Sex matters in massive parallel sequencing: Evidence for biases in genetic parameter estimation and investigation of sex determination systems

Type Article
Date 2017-12
Language English
Author(s) Benestan Laura1, 2, Moore Jean-Sebastien1, 2, Sutherland Ben J. G.1, 2, Le Luyer JeremyORCID1, 2, Maaroufi Halim2, Rougeux Clement1, 2, Normandeau Eric1, 2, Rycroft Nathan3, Atema Jelle3, Harris Les N.4, Tallman Ross F.4, Greenwood Spencer J.5, 6, Clark Fraser K.5, 6, Bernatchez Louis1, 2
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Laval, Dept Biol, Quebec City, PQ, Canada.
2 : Univ Laval, IBIS, Quebec City, PQ, Canada.
3 : Boston Univ, Dept Biol, 5 Cummington St, Boston, MA 02215 USA.
4 : Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Freshwater Inst, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
5 : Univ Prince Edward Isl, Dept Biomed Sci, Atlantic Vet Coll, Charlottetown, PE, Canada.
6 : Univ Prince Edward Isl, AVC Lobster Sci Ctr, Atlantic Vet Coll, Charlottetown, PE, Canada.
Source Molecular Ecology (0962-1083) (Wiley), 2017-12 , Vol. 26 , N. 24 , P. 6767-6783
DOI 10.1111/mec.14217
WOS© Times Cited 34
Keyword(s) conservation genetics, fisheries management, genotyping-by-sequencing, marine genomics, RADseq
Abstract

Using massively parallel sequencing data from two species with different life history traits, American lobster (Homarus americanus) and Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus), we highlight how an unbalanced sex ratio in the samples and a few sex-linked markers may lead to false interpretations of population structure and thus to potentially erroneous management recommendations. Here, multivariate analyses revealed two genetic clusters separating samples by sex instead of by expected spatial variation: inshore and offshore locations in lobster, or east and west locations in Arctic Char. To further investigate this, we created several subsamples artificially varying the sex ratio in the inshore/offshore and east/west groups and then demonstrated that significant genetic differentiation could be observed despite panmixia in lobster, and that FST values were overestimated in Arctic Char. This pattern was due to 12 and 94 sex-linked markers driving differentiation for lobster and Arctic Char, respectively. Removing sex-linked markers led to nonsignificant genetic structure in lobster and a more accurate estimation of FST in Arctic Char. The locations of these markers and putative identities of genes containing or nearby the markers were determined using available transcriptomic and genomic data, and this provided new information related to sex determination in both species. Given that only 9.6% of all marine/diadromous population genomic studies to date have reported sex information, we urge researchers to collect and consider individual sex information. Sex information is therefore relevant for avoiding unexpected biases due to sex-linked markers as well as for improving our knowledge of sex determination systems in nonmodel species.

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Benestan Laura, Moore Jean-Sebastien, Sutherland Ben J. G., Le Luyer Jeremy, Maaroufi Halim, Rougeux Clement, Normandeau Eric, Rycroft Nathan, Atema Jelle, Harris Les N., Tallman Ross F., Greenwood Spencer J., Clark Fraser K., Bernatchez Louis (2017). Sex matters in massive parallel sequencing: Evidence for biases in genetic parameter estimation and investigation of sex determination systems. Molecular Ecology, 26(24), 6767-6783. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14217 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00409/52046/