Estimating Genetic Diversity of the Invasive Tunicate Didemnum vexillum in Global Populations Elizabeth S. Gutierrez2 and C. Sarah Cohen1 1Romberg Tiburon Center and Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 2California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA Contact Information: Elizabeth Gutierrez: [email protected] C. Sarah Cohen: [email protected] Background Research Goal Analysis & Preliminary Results The ascidian chordate Didemnum vexillum,orDvex,alsoknownas Our goal was to obtain and analyze mitochondrial gene sequences Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium F-statistics are commonly used in the “carpet sea squirt” or “sea vomit” is an invasive species that from the cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) locus and compare them to an population genetic analysis, but are not necessarily the best metric for was first documented in the San Francisco Bay area in 1993. Its existing global database to determine relative levels of genetic an invasive species. We used Bayesian inference, which quantifies ability to overgrow and smother native organisms has made its diversity. We focused on Eastern Pacific invasive populations along population parameter uncertainties based on conditional probabilities, dispersal and colonization a great ecological and economical the west coast of North America, namely Sitka, Alaska and San to estimate population parameters. The program MIGRATE-n (Beerli, concern. D. vexillum poses a serious threat to aquaculture and Francisco Bay area populations, in comparison to native Japan 2010) was used on the sequence data to estimate various population benthic communities, both of which have a significant economic population samples. Western Atlantic populations in Connecticut and genetic parameters using a Bayesian inference model. We used the impact. Maine were also examined in comparison to Japan and United States estimated theta (ѳ) values, which is given by the formula 4Ne µ where Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife http://wdfw.wa.gov/ais/didemnum_vexillum/ west coast. Ne is the effective population size and µ is the gene mutation rate, as http://www.codoncode.com/images/aligner2.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DNA_sequence.svg our main measure of genetic diversity in each population. Examples DNA sequence data visualization: (LEFT) Electropherogram data from a gene sequence visualized by the DNA sequencing software program Sequencher. (RIGHT) An example (not D. vexillum) of an aligned gene sequence from 19 individuals. Why estimate genetic diversity ? D. vexillum Global Distribution Relative genetic diversity of Japan and Alaska populations: The mean ѳ value for the Japan population is more than 5 times larger than that of Alaska. The credibility interval for Japan’s ѳ value is significantly tighter than that of Alaska, The genetic diversity of a population can indicate how long it has which gives a more reliable result. been established, its ability to further expand, and can illustrate a pattern of dispersal by identifying potential geographic origins. Understanding diversity patterns of D. vexillum will serve management purposes and policy implementation for the prevention of further invasions. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife http://wdfw.wa.gov/ais/didemnum_vexillum/ Relative genetic diversity of Japan and San Francisco Bay populations: The mean ѳ value for the Japan population is larger, but not drastically larger than that of the San Francisco Bay. Both ѳ values show good credibility intervals given the non-specific parameter settings. Image by Darragh Clancy Future Research Global distribution of D.vexillum (Dvex): Dvex is native to Japan, and has • Longer, repeated MIGRATE-n runs with varying search strategies colonized regions of Europe, New England, and more recently the west coast of the United States. Whiting Harbor in Sitka, Alaska is the most recently discovered location of invasion. to test robustness of our initial promising results. • More numerous and variable loci (i.e. microsatellites) will provide more robust estimates of both genetic diversity and Predictions levels of directional migration among populations. • As the most recent, and geographically limited population, Alaska • More San Francisco Bay and other west coast sites to estimate will have the lowest level of genetic diversity local patterns of diversity and gene flow Fisheries and Oceans Canada The impact of Didemnum spp. on aquaculture • Asthenativesourcepopulation,Japanwillhavethehighestlevel • Larger sample sizes for some populations. http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/enviro/aquaculture/rd2011/rdshellfish-mollusques-eng.html and its method of expansion: of genetic diversity Acknowledgements (ABOVE) Left: A photo of an invasive • The San Francisco Bay area populations will have a level of genetic Thanks to the following people and groups for their assistance, support, and encouragement throughout the summer: Darragh Didemnum species found growing on mussel Clancy, Benson Chow, Carrie Craig, Danielle Desmet, Addie Evans, Vanessa Guerra, Vanessa Miller-Sims, Beth Sheets, Joseph cages in British Columbia. Right: An example diversity comparable to Japan due to being multiply-sourced from Spaulding, The Cohen Lab , The Cal Poly STAR Program and Fellows, The Romberg Tiburon Center and San Francisco State, and of how human vectors are responsible for the high marine traffic NSF, and all sources of funding for the STAR program. SFSU RTC gene lab use thanks to NSF FSML Grant 0435033 (CSC). global expansion of other invasive tunicates. References (LEFT) D. vexillum growing on an oyster shell. 1. Beerli, Peter (2010) Tutorial: Comparison of gene flow models using Bayes Factors. Online, accessed Aug 2013. <http://popgen.sc.fsu.edu/Migrate/Tutorials/Entries/2010/7/12_Day_of_longboarding.html> 2. Cohen CS, McCann L, Davis T, Shaw L, Ruiz G (2011) Discovery and significance of the colonial tunicate Didemnum vexillum in Alaska. Aquat Invasions 6:363–371 3. Herborg, L-M., O’Hara, P. & Therriault, T.W. (2009) Forecasting the potential distribution of the invasive tunicate Didemnum vexillum. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46, 64–72. 4. Stefaniak L, Lambert G, Gittenberger A, Zhang H, Lin S, and Whitlach RB (2008) Genetic conspecificity of the worldwide populations of Didemnum vexillum Kott, 2002. Aquatic Invasions 4: 29-44 RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012 www.PosterPresentations.com.