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Li X, Wang H, Wang X, Bao M, Sun R, Dai W, Sun K, Feng J. Molecular adaptations underlying high-frequency hearing in the brain of CF bats species. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:279. [PMID: 38493092 PMCID: PMC10943862 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10212-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of bat species have developed remarkable echolocation ability, especially for the laryngeally echolocating bats along with high-frequency hearing. Adaptive evolution has been widely detected for the cochleae in the laryngeally echolocating bats, however, limited understanding for the brain which is the central to echolocation signal processing in the auditory perception system, the laryngeally echolocating bats brain may also undergo adaptive changes. RESULT In order to uncover the molecular adaptations related with high-frequency hearing in the brain of laryngeally echolocating bats, the genes expressed in the brain of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (CF bat) and Myotis pilosus (FM bat) were both detected and also compared. A total of 346,891 genes were detected and the signal transduction mechanisms were annotated by the most abundant genes, followed by the transcription. In hence, there were 3,088 DEGs were found between the two bat brains, with 1,426 highly expressed in the brain of R. ferrumequinum, which were significantly enriched in the neuron and neurodevelopmental processes. Moreover, we found a key candidate hearing gene, ADCY1, playing an important role in the R. ferrumequinum brain and undergoing adaptive evolution in CF bats. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a new insight to the molecular bases of high-frequency hearing in two laryngeally echolocating bats brain and revealed different nervous system activities during auditory perception in the brain of CF bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China.
| | - Xue Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Mingyue Bao
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Ruyi Sun
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Wentao Dai
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China.
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China.
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Barteri F, Valenzuela A, Farré X, de Juan D, Muntané G, Esteve-Altava B, Navarro A. CAAStools: a toolbox to identify and test Convergent Amino Acid Substitutions. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad623. [PMID: 37846039 PMCID: PMC10598582 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Coincidence of Convergent Amino Acid Substitutions (CAAS) with phenotypic convergences allow pinpointing genes and even individual mutations that are likely to be associated with trait variation within their phylogenetic context. Such findings can provide useful insights into the genetic architecture of complex phenotypes. RESULTS Here we introduce CAAStools, a set of bioinformatics tools to identify and validate CAAS in orthologous protein alignments for predefined groups of species representing the phenotypic values targeted by the user. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION CAAStools source code is available at http://github.com/linudz/caastools, along with documentation and examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Barteri
- IBE, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. C. Doctor Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center, Pasqual Maragall Foundation, C/ Wellington 30, Barcelona 08006, Spain
| | - Alejandro Valenzuela
- IBE, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. C. Doctor Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center, Pasqual Maragall Foundation, C/ Wellington 30, Barcelona 08006, Spain
| | - Xavier Farré
- Genomes for Life-GCAT Lab, GermanTrias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Badalona 08916, Spain
| | - David de Juan
- IBE, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. C. Doctor Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Gerard Muntané
- IBE, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. C. Doctor Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata, Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Avda. Josep Laporte, 2 – Planta 0 – E2 color taronja, Reus 43204, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11. Planta 0. Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Borja Esteve-Altava
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Arcadi Navarro
- IBE, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. C. Doctor Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center, Pasqual Maragall Foundation, C/ Wellington 30, Barcelona 08006, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
- Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, C. Doctor Aiguader N88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
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Gonçalves C, Harrison MC, Steenwyk JL, Opulente DA, LaBella AL, Wolters JF, Zhou X, Shen XX, Groenewald M, Hittinger CT, Rokas A. Diverse signatures of convergent evolution in cacti-associated yeasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.14.557833. [PMID: 37745407 PMCID: PMC10515907 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Many distantly related organisms have convergently evolved traits and lifestyles that enable them to live in similar ecological environments. However, the extent of phenotypic convergence evolving through the same or distinct genetic trajectories remains an open question. Here, we leverage a comprehensive dataset of genomic and phenotypic data from 1,049 yeast species in the subphylum Saccharomycotina (Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota) to explore signatures of convergent evolution in cactophilic yeasts, ecological specialists associated with cacti. We inferred that the ecological association of yeasts with cacti arose independently ~17 times. Using machine-learning, we further found that cactophily can be predicted with 76% accuracy from functional genomic and phenotypic data. The most informative feature for predicting cactophily was thermotolerance, which is likely associated with duplication and altered evolutionary rates of genes impacting the cell envelope in several cactophilic lineages. We also identified horizontal gene transfer and duplication events of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes in distantly related cactophilic clades, suggesting that putatively adaptive traits evolved through disparate molecular mechanisms. Remarkably, multiple cactophilic lineages and their close relatives are emerging human opportunistic pathogens, suggesting that the cactophilic lifestyle-and perhaps more generally lifestyles favoring thermotolerance-may preadapt yeasts to cause human disease. This work underscores the potential of a multifaceted approach involving high throughput genomic and phenotypic data to shed light onto ecological adaptation and highlights how convergent evolution to wild environments could facilitate the transition to human pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Gonçalves
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Present address: Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy and UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Present address: UCIBIO-i4HB, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Marie-Claire Harrison
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Howards Hughes Medical Institute and the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Dana A. Opulente
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institu te, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Abigail L. LaBella
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte NC 28223
| | - John F. Wolters
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institu te, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xing-Xing Shen
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | | | - Chris Todd Hittinger
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institu te, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
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4
