Data from: Gene expression plasticity in response to salinity acclimation in threespine stickleback ecotypes from different salinity habitats

The response of the gill transcriptome to environmental salinity had a large shared component common to both ecotypes (2,159 genes) with significant enrichment of genes involved in transmembrane ion transport and the restructuring of the gill epithelium. This transcriptional response to freshwater acclimation is induced at salinities below two parts per thousand. There was also differentiation in gene expression patterns between ecotypes (2,515 genes), particularly in processes important for changes in the gill structure and permeability.

Only 508 genes that differed between ecotypes also responded to salinity and no specific processes were enriched among this gene set, and an even smaller number (87 genes) showed evidence of changes in the extent of the response to salinity acclimation between ecotypes. No pattern of relative expression dominated among these genes, suggesting that neither gains nor losses of plasticity dominated the changes in expression patterns between the ecotypes.

These data demonstrate that multiple patterns of changes in gene expression plasticity can occur following colonization of novel habitats.

Usage notes

Total_read_counts RNA-seq aligned read counts for marine and freshwater stickleback acclimated to salinities of 0 ppt or 30 ppt. Filtered_log_counts_per_million Final filtered log counts per million estimates of gene expression for all stickleback individuals.