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Tong H, Shao G, Wang L, Li J, Wang T, Zhang L, Lv Y, Ye F, Fu C, Jin Y. Association of a single amino acid replacement with dorsal pigmentation in a lizard from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124907. [PMID: 37230451 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Reptiles can evolve adaptive colors in different environments, but relatively little is known about the genetic mechanisms. Here, we identified the MC1R gene and its association with intraspecific color variation in the lizard Phrynocephalus erythrurus. Analysis of the MC1R sequence in 143 individuals from dark South Qiangtang Plateau (SQP) and light North Qiangtang plateau (NQP) populations, revealed two amino acid sites that showed significant differences in frequency between two areas. One SNP, corresponding to Glu183Lys residue, was found to be a highly significant outlier and differentially fixed for SQP and NQP populations. This residue is located in an extracellular area in the second small extracellular loop within the secondary structure of MC1R, which represents an "attachment pocket" part of the 3D structure. Cytological expression of MC1R alleles with the Glu183Lys replacement showed a 39 % increase in intracellular agonist-induced cyclic AMP levels and a 23.18 % greater cell surface expression of MC1R protein in the SQP relative to the NQP allele. Further in silico 3D modeling and in vitro binding experiments indicated a higher MC1R-α-MSH binding for the SQP allele, and elevated melanin synthesis. We provide an overview of how a single amino acid replacement leads to fundamental changes in MC1R function, and hence shapes variation in dorsal pigmentation in lizards from different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Tong
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Gang Shao
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Leijie Wang
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Jiasheng Li
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Tao Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Lun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yudie Lv
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Fei Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Caiyun Fu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yuanting Jin
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China.
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McGrath C. Highlight: Yellow is the New Black for Gobi Desert Lizards. Genome Biol Evol 2022. [PMCID: PMC9260182 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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3
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Jin Y, Aguilar-Gómez D, Y C Brandt D, Square TA, Li J, Liu Z, Wang T, Sudmant PH, Miller CT, Nielsen R. Population Genomics of Variegated Toad-Headed Lizard Phrynocephalus versicolor and Its Adaptation to the Colorful Sand of the Gobi Desert. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:6604964. [PMID: 35679302 PMCID: PMC9260186 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The variegated toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus versicolor, lives in the arid landscape of the Chinese Gobi Desert. We analyzed populations from three different locations which vary in substrate color and altitude: Heishankou (HSK), Guazhou County (GZ), and Ejin Banner (EJN). The substrate color is either light-yellow (GZ-y), yellow (EJN-y), or black (HSK-b); the corresponding lizard population colors largely match their substrate in the degree of melanism. We assembled the P. versicolor genome and sequenced over 90 individuals from the three different populations. Genetic divergence between populations corresponds to their geographic distribution. We inferred the genetic relationships among these populations and used selection scans and differential expression to identify genes that show signatures of selection. Slc2a11 and akap12, among other genes, are highly differentiated and may be responsible for pigment adaptation to substrate color in P. versicolor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Débora Y C Brandt
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tyler A Square
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jiasheng Li
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhengxia Liu
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tao Wang
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Peter H Sudmant
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA,Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Craig T Miller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Rasmus Nielsen
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA,Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Wuthrich KL, Nagel A, Swierk L. Rapid Body Color Change Provides Lizards with Facultative Crypsis in the Eyes of Their Avian Predators. Am Nat 2021; 199:277-290. [DOI: 10.1086/717678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Lin Wuthrich
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902
| | - Amber Nagel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
| | - Lindsey Swierk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; and Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies, Iquitos, Loreto 16001, Perú
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Wan L, Liu Z, Wang T, Yang M, Li J, Sun H, Niu C, Zhao W, Jin Y. Camouflage versus running performance as strategies against predation in a lizard inhabiting different habitats. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17409-17416. [PMID: 34938517 PMCID: PMC8668757 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Running speed and camouflage are associated with the foraging and anti-predator abilities of animals. The toad-headed lizard, Phrynocephalus versicolor, has evolved a darker dorsal color in melanistic habitats and maintained a lighter color in adjacent, non-melanistic habitats. We test the hypothesis that lizards have weaker running speed on well-matching backgrounds than on less matching backgrounds. We used lizard models to compare the predation pressure, while the running speed of dark and light lizards were compared in field tunnels using a video recording method. Our results indicated that both the dark lizards in melanistic Heishankou (HSK) and the light lizards in non-melanistic Guazhou (GZ) face lower predation pressure than potential color-background unmatched lizards. The light lizards have a potentially higher running speed than darker lizards in melanistic habitats, which implies that substrate color matching populations with benefits of camouflage might have lower anti-predation pressure, and the costs of investment in melanin production may reduce running capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Wan
