Evolutionary signals of selection on cognition from the great tit genome and methylome

Veronika N. Laine (), Toni I. Gossmann, Kyle M. Schachtschneider, Colin J. Garroway, Ole Madsen, Koen J. F. Verhoeven, Victor de Jager, Hendrik-Jan Megens, Wesley C. Warren, Patrick Minx, Richard P. M. A. Crooijmans, Pádraic Corcoran, Ben C. Sheldon, Jon Slate, Kai Zeng, Kees van Oers, Marcel E. Visser and Martien A. M. Groenen ()
Additional contact information
Veronika N. Laine: Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Toni I. Gossmann: University of Sheffield
Kyle M. Schachtschneider: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University
Colin J. Garroway: Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford
Ole Madsen: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University
Koen J. F. Verhoeven: Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Victor de Jager: Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Hendrik-Jan Megens: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University
Wesley C. Warren: The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine
Patrick Minx: The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine
Richard P. M. A. Crooijmans: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University
Pádraic Corcoran: University of Sheffield
Ben C. Sheldon: Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford
Jon Slate: University of Sheffield
Kai Zeng: University of Sheffield
Kees van Oers: Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Marcel E. Visser: Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Martien A. M. Groenen: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract For over 50 years, the great tit (Parus major) has been a model species for research in evolutionary, ecological and behavioural research; in particular, learning and cognition have been intensively studied. Here, to provide further insight into the molecular mechanisms behind these important traits, we de novo assemble a great tit reference genome and whole-genome re-sequence another 29 individuals from across Europe. We show an overrepresentation of genes related to neuronal functions, learning and cognition in regions under positive selection, as well as increased CpG methylation in these regions. In addition, great tit neuronal non-CpG methylation patterns are very similar to those observed in mammals, suggesting a universal role in neuronal epigenetic regulation which can affect learning-, memory- and experience-induced plasticity. The high-quality great tit genome assembly will play an instrumental role in furthering the integration of ecological, evolutionary, behavioural and genomic approaches in this model species.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10474

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