Departures from Mendelian Inheritance in Hybrid Rattlesnakes

Nicolas Largotta

Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation

College: Hennings College of Science Mathematics and Technology

Major: MS.BIOTECH/SCI

Faculty Research Mentor: Levine, Brenna  

Abstract:

Hybridization between closely related species can generate genomic incompatibilities in the offspring, leading to departures from expected Mendelian inheritance. This phenomenon is particularly relevant in rattlesnakes, where species boundaries are porous and natural hybridization occurs in the wild. We investigated these dynamics in an experimental cross between prairie (Crotalus viridis) and mojave rattlesnakes (C. scutulatus), two species with strikingly different venom profiles. Using whole-genome resequencing, we analyzed a non-hybrid C. viridis mother and her four F1 hybrid offspring. We quantified genome-wide Mendelian incompatibilities in the parent–offspring trios and estimated de novo mutation rates in the hybrids. Results of our study provide insight into how hybridization can disrupt Mendelian inheritance, with potential downstream effects on complex traits such as venom composition. More broadly, this work contributes to understanding the genetic consequences of hybridization in rattlesnake populations and the evolutionary processes shaping natural hybrid zones.