Data from: Selection on VPS13A linked to migration in a songbird

Animal migration demands an interconnected suite of adaptations for
individuals to navigate over long distances. This trait complex is crucial
for small birds whose migratory behaviors—such as directionality—are more
likely innate, rather than being learned as in many longer-lived birds.
Identifying causal genes has been a central goal of migration ecology, and
this endeavor has been furthered by genome-scale comparisons. However,
even the most successful studies of migration genetics have achieved low
resolution associations, identifying large chromosomal regions that
encompass hundreds of genes, one or more of which might be causal. Here we
leverage the genomic similarity among golden-winged (Vermivora
chrysoptera) and blue-winged warblers (V. cyanoptera) to identify a single
gene—Vacuolar Protein Sorting 13A (VPS13A)—that is associated with
distinct differences in migration to Central American (CA) or South
American (SA) wintering areas. We find reduced sequence variation in this
gene-region for SA wintering birds, and show this is the likely result of
natural selection on this locus. In humans, variants of VPS13A are linked
to the neurodegenerative disorder chorea-acanthocytosis. This new
association provides one of the strongest gene-level associations with
avian migration differences.