Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)

ABSTRACT Rhamdia quelen is a catfish widely distributed throughout South America, characterized by a complex taxonomic history. This species is a valuable resource for both fisheries and aquaculture. Due to its cultural and economic importance, it has been prioritized for conservation in the Neotrop...

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Main Authors: Néstor Ríos, Belén G. Pardo, Carlos Fernández, José Antonio Alvarez‐Dios, Paulino Martínez, Carmen Bouza, Graciela García
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71021
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author Néstor Ríos
Belén G. Pardo
Carlos Fernández
José Antonio Alvarez‐Dios
Paulino Martínez
Carmen Bouza
Graciela García
author_facet Néstor Ríos
Belén G. Pardo
Carlos Fernández
José Antonio Alvarez‐Dios
Paulino Martínez
Carmen Bouza
Graciela García
author_sort Néstor Ríos
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Rhamdia quelen is a catfish widely distributed throughout South America, characterized by a complex taxonomic history. This species is a valuable resource for both fisheries and aquaculture. Due to its cultural and economic importance, it has been prioritized for conservation in the Neotropical region. Population genomics studies supported two main lineages latitudinally distributed (North and South) in the Neotropical basins Río de la Plata and Laguna Merín based on current genetic isolation and signals of local adaptation. In this study, we characterized the R. quelen transcriptome in brain, head kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, testis, and ovary by RNAseq to target genes and associated markers involved in key adaptive traits. After filtering, a comprehensive catalog of 24,433 transcripts was annotated, providing insights into the immune function of head kidney and liver, the association of brain with the endocrine system, and the metabolic function of liver. Skeletal muscle and brain expressed genes associated with growth were also identified. Transcriptomic differences suggestive of adaptation to temperature and salinity were revealed between North and South genomic lineages. A total of 100,045 SNPs loci were identified within transcripts, most of them (78.8%) showing low genetic differentiation between lineages (FST ≤ 0.100). However, 2504 loci (2.5%) showed high differentiation (FST ≥ 0.800), some of them located within genes associated with putative adaptation of genomic lineages to environmental factors such as temperature and salinity. These SNPs represent useful gene markers for future functional and population genomic studies for sustainable management of wild populations and their application in breeding programs.
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spelling doaj-art-ff2ebecb2c8649319626c24379e21d312025-08-20T03:14:22ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-03-01153n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71021Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)Néstor Ríos0Belén G. Pardo1Carlos Fernández2José Antonio Alvarez‐Dios3Paulino Martínez4Carmen Bouza5Graciela García6Sección Genética Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias UdelaR Montevideo UruguayDepartamento de Zoología, Genética y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Terra Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Lugo SpainDepartamento de Zoología, Genética y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Terra Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Lugo SpainDepartamento de Matemática Aplicada, Facultad de Matemáticas Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela SpainDepartamento de Zoología, Genética y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Terra Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Lugo SpainDepartamento de Zoología, Genética y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Terra Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Lugo SpainSección Genética Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias UdelaR Montevideo UruguayABSTRACT Rhamdia quelen is a catfish widely distributed throughout South America, characterized by a complex taxonomic history. This species is a valuable resource for both fisheries and aquaculture. Due to its cultural and economic importance, it has been prioritized for conservation in the Neotropical region. Population genomics studies supported two main lineages latitudinally distributed (North and South) in the Neotropical basins Río de la Plata and Laguna Merín based on current genetic isolation and signals of local adaptation. In this study, we characterized the R. quelen transcriptome in brain, head kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, testis, and ovary by RNAseq to target genes and associated markers involved in key adaptive traits. After filtering, a comprehensive catalog of 24,433 transcripts was annotated, providing insights into the immune function of head kidney and liver, the association of brain with the endocrine system, and the metabolic function of liver. Skeletal muscle and brain expressed genes associated with growth were also identified. Transcriptomic differences suggestive of adaptation to temperature and salinity were revealed between North and South genomic lineages. A total of 100,045 SNPs loci were identified within transcripts, most of them (78.8%) showing low genetic differentiation between lineages (FST ≤ 0.100). However, 2504 loci (2.5%) showed high differentiation (FST ≥ 0.800), some of them located within genes associated with putative adaptation of genomic lineages to environmental factors such as temperature and salinity. These SNPs represent useful gene markers for future functional and population genomic studies for sustainable management of wild populations and their application in breeding programs.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71021genomic lineageslocal adaptationtranscriptomic divergence
spellingShingle Néstor Ríos
Belén G. Pardo
Carlos Fernández
José Antonio Alvarez‐Dios
Paulino Martínez
Carmen Bouza
Graciela García
Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)
Ecology and Evolution
genomic lineages
local adaptation
transcriptomic divergence
title Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)
title_full Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)
title_fullStr Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)
title_full_unstemmed Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)
title_short Transcriptomic Divergence and Associated Markers Between Genomic Lineages of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)
title_sort transcriptomic divergence and associated markers between genomic lineages of silver catfish rhamdia quelen
topic genomic lineages
local adaptation
transcriptomic divergence
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71021
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