Biology subjects

Bonar, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Bonar, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Biological implications of a detailed repeat annotation in Octopus vulgaris

Octopuses are phenotypically distinctive organisms, and recent genomic work raises questions about the contributions of transposable elements (TE) to their genomic architecture. We leveraged a robust repeat annotation pipeline, in combination with manual and automated curatorial techniques, to produce a more comprehensive repeat annotation of Octopus vulgaris. This revealed that [~]66% of the genome are repeats, in contrast to previous estimates of 43-50%. Whereas previous studies of TE expansion in Octopus bimaculoides identified two bursts of activity, 25 and 56 MYA, our re-annotation revealed four such expansions at 18, 25, 33, and 56 MYA. We further identified a landscape of TE hot- and cold spots. This much refined TE timescape and landscape will serve as a useful basis for understanding TE contributions to O. vulgaris evolution, and also for identifying factors contributing to variation in the TE community across genomic space and evolutionary time.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

The heritability of migration behaviours in a wide-ranging ungulate

Migration behaviour is thought to be declining globally in the face of rapid human-mediated environmental change. While many species exhibit individual plasticity in their migratory behaviour, not all species demonstrate the level of plasticity necessary to adjust to novel conditions. Selection on heritable behaviours might therefore play an important role in the maintenance of migratory phenotypes for some species. Using GPS and genomic data from 242 individuals (256 animal-years) in a pedigree-free quantitative genetic approach, we estimated heritability, repeatability, and sources of environmental variation for migration traits in migrating mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). We also estimated heritability of body size to ensure validity of our results. Heritability estimates of body size traits were comparable to the current estimates for ungulate body size. We found low heritability for broad patterns of migration timing, distance, and duration, but high heritability for movement rate along the migratory route. Our findings suggest that wild mule deer populations have the potential to respond to selection pressure generated by human activity or global environmental changes through microevolutionary changes in migration behaviours. Significance StatementMigration behaviour is critical for the reproduction and survival of a wide variety of taxa, yet there have been global declines in migrations in the face of rapid human-mediated environmental change. Despite our understanding that variation in migration behaviour has both genetic and environmental components, studies quantifying the sources of genetic variation contributing to migration phenotypes are lacking. Our study provides, to our knowledge, the first empirical evidence of heritability in a migration behaviour in ungulates. These results have implications for the evolution and maintenance of migration behaviours in natural populations.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2022

Genomic correlates for migratory direction in a free-ranging cervid

Animal migrations are some of the most ubiquitous and one of the most threatened ecological processes. A wide range of migratory behaviours occur in nature, and this behaviour is not uniform between and within species, where even individuals in the same population can exhibit differentiation. While the environment largely drives migratory behaviour, it is necessary to understand the genetic mechanisms influencing migration to elucidate the adaptive potential of migratory species to cope with novel conditions and adapt to environmental change. In this study, we identified genes associated with migratory traits by undertaking pooled genome-wide scans on a natural population of a facultatively migrating ungulate. We identified genomic regions associated with variation in migratory direction in the study population, including FTM1, a gene linked to the formation of lipids, and DPPA3, a gene linked to epigenetic modifications of the maternal line. Such a genetic basis for migratory traits can have implications on heritability of behaviour and the flexibility of individuals to change their behaviour in the face of stochastic changes in their environment.

genomics↗