Data from: Genome scanning for detecting adaptive genes along environmental gradients in the Japanese conifer, Cryptomeria japonica

Local adaptation is important in evolutionary processes and speciation. We used multiple tests to identify several candidate genes that may be involved in local adaptation from 1026 loci in 14 natural populations of Cryptomeria japonica, the most economically important forestry tree in Japan. We also studied the relationships between genotypes and environmental variables to obtain information on the selective pressures acting on individual populations. Outlier loci were mapped onto a linkage map, and the positions of loci associated with specific environmental variables are considered. The outlier loci were not randomly distributed on the linkage map; linkage group 11 was identified as a genomic island of divergence. Three loci in this region were also associated with environmental variables such as mean annual temperature, daily maximum temperature, maximum snow depth, and so on. Outlier loci identified with high significance levels will be essential for conservation purposes and for future work on molecular breeding.

本地适应在进化过程与物种形成中具有重要意义。本研究以日本经济价值最高的用材树种柳杉（Cryptomeria japonica）为研究材料，从其14个自然种群的1026个基因座中，通过多种检验方法筛选出若干可能参与本地适应的候选基因。此外，我们还分析了基因型与环境变量之间的关联，以获取作用于各自然种群的选择压力相关信息。我们将异常基因座定位至连锁图谱，并考察了与特定环境变量相关联的基因座的位置。研究发现，异常基因座在连锁图谱上并非随机分布：第11连锁群被鉴定为分化基因组岛（genomic island of divergence）。该区域内的3个基因座同时与年平均气温、日最高气温、最大积雪深度等环境变量存在关联。经高显著性水平筛选得到的异常基因座，将在物种保护及未来分子育种研究中具有重要应用价值。