No evidence for an association between Clock gene allelic variation and migration timing in a long-distance migratory shorebird (Limosa lapponica baueri)

Abstract

No evidence for an association between Clock gene allelic variation and migration timing in a long-distance migratory shorebird (Limosa lapponica baueri). Oecologia, 191(4), 843-859.

Time trees and clock genes: a systematic review and comparative analysis of contemporary avian migration genetics

“…*, P < 0.10; **, P < 0.05; ***, P < 0.02. Caprioli et al, 2012;Kuhn et al, 2013) whilst others found no evidence for an association (Peterson et al, 2013;Contina et al, 2018;Parody-Merino et al, 2019). Additionally, several transcriptomic studies on related species have detected no differences in expression levels of key clock genes (Jones et al, 2008a;Franchini et al, 2017;Brown, 2019) used in candidate gene association studies.…”

“…The bar-tailed godwit subspecies Limosa lapponica baueri (Linnaeus) makes one of the most arduous annual journeys, breeding in Siberia and Alaska and overwintering in New Zealand. Parody-Merino et al (2019) reported a high degree of Clock variability, with three nearly equally distributed alleles Q 9 -Q 11 . Statistical analyses revealed no clear relationship between allele size and timing of migration, but a slight latitudinal cline was observed with longer alleles tending to be found in individuals that travel further north.…”

“…Parody‐Merino et al . (2019) reported a high degree of Clock variability, with three nearly equally distributed alleles Q 9 –Q 11 . Statistical analyses revealed no clear relationship between allele size and timing of migration, but a slight latitudinal cline was observed with longer alleles tending to be found in individuals that travel further north.…”

“…A significant association between candidate gene variability and factors contributing to migration patterns, annual synchronicity in life events, or geographical processes has been illustrated in multiple species‐specific studies across several lineages within the order Passeriformes, including Palaearctic and Nearctic warblers (Bazzi et al ., 2017; Ralston et al ., 2019), swallows (Caprioli et al ., 2012; Bazzi et al ., 2015), tits (Liedvogel et al ., 2009), chats (Justen et al ., 2022), and flycatchers (Kuhn et al ., 2013); whilst associations were not clear or absent for other lineages (Contina et al ., 2018; Parody‐Merino et al ., 2019). Additionally, although some heritability was observed in a study comparing migratory species from several lineages that share the same trans‐Saharan migratory flyway (Bazzi et al ., 2016 a ), a cross‐species comparative study on a subset of candidate genes failed to detect a clear, generalised relationship between clock gene diversity and divergence between migratory versus resident bird species (Lugo Ramos, Delmore & Liedvogel, 2017).…”

Candidate gene length polymorphisms are linked to dispersive behaviour: searching for a mechanism behind the “paradox of the great speciators”

“…Previous studies in migratory birds focusing on CLOCK variation show mixed results. Longer allele lengths have been found to be positively correlated with migratory propensity (Peterson et al, 2013), and variation in the phenology of migratory species (Liedvogel et al, 2009; Caprioli et al, 2012; Bazzi et al, 2015), but in some cases allele lengths are negatively correlated with migration date (Ralston et al, 2019) or not correlated at all (Mueller et al, 2011; Contina et al, 2018; Parody-Merino et al, 2019). CLOCK plays a key role in regulating the circadian oscillator gene complex (Panda et al, 2002), and is associated with variation in the phenology of photoperiodic traits (e.g.…”