traditional genetic analyses.
- High-throughput sequencing offers advanced resolution for studying invasion dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare genetic diversity and population structure of the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) in native and invasive ranges using a transcriptome-based approach.
- To investigate the roles of neutral and non-neutral evolutionary processes in shaping population structure.
- To assess the utility of high-throughput sequencing for understanding recent marine invasions.
Main Methods:
- Employed a transcriptome-based approach to develop a panel of 10,809 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
- Analyzed genetic data from two native and five invasive populations of Carcinus maenas.
- Compared population structure using the full SNP dataset and a subset of 9,246 putatively neutral SNPs.
Main Results:
- Identified significant population structure in invasive populations previously undifferentiated by traditional markers.
- Found evidence that non-neutral processes primarily drive population structure in the native range, while neutral processes dominate in the invaded range.
- Observed non-neutral structure in the native range correlating with differences in intraspecific thermal tolerance, suggesting temperature as a selective agent.
Conclusions:
- Adaptation plays a crucial role in shaping intraspecific differences, even in marine invasive species with high gene flow.
- High-throughput sequencing approaches are effective for determining population structure in recent invasions of high-dispersal species.
- Integrating neutral and non-neutral data enhances understanding of invasion dynamics in marine environments.
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