@article{delorenzo_mathews_brandon_joglekar_baez_moore_ciccotto_roberts_roberts_powder_2023, title={Genetic basis of ecologically relevant body shape variation among four genera of cichlid fishes}, volume={5}, ISSN={["1365-294X"]}, DOI={10.1111/mec.16977}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={MOLECULAR ECOLOGY}, author={DeLorenzo, Leah and Mathews, Destiny and Brandon, A. Allyson and Joglekar, Mansi and Baez, Aldo Carmona and Moore, Emily C. and Ciccotto, Patrick J. and Roberts, Natalie B. and Roberts, Reade B. and Powder, Kara E.}, year={2023}, month={May} }
 @article{delorenzo_debrock_baez_ciccotto_peterson_stull_roberts_roberts_powder_2022, title={Morphometric and Genetic Description of Trophic Adaptations in Cichlid Fishes}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2079-7737"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1165}, DOI={10.3390/biology11081165}, abstractNote={Since Darwin, biologists have sought to understand the evolution and origins of phenotypic adaptations. The skull is particularly diverse due to intense natural selection on feeding biomechanics. We investigated the genetic and molecular origins of trophic adaptation using Lake Malawi cichlids, which have undergone an exemplary evolutionary radiation. We analyzed morphological differences in the lateral and ventral head shape among an insectivore that eats by suction feeding, an obligate biting herbivore, and their F2 hybrids. We identified variation in a series of morphological traits—including mandible width, mandible length, and buccal length—that directly affect feeding kinematics and function. Using quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, we found that many genes of small effects influence these craniofacial adaptations. Intervals for some traits were enriched in genes related to potassium transport and sensory systems, the latter suggesting co-evolution of feeding structures and sensory adaptations for foraging. Despite these indications of co-evolution of structures, morphological traits did not show covariation. Furthermore, phenotypes largely mapped to distinct genetic intervals, suggesting that a common genetic basis does not generate coordinated changes in shape. Together, these suggest that craniofacial traits are mostly inherited as separate modules, which confers a high potential for the evolution of morphological diversity. Though these traits are not restricted by genetic pleiotropy, functional demands of feeding and sensory structures likely introduce constraints on variation. In all, we provide insights into the quantitative genetic basis of trophic adaptation, identify mechanisms that influence the direction of morphological evolution, and provide molecular inroads to craniofacial variation.}, number={8}, journal={BIOLOGY-BASEL}, author={DeLorenzo, Leah and DeBrock, Victoria and Baez, Aldo Carmona and Ciccotto, Patrick J. and Peterson, Erin N. and Stull, Clare and Roberts, Natalie B. and Roberts, Reade B. and Powder, Kara E.}, year={2022}, month={Aug} }
 @article{peterson_cline_moore_roberts_roberts_2017, title={Genetic sex determination in Astatotilapia calliptera, a prototype species for the Lake Malawi cichlid radiation}, volume={104}, ISSN={["1432-1904"]}, DOI={10.1007/s00114-017-1462-8}, abstractNote={East African cichlids display extensive variation in sex determination systems. The species Astatotilapia calliptera is one of the few cichlids that reside both in Lake Malawi and in surrounding waterways. A. calliptera is of interest in evolutionary studies as a putative immediate outgroup species for the Lake Malawi species flock and possibly as a prototype ancestor-like species for the radiation. Here, we use linkage mapping to test association of sex in A. calliptera with loci that have been previously associated with genetic sex determination in East African cichlid species. We identify a male heterogametic XY system segregating at linkage group (LG) 7 in an A. calliptera line that originated from Lake Malawi, at a locus previously shown to act as an XY sex determination system in multiple species of Lake Malawi cichlids. Significant association of genetic markers and sex produce a broad genetic interval of approximately 26 megabases (Mb) using the Nile tilapia genome to orient markers; however, we note that the marker with the strongest association with sex is near a gene that acts as a master sex determiner in other fish species. We demonstrate that alleles of the marker are perfectly associated with sex in Metriaclima mbenjii, a species from the rock-dwelling clade of Lake Malawi. While we do not rule out the possibility of other sex determination loci in A. calliptera, this study provides a foundation for fine mapping of the cichlid sex determination gene on LG7 and evolutionary context regarding the origin and persistence of the LG7 XY across diverse, rapidly evolving lineages.}, number={5-6}, journal={SCIENCE OF NATURE}, author={Peterson, Erin N. and Cline, Maggie E. and Moore, Emily C. and Roberts, Natalie B. and Roberts, Reade B.}, year={2017}, month={Jun} }
 @article{burford reiskind_coyle_daniels_labadie_reiskind_roberts_roberts_schaff_vargo_2016, title={Development of a universal double-digest RAD sequencing approach for a group of nonmodel, ecologically and economically important insect and fish taxa}, volume={16}, ISSN={1755-098X}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12527}, DOI={10.1111/1755-0998.12527}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={6}, journal={Molecular Ecology Resources}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Burford Reiskind, M. O. and Coyle, K. and Daniels, H. V. and Labadie, P. and Reiskind, M. H. and Roberts, N. B. and Roberts, R. B. and Schaff, J. and Vargo, E. L.}, year={2016}, month={May}, pages={1303–1314} }
 @article{roberts_juntti_coyle_dumont_stanley_ryan_fernald_roberts_2016, title={Polygenic sex determination in the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni}, volume={17}, ISSN={["1471-2164"]}, DOI={10.1186/s12864-016-3177-1}, abstractNote={The East African riverine cichlid species Astatotilapia burtoni serves as an important laboratory model for sexually dimorphic physiology and behavior, and also serves as an outgroup species for the explosive adaptive radiations of cichlid species in Lake Malawi and Lake Victoria. An astounding diversity of genetic sex determination systems have been revealed within the adaptive radiation of East African cichlids thus far, including polygenic sex determination systems involving the epistatic interaction of multiple, independently segregating sex determination alleles. However, sex determination has remained unmapped in A. burtoni. Here we present mapping results supporting the presence of multiple, novel sex determination alleles, and thus the presence of polygenic sex determination in A. burtoni.Using mapping in small families in conjunction with restriction-site associated DNA sequencing strategies, we identify associations with sex at loci on linkage group 13 and linkage group 5-14. Inheritance patterns support an XY sex determination system on linkage group 5-14 (a chromosome fusion relative to other cichlids studied), and an XYW system on linkage group 13, and these associations are replicated in multiple families. Additionally, combining our genetic data with comparative genomic analysis identifies another fusion that is unassociated with sex, with linkage group 8-24 and linkage group 16-21 fused in A. burtoni relative to other East African cichlid species.We identify genetic signals supporting the presence of three previously unidentified sex determination alleles at two loci in the species A. burtoni, strongly supporting the presence of polygenic sex determination system in the species. These results provide a foundation for future mapping of multiple sex determination genes and their interactions. A better understanding of sex determination in A. burtoni provides important context for their use in behavioral studies, as well as studies of the evolution of genetic sex determination and sexual conflicts in East African cichlids.}, journal={BMC GENOMICS}, author={Roberts, Natalie B. and Juntti, Scott A. and Coyle, Kaitlin P. and Dumont, Bethany L. and Stanley, M. Kaitlyn and Ryan, Allyson Q. and Fernald, Russell D. and Roberts, Reade B.}, year={2016}, month={Oct} }