Open AccessY‐chromosome haplotypes are associated with variation in size and age at maturity in male Chinook salmon
Author(s) -
McKinney Garrett J.,
Seeb James E.,
Pascal Carita E.,
Schindler Daniel E.,
GilkBaumer Sara E.,
Seeb Lisa W.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
evolutionary applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 68
ISSN - 1752-4571
DOI - 10.1111/eva.13084
Subject(s) - biology , haplogroup , fecundity , mating , reproductive success , zoology , haplotype , population , reproduction , ecology , evolutionary biology , demography , genetics , allele , gene , sociology
Variation in size and age at maturity is an important component of life history that is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. In salmonids, large size confers a direct reproductive advantage through increased fecundity and egg quality in females, while larger males gain a reproductive advantage by monopolizing access to females. In addition, variation in size and age at maturity in males can be associated with different reproductive strategies; younger smaller males may gain reproductive success by sneaking among mating pairs. In both sexes, there is a trade‐off between older age and increased reproductive success and increased risk of mortality by delaying reproduction. We identified four Y‐chromosome haplogroups that showed regional‐ and population‐specific variation in frequency using RADseq data for 21 populations of Alaska Chinook salmon. We then characterized the range‐wide distribution of these haplogroups using GT‐seq assays. These haplogroups exhibited associations with size at maturity in multiple populations, suggesting that lack of recombination between X and Y‐chromosomes has allowed Y‐chromosome haplogroups to capture different alleles that influence size at maturity. Ultimately, conservation of life history diversity in Chinook salmon may require conservation of Y‐chromosome haplotype diversity.