Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation
Embryogenesis is an essential and stereotypic process that nevertheless evolves among species. Its essentiality may favor the accumulation of cryptic genetic variation (CGV) that has no effect in the wild-type but that enhances or suppresses the effects of rare disruptions to gene function. Here, we...
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2015-08-01
|
Series: | eLife |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/09178 |
id |
doaj-066f10d1b46b455c94502c3a5db80f5d |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-066f10d1b46b455c94502c3a5db80f5d2021-05-04T23:58:37ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2015-08-01410.7554/eLife.09178Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variationAnnalise B Paaby0Amelia G White1David D Riccardi2Kristin C Gunsalus3Fabio Piano4Matthew V Rockman5Department of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, United StatesDepartment of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, United StatesDepartment of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, United StatesDepartment of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, United States; New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, United States; New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, United StatesEmbryogenesis is an essential and stereotypic process that nevertheless evolves among species. Its essentiality may favor the accumulation of cryptic genetic variation (CGV) that has no effect in the wild-type but that enhances or suppresses the effects of rare disruptions to gene function. Here, we adapted a classical modifier screen to interrogate the alleles segregating in natural populations of Caenorhabditis elegans: we induced gene knockdowns and used quantitative genetic methodology to examine how segregating variants modify the penetrance of embryonic lethality. Each perturbation revealed CGV, indicating that wild-type genomes harbor myriad genetic modifiers that may have little effect individually but which in aggregate can dramatically influence penetrance. Phenotypes were mediated by many modifiers, indicating high polygenicity, but the alleles tend to act very specifically, indicating low pleiotropy. Our findings demonstrate the extent of conditional functionality in complex trait architecture.https://elifesciences.org/articles/09178cryptic genetic variationgenetic backgroundmodifier variation |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Annalise B Paaby Amelia G White David D Riccardi Kristin C Gunsalus Fabio Piano Matthew V Rockman |
spellingShingle |
Annalise B Paaby Amelia G White David D Riccardi Kristin C Gunsalus Fabio Piano Matthew V Rockman Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation eLife cryptic genetic variation genetic background modifier variation |
author_facet |
Annalise B Paaby Amelia G White David D Riccardi Kristin C Gunsalus Fabio Piano Matthew V Rockman |
author_sort |
Annalise B Paaby |
title |
Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation |
title_short |
Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation |
title_full |
Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation |
title_fullStr |
Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation |
title_sort |
wild worm embryogenesis harbors ubiquitous polygenic modifier variation |
publisher |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
series |
eLife |
issn |
2050-084X |
publishDate |
2015-08-01 |
description |
Embryogenesis is an essential and stereotypic process that nevertheless evolves among species. Its essentiality may favor the accumulation of cryptic genetic variation (CGV) that has no effect in the wild-type but that enhances or suppresses the effects of rare disruptions to gene function. Here, we adapted a classical modifier screen to interrogate the alleles segregating in natural populations of Caenorhabditis elegans: we induced gene knockdowns and used quantitative genetic methodology to examine how segregating variants modify the penetrance of embryonic lethality. Each perturbation revealed CGV, indicating that wild-type genomes harbor myriad genetic modifiers that may have little effect individually but which in aggregate can dramatically influence penetrance. Phenotypes were mediated by many modifiers, indicating high polygenicity, but the alleles tend to act very specifically, indicating low pleiotropy. Our findings demonstrate the extent of conditional functionality in complex trait architecture. |
topic |
cryptic genetic variation genetic background modifier variation |
url |
https://elifesciences.org/articles/09178 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT annalisebpaaby wildwormembryogenesisharborsubiquitouspolygenicmodifiervariation AT ameliagwhite wildwormembryogenesisharborsubiquitouspolygenicmodifiervariation AT daviddriccardi wildwormembryogenesisharborsubiquitouspolygenicmodifiervariation AT kristincgunsalus wildwormembryogenesisharborsubiquitouspolygenicmodifiervariation AT fabiopiano wildwormembryogenesisharborsubiquitouspolygenicmodifiervariation AT matthewvrockman wildwormembryogenesisharborsubiquitouspolygenicmodifiervariation |
_version_ |
1721476685595934720 |