Genomic diversity of gastropod Littoraria flava (King & Broderip, 1832) and study of gene flow patterns

• Grant number: 18/05118-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics
• Cooperation agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Sónia Cristina da Silva Andrade
• Grantee: Thainá Cortez Silva
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/20139-9 - Seascape genetics and evaluation of expression profiles on marine invertebrates on Brazilian Southeast coast, AP.JP

Abstract

Gene flow is a process that is directly related to the dispersal mechanism of the species, and it suffers direct influence of the reproductive mode, as well as the type of larval development, environmental tolerance and presence of barriers environmental factors, having a fundamental role on the population genetic structuring. Local ocean currents, as biogeographic barriers, must be correlated to dispersion capacity for a better understanding of the study. Littoraria flava (King & Broderip, 1832) is one of the most common gastropods from the Littorinidae family on the Brazilian coast, occurring in great abundance in rocky shores. The species has variations of known forms, as well as detailed anatomical and morphological structures well described. It is known that its development occurs by planctotrophic larvae, in which its larval stage presents a long pelagic period, a factor that favors dispersion. Ecological issues of the species are widely studied. In the present study, we will use the GBS (genotyping-by-sequencing) technique to investigate the genetic diversity of the L. flava populations along the rocky shore at the Southeast Coast and if there is subpopulations that exhibit micro structuring pattern between different sites along the shore. The use of the GBS technique will allow the identification of a greater diversity of the genome regions, including those that may be under the influence of natural selection or linked to the regions under selection, and it is also allows to infer more precisely the demographic processes that might be affecting those populations. (AU)