Originally published as Genetics Published Articles Ahead of Print on June 18, 2006.

Genetics, Vol. 173, 2021-2031, August 2006, Copyright © 2006
doi:10.1534/genetics.106.058651

Patterns of Nucleotide Polymorphism Distinguish Temperate and Tropical Wild Isolates of Caenorhabditis briggsae

* Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom and {dagger} Institut Jacques Monod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Universities Paris 6/7, Paris, France

1 Corresponding author: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.
E-mail: acutter{at}eeb.utoronto.ca

Caenorhabditis briggsae provides a natural comparison species for the model nematode C. elegans, given their similar morphology, life history, and hermaphroditic mode of reproduction. Despite C. briggsae boasting a published genome sequence and establishing Caenorhabditis as a model genus for genetics and development, little is known about genetic variation across the geographic range of this species. In this study, we greatly expand the collection of natural isolates and characterize patterns of nucleotide variation for six loci in 63 strains from three continents. The pattern of polymorphisms reveals differentiation between C. briggsae strains found in temperate localities in the northern hemisphere from those sampled near the Tropic of Cancer, with diversity within the tropical region comparable to what is found for C. elegans in Europe. As in C. elegans, linkage disequilibrium is pervasive, although recombination is evident among some variant sites, indicating that outcrossing has occurred at a low rate in the history of the sample. In contrast to C. elegans, temperate regions harbor extremely little variation, perhaps reflecting colonization and recent expansion of C. briggsae into northern latitudes. We discuss these findings in relation to their implications for selection, demographic history, and the persistence of self-fertilization.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
C. G. Artieri, W. Haerty, B. P. Gupta, and R. S. Singh
Sexual Selection and Maintenance of Sex: Evidence from Comparisons of Rates of Genomic Accumulation of Mutations and Divergence of Sex-Related Genes in Sexual and Hermaphroditic Species of Caenorhabditis
Mol. Biol. Evol., May 1, 2008; 25(5): 972 - 979.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
A. D. Cutter, J. D. Wasmuth, and N. L. Washington
Patterns of Molecular Evolution in Caenorhabditis Preclude Ancient Origins of Selfing
Genetics, April 1, 2008; 178(4): 2093 - 2104.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
D. F. Kelleher, C. E. de Carvalho, A. V. Doty, M. Layton, A. T. Cheng, L. D. Mathies, D. Pilgrim, and E. S. Haag
Comparative Genetics of Sex Determination: Masculinizing Mutations in Caenorhabditis briggsae
Genetics, March 1, 2008; 178(3): 1415 - 1429.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
A. D. Cutter
Multilocus Patterns of Polymorphism and Selection Across the X Chromosome of Caenorhabditis remanei
Genetics, March 1, 2008; 178(3): 1661 - 1672.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
T. Inoue, M. Ailion, S. Poon, H. K. Kim, J. H. Thomas, and P. W. Sternberg
Genetic Analysis of Dauer Formation in Caenorhabditis briggsae
Genetics, October 1, 2007; 177(2): 809 - 818.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
A. D. Cutter, S. E. Baird, and D. Charlesworth
High Nucleotide Polymorphism and Rapid Decay of Linkage Disequilibrium in Wild Populations of Caenorhabditis remanei
Genetics, October 1, 2006; 174(2): 901 - 913.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]