- College of Life SciencesNorthwest Normal UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Zhenxia Liu
- College of Life SciencesNorthwest Normal UniversityLanzhouChina
- College of Life SciencesChina Jiliang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Tao Wang
- College of life sciences and medicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Minglu Yang
- College of Life SciencesNorthwest Normal UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Jiasheng Li
- College of Life SciencesChina Jiliang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Hui Sun
- College of Life SciencesChina Jiliang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Chenkai Niu
- College of Life SciencesLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Wei Zhao
- College of Life SciencesLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Yuanting Jin
- College of Life SciencesChina Jiliang UniversityHangzhouChina
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Preißler K, Rodríguez A, Pröhl H. Evidence for coloration plasticity in the yellow-bellied toad, Bombina variegata. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17557-17567. [PMID: 34938529 PMCID: PMC8668782 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic adaptation in terms of background color matching to the local habitat is an important mechanism for survival in prey species. Thus, intraspecific variation in cryptic coloration is expected among localities with dissimilar habitat features (e.g., soil, vegetation). Yellow-bellied toads (Bombina variegata) display a dark dorsal coloration that varies between populations, assumed to convey crypsis. In this study, we explored I) geographic variation in dorsal coloration and II) coloration plasticity in B. variegata from three localities differing in substrate coloration. Using avian visual modeling, we found that the brightness contrasts of the cryptic dorsa were significantly lower on the local substrates than substrates of other localities. In experiments, individuals from one population were able to quickly change the dorsal coloration to match a lighter substrate. We conclude that the environment mediates an adaptation in cryptic dorsal coloration. We suggest further studies to test the mechanisms by which the color change occurs and explore the adaptive potential of coloration plasticity on substrates of varying brightness in B. variegata and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Preißler
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of AnimalsInstitute of BiologyUniversity LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Ariel Rodríguez
- Institute of ZoologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine of HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Heike Pröhl
- Institute of ZoologyUniversity of Veterinary Medicine of HannoverHannoverGermany
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Trunschke J, Lunau K, Pyke GH, Ren ZX, Wang H. Flower Color Evolution and the Evidence of Pollinator-Mediated Selection. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:617851. [PMID: 34381464 PMCID: PMC8350172 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.617851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of floral traits in animal-pollinated plants involves the interaction between flowers as signal senders and pollinators as signal receivers. Flower colors are very diverse, effect pollinator attraction and flower foraging behavior, and are hypothesized to be shaped through pollinator-mediated selection. However, most of our current understanding of flower color evolution arises from variation between discrete color morphs and completed color shifts accompanying pollinator shifts, while evidence for pollinator-mediated selection on continuous variation in flower colors within populations is still scarce. In this review, we summarize experiments quantifying selection on continuous flower color variation in natural plant populations in the context of pollinator interactions. We found that evidence for significant pollinator-mediated selection is surprisingly limited among existing studies. We propose several possible explanations related to the complexity in the interaction between the colors of flowers and the sensory and cognitive abilities of pollinators as well as pollinator behavioral responses, on the one hand, and the distribution of variation in color phenotypes and fitness, on the other hand. We emphasize currently persisting weaknesses in experimental procedures, and provide some suggestions for how to improve methodology. In conclusion, we encourage future research to bring together plant and animal scientists to jointly forward our understanding of the mechanisms and circumstances of pollinator-mediated selection on flower color.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Trunschke
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Klaus Lunau
- Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Graham H. Pyke
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Zong-Xin Ren
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Hong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Boyle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Denon Start
- Center for Population Biology University of California Davis CA USA
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Abstract
Predation usually selects for visual crypsis, the colour matching between an animal and its background. Geographic co-variation between animal and background colourations is well known, but how crypsis varies along elevational gradients remains unknown. We predict that dorsal colouration in the lizard Psammodromus algirus should covary with the colour of bare soil—where this lizard is mainly found—along a 2200 m elevational gradient in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain). Moreover, we predict that crypsis should decrease with elevation for two reasons: (1) Predation pressure typically decreases with elevation, and (2) at high elevation, dorsal colouration is under conflicting selection for both crypsis and thermoregulation. By means of standardised photographies of the substratum and colourimetric measurements of lizard dorsal skin, we tested the colour matching between lizard dorsum and background. We found that, along the gradient, lizard dorsal colouration covaried with the colouration of bare soil, but not with other background elements where the lizard is rarely detected. Moreover, supporting our prediction, the degree of crypsis against bare soil decreased with elevation. Hence, our findings suggest local adaptation for crypsis in this lizard along an elevational gradient, but this local adaptation would be hindered at high elevations.
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