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Hu Y, Wang X, Xu Y, Yang H, Tong Z, Tian R, Xu S, Yu L, Guo Y, Shi P, Huang S, Yang G, Shi S, Wei F. Molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution in wild animals and plants. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:453-495. [PMID: 36648611 PMCID: PMC9843154 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2233-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals and plants have developed a variety of adaptive traits driven by adaptive evolution, an important strategy for species survival and persistence. Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution is the key to understanding species diversification, phenotypic convergence, and inter-species interaction. As the genome sequences of more and more non-model organisms are becoming available, the focus of studies on molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution has shifted from the candidate gene method to genetic mapping based on genome-wide scanning. In this study, we reviewed the latest research advances in wild animals and plants, focusing on adaptive traits, convergent evolution, and coevolution. Firstly, we focused on the adaptive evolution of morphological, behavioral, and physiological traits. Secondly, we reviewed the phenotypic convergences of life history traits and responding to environmental pressures, and the underlying molecular convergence mechanisms. Thirdly, we summarized the advances of coevolution, including the four main types: mutualism, parasitism, predation and competition. Overall, these latest advances greatly increase our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms for diverse adaptive traits and species interaction, demonstrating that the development of evolutionary biology has been greatly accelerated by multi-omics technologies. Finally, we highlighted the emerging trends and future prospects around the above three aspects of adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Hu
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Yongchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Hui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zeyu Tong
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Ran Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shaohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
| | - Yalong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
| | - Shuangquan Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Suhua Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Fuwen Wei
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
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Brualla NLM, Wilson LAB, Doube M, Carter RT, McElligott AG, Koyabu D. The vocal apparatus: An understudied tool to reconstruct the evolutionary history of echolocation in bats? J MAMM EVOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-022-09647-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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6
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Wang H, Sun R, Xu N, Wang X, Bao M, Li X, Li J, Lin A, Feng J. Untargeted metabolomics of the cochleae from two laryngeally echolocating bats. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1171366. [PMID: 37152899 PMCID: PMC10154556 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1171366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
High-frequency hearing is regarded as one of the most functionally important traits in laryngeally echolocating bats. Abundant candidate hearing-related genes have been identified to be the important genetic bases underlying high-frequency hearing for laryngeally echolocating bats, however, extensive metabolites presented in the cochleae have not been studied. In this study, we identified 4,717 annotated metabolites in the cochleae of two typical laryngeally echolocating bats using the liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy technology, metabolites classified as amino acids, peptides, and fatty acid esters were identified as the most abundant in the cochleae of these two echolocating bat species, Rhinolophus sinicus and Vespertilio sinensis. Furthermore, 357 metabolites were identified as significant differentially accumulated (adjusted p-value <0.05) in the cochleae of these two bat species with distinct echolocating dominant frequencies. Downstream KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that multiple biological processes, including signaling pathways, nervous system, and metabolic process, were putatively different in the cochleae of R. sinicus and V. sinensis. For the first time, this study investigated the extensive metabolites and associated biological pathways in the cochleae of two laryngeal echolocating bats and expanded our knowledge of the metabolic molecular bases underlying high-frequency hearing in the cochleae of echolocating bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Wang, ; Jiang Feng,
| | - Ruyi Sun
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Ningning Xu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Xue Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingyue Bao
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Xin Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiqian Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Wang, ; Jiang Feng,
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7
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Wang X, Bao M, Xu N, Sun R, Dai W, Sun K, Wang H, Feng J. Full-Length Transcriptome of Myotis pilosus as a Reference Resource and Mining of Auditory and Immune Related Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010062. [PMID: 36613506 PMCID: PMC9820712 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickett's big-footed bat, Myotis pilosus, which belongs to the family Vespertilionida, is the only known piscivorous bat in East Asia. Accurate whole genome and transcriptome annotations are essential for the study of bat biological evolution. The lack of a whole genome for M. pilosus has limited our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the species' evolution, echolocation, and immune response. In the present work, we sequenced the entire transcriptome using error-corrected PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) data. Then, a total of 40 GB of subreads were generated, including 29,991 full-length non-chimeric (FLNC) sequences. After correction by Illumina short reads and de-redundancy, we obtained 26,717 error-corrected isoforms with an average length of 3018.91 bp and an N50 length of 3447 bp. A total of 1528 alternative splicing (AS) events were detected by transcriptome structural analysis. Furthermore, 1032 putative transcription factors (TFs) were identified, with additional identification of several long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) with high confidence. Moreover, several key genes, including PRL-2, DPP4, Glul, and ND1 were also identified as being associated with metabolism, immunity, nervous system processes, and auditory perception. A multitude of pattern recognition receptors was identified, including NLR, RLR, SRCR, the antiviral molecule IRF3, and the IFN receptor subunit IFNAR1. High-quality reference genomes at the transcriptome level may be used to quantify gene or transcript expression, evaluate alternative splicing levels, identify novel transcripts, and enhance genome annotation in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Mingyue Bao
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Ningning Xu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Ruyi Sun
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Wentao Dai
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (J.F.)
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8
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Mika K, Whittington CM, McAllan BM, Lynch VJ. Gene expression phylogenies and ancestral transcriptome reconstruction resolves major transitions in the origins of pregnancy. eLife 2022; 11:e74297. [PMID: 35770963 PMCID: PMC9275820 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and physiological changes in the female reproductive system underlie the origins of pregnancy in multiple vertebrate lineages. In mammals, the glandular portion of the lower reproductive tract has transformed into a structure specialized for supporting fetal development. These specializations range from relatively simple maternal nutrient provisioning in egg-laying monotremes to an elaborate suite of traits that support intimate maternal-fetal interactions in Eutherians. Among these traits are the maternal decidua and fetal component of the placenta, but there is considerable uncertainty about how these structures evolved. Previously, we showed that changes in uterine gene expression contributes to several evolutionary innovations during the origins of pregnancy (Mika et al., 2021b). Here, we reconstruct