Applications of next-generation sequencing to the study of biological invasions

The complete mitochondrial genome of Gammarus roeselii (Crustacea, Amphipoda): insights into mitogenome plasticity and evolution

“…The value of such a strategy for mitogenome sequencing as an approach to study intraspecific expansion/ invasion is increasingly recognized (Rius et al, 2015) and it has been successfully applied to many organisms (e.g., Wu et al, 2017). The optimal strategy for G. roeselii remains to be found, being a compromise between sample size and genome coverage.…”

Ascidians as models for studying invasion success

“…These patterns raise the intriguing possibility that differential invasive potential has evolved in parallel in each of these lineages. Given that species from two of these species complexes (B. schlosseri and C. intestinalis) are genetic model systems that have had their genomes sequenced (Dehal et al 2002;Voskoboynik et al 2013), it now seems appropriate and possible to leverage high-throughput sequencing technologies to investigate the underpinnings of ascidian invasiveness at the genome level (see recent reviews by Chown et al 2015;Rius et al 2015a). One promising approach would be to use whole-genome re-sequencing or reduced representation libraries to perform population genomic scans for "outlier loci."…”

“…As a result, it is now possible to perform analyses that only a few years ago were out of reach. These include conducting genomic scans for "outlier loci" that may be involved in possible rapid local adaptation during biological invasions, or identifying specific chromosomal regions that may have been transferred between genotypes via intraspecific or interspecific admixture (Chown et al 2015;Rius et al 2015a). To fully exploit these technological advances, however, genetic data should also be paired with sound experimental approaches to identify and quantify quantitative variation in traits that confer increased virulence for specific genotypes of invasive ascidians.…”

Efficient screening for ‘genetic pollution’ in an anthropogenic crested newt hybrid zone

“…Nowadays, genomics plays a crucial role in biological invasion studies (Rius et al 2015) and genetic screening is a key component of management actions concerning invasive hybridizers (Chown et al 2015;Shaffer et al 2015). KASP genotyping is an efficient way to obtain genetic data: it can be used to genotype thousands of individuals rapidly, at a reasonable cost (Semagn et al 2014).…”