title: Genome-wide association mapping in a wild avian population identifies a link between genetic and phenotypic variation in a life-history trait.
abstract: Understanding the genetic basis of traits involved in adaptation is a major challenge in evolutionary biology but remains poorly understood. Here, we use genome-wide association mapping using a custom 50 k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array in a natural population of collared flycatchers to examine the genetic basis of clutch size, an important life-history trait in many animal species. We found evidence for an association on chromosome 18 where one SNP significant at the genome-wide level explained 3.9% of the phenotypic variance. We also detected two suggestive quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosomes 9 and 26. Fitness differences among genotypes were generally weak and not significant, although there was some indication of a sex-by-genotype interaction for lifetime reproductive success at the suggestive QTL on chromosome 26. This implies that sexual antagonism may play a role in maintaining genetic variation at this QTL. Our findings provide candidate regions for a classic avian life-history trait that will be useful for future studies examining the molecular and cellular function of, as well as evolutionary mechanisms operating at, these loci.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala 75236, Sweden Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland arild.husby@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Arild
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Husby
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala 75236, Sweden.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 75007, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rönnegård
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala 75236, Sweden.
authors.forename: Linnéa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smeds
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala 75236, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ellegren
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala 75236, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qvarnström
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052284:Clutch Size; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D020308:Songbirds / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Ficedula albicollis; GWAS; QTL; clutch size; egg production; fitness trait
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