The Effect of Spontaneous Mutations on Behavioral Phenotypes in Daphnia Magna

Sarah Eberle, Lewis-Clark State College
Djeneba Dezoumbe, Lewis-Clark State College
Rhegan Humphrey, Lewis-Clark State College
Shane Kinzer, Lewis-Clark State College
Whitney Raver, Lewis-Clark State College
Sarah Shaack, Reed College
Leigh C. Latta (Mentor), Lewis-Clark State College

W32

Abstract

The context-dependence of spontaneous deleterious mutations is important for predicting evolutionary patterns within populations. We investigated the impact of genetic background and trait-type on spontaneous mutational susceptibility using phenotypic assays from mutant and control lines of Daphnia magna. Mutational bias estimates were calculated based on morphological, life-history, and behavioral traits. Results varied between the populations and among the genotypes, which suggests that there is a relationship between mutational susceptibility and genomic background. The mutability of trait types also varied, with greater mutational bias seen in behavioral traits than in non-behavioral traits. Results may reflect the unique evolutionary histories of these Daphnia magna populations. Anti-protein aggregation compounds may be able to rescue the mutant line phenotypes like those measured in this assay.

 

The Effect of Spontaneous Mutations on Behavioral Phenotypes in Daphnia Magna

The context-dependence of spontaneous deleterious mutations is important for predicting evolutionary patterns within populations. We investigated the impact of genetic background and trait-type on spontaneous mutational susceptibility using phenotypic assays from mutant and control lines of Daphnia magna. Mutational bias estimates were calculated based on morphological, life-history, and behavioral traits. Results varied between the populations and among the genotypes, which suggests that there is a relationship between mutational susceptibility and genomic background. The mutability of trait types also varied, with greater mutational bias seen in behavioral traits than in non-behavioral traits. Results may reflect the unique evolutionary histories of these Daphnia magna populations. Anti-protein aggregation compounds may be able to rescue the mutant line phenotypes like those measured in this assay.