Aggression is a quantitative trait deeply entwined with individual fitness. Mapping the genomic architecture underlying such traits is complicated by complex inheritance patterns, social structure, pedigree information and gene pleiotropy. Here, we leveraged the pedigree of a reintroduced population of grey wolves (Canis lupus ) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, to examine the heritability of and the genetic variation associated with aggression. Since their reintroduction, many ecological and behavioural aspects have been documented, providing unmatched records of aggressive behaviour across multiple generations of a wild population of wolves. Using a linear mixed model, a robust genetic relationship matrix, 12,288 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 111 wolves, we estimated the SNP‐based heritability of aggression to be 37% and an additional 14% of the phenotypic variation explained by shared environmental exposures. We identified 598 SNP genotypes from 425 grey wolves to resolve a consensus pedigree that was included in a heritability analysis of 141 individuals with SNP genotype, metadata and aggression data. The pedigree‐based heritability estimate for aggression is 14%, and an additional 16% of the phenotypic variation was explained by shared environmental exposures. We find strong effects of breeding status and relative pack size on aggression. Through an integrative approach, these results provide a framework for understanding the genetic architecture of a complex trait that influences individual fitness, with linkages to reproduction, in a social carnivore. Along with a few other studies, we show here the incredible utility of a pedigreed natural population for dissecting a complex, fitness‐related behavioural trait.

中文翻译：

---

北美灰狼野生纯种种群间群间侵略的遗传力。

侵略性是与个体适应性密切相关的定量特征。复杂的遗传模式，社会结构，谱系信息和基因多效性使绘制出具有这些特征的基因组结构变得复杂。在这里，我们利用了重新引入的灰狼种群的血统（Canis lupus）在美国怀俄明州的黄石国家公园进行，以研究侵略性的遗传性和遗传变异。自从重新引入以来，已记录了许多生态和行为方面的内容，为跨多代野生狼群的侵略行为提供了无与伦比的记录。使用线性混合模型，稳健的遗传关系矩阵，12,288个单核苷酸多态性（SNP）和111头狼，我们估计基于SNP的攻击遗传力为37％，另外14％的表型变异由共同的环境暴露所解释。我们从425头灰狼中鉴定出598个SNP基因型，以解决一个共识谱系，该谱系包括在141个具有SNP基因型，元数据和攻击性数据的个体的遗传力分析中。基于谱系的侵略性遗传估计为14％，另外16％的表型变异由共同的环境暴露所解释。我们发现繁殖状态和相对包装大小对侵略性有很强的影响。通过综合方法，这些结果为理解复杂特征的遗传结构提供了一个框架，该特征影响个体食肉，并与社交食肉动物有生殖联系。与其他一些研究一起，我们在这里展示了纯种自然种群在剖析复杂的，与健身相关的行为特征方面的不可思议的效用。这些结果为理解食肉动物复杂性状的遗传结构提供了一个框架，该遗传性状影响个体适应度以及与生殖的联系。与其他一些研究一起，我们在这里展示了纯种自然种群在剖析复杂的，与健身相关的行为特征方面的不可思议的效用。这些结果提供了一个框架，用于理解复杂特征的遗传结构，该特征会影响个体在食肉动物中的适应性以及与繁殖的联系。与其他一些研究一起，我们在这里展示了纯种自然种群在剖析复杂的，与健身相关的行为特征方面的不可思议的效用。