Integration of publicly available datasets reveals potential pesticide-induced genetic changes in a wild non-target animal
Pesticide use is ubiquitous. While pesticide resistance in target species such as insects is a well-known phenomenon, it is less known how pesticide exposures affect the genetics of non-target species. Here, we demonstrate the research value of integrating existing datasets to study chemical adaptation in the wild by analyzing spatial pesticide concentration data and genetic data that were not initially generated for toxicological purposes. Specifically, we found indications that polygenic non-target site resistance to environmental pesticide exposure developed in a non-target species, the wild boar. Gene ontology (GO) terms and KEGG and Reactome pathways related to nervous system function were overrepresented for the impacted genes, especially for insecticides, which is consistent with the frequent neurotoxic mode of actions of these types of pesticides. Further, we found that external studies characterizing the molecular mechanisms of these pesticides revealed the same pesticide - GO relationships as those observed in our analysis. Our results show that pesticide-induced genetic changes may not be constrained to target species but may also have an impact on the long-term viability of other wildlife populations. This finding urges the consideration and inclusion of chemical exposure into conservation protection strategies.