A major goal in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology is understanding how species adapt to changing conditions and using that information to improve conservation actions. Primary to advancing our understanding of adaptation and adaptive potential is determining the causes and consequences of the genetic and phenotypic intraspecific variation that allows for adaptation. Limited studies, however, have been able to link the variation present in molecular process under differing conditions to intraspecific variation in survival. In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Harder et al (2020) explore the relationship between molecular process and survival to understand the adaptive variation underlying tolerance to low thiamine (vitamin B1, an essential micronutrient) conditions in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Thiamine is required for metabolic functioning, including energy production and nervous and cardiovascular system functioning. By combining controlled breeding and phenotyping with a survival study and transcriptomics, the authors are able to quantify among family differences in survival under low thiamine conditions. They find wide variation in survival among families, and this survival is linked to differences in gene expression patterns. This study elucidates the importance of combining different data types to characterize within-population phenotypic variation and understand how that variation may lead to genetic adaptation under stressful conditions.

中文翻译：

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将基因表达模式与生存研究联系起来，阐明了在不断变化的环境中的适应潜力。

生态学，进化论和保护生物学的主要目标是了解物种如何适应不断变化的条件并利用这些信息改善保护行动。增进我们对适应和适应潜力的理解的主要方面是确定允许适应的遗传和表型种内变异的原因和后果。然而，有限的研究已经能够将在不同条件下分子过程中存在的变异与种内存活变异联系起来。在《分子生态学》这一期的《封面》文章中，Harder等人（2020）探索了分子过程与生存之间的关系，以了解对大西洋鲑鱼低硫胺素（维生素B1，一种必需的微量营养素）条件的耐受性的适应性变异（ Salmo salar）。硫胺素是代谢功能所需的，包括能量产生以及神经和心血管系统功能。通过将受控育种和表型与存活研究和转录组学相结合，作者能够在低硫胺素条件下对存活率的家庭差异进行量化。他们发现家庭之间的生存率差异很大，而这种生存率与基因表达模式的差异有关。这项研究阐明了组合不同数据类型以表征种群内表型变异的重要性，并了解了这种变异如何在压力条件下导致遗传适应。通过将受控育种和表型与存活研究和转录组学相结合，作者能够在低硫胺素条件下对存活率的家庭差异进行量化。他们发现家庭之间的生存率差异很大，而这种生存率与基因表达模式的差异有关。这项研究阐明了组合不同数据类型以表征种群内表型变异的重要性，并了解了这种变异如何在压力条件下导致遗传适应。通过将受控育种和表型与存活研究和转录组学相结合，作者能够在低硫胺素条件下对存活率的家庭差异进行量化。他们发现家庭之间的生存率差异很大，而这种生存率与基因表达模式的差异有关。这项研究阐明了组合不同数据类型以表征种群内表型变异的重要性，并了解了这种变异如何在压力条件下导致遗传适应。