PRE2023- Origin and impact of chromosomal inversions on the evolution and physiology of common quails (PID2022-143216NB-I00)

Chromosomal inversions result in the linkage of genes through reduced recombination. These are inherited as supergenes that evolve independently in individuals with and without the inversion, resulting in two divergent lineages. Recent advances in genomics research has facilitated the identification and characterization of these genomic rearrangements, and they are increasingly seen as a mechanism for diversification and adaptation. In our previous project we described the presence of very large inversion, including more than 10% of the genome, in common quails (Coturnix coturnix). This inversion produces clear phenotypic characteristics in the individuals that carry it: darker throat coloration, slightly bigger size, rounded wings less suitable suitable for long flight, and reduced migration. This inversion could be associated with the uniqueness of some island quail populations and the study system represents a unique opportunity to investigate a mechanism of sympatric differentiation. However, little is known about the origin and evolutionary significance of this inversion. With this project we will study the potential origin of the inversion through introgression of a different lineage, extant or extinct, or from one of the currently isolated populations in Africa. We will also study the impact that the inversion may have had on the evolution of quails and on their migratory behavior.