Comprehensive whole-genome resequencing reveals genetic diversity and adaptive evolution in Acanthopagrus latus

Acanthopagrus latus, a species of significant economic importance, predominantly inhabits the warm waters of the Indo-Western Pacific. The genetic characteristics and adaptive evolution of this species have not been well studied. In this study, we collected 60 individuals from six distinct geographic locations and performed whole-genome resequencing, achieving an average sequencing depth of 12.59X, which resulted in the identification of 19,488,059 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The nucleotide polymorphism across all populations was consistent, ranging from 0.003042 to 0.003155, indicating low genetic differentiation among populations. Comparative analyses revealed that populations other than XM have undergone adaptive evolution, potentially linked to traits such as growth and development, feeding, immunity, and movement. This study represents the first genomic-level exploration of the Population genetics and adaptive evolutionary patterns of A. latus and provides a crucial foundation for future resource conservation and management strategies for this economically valuable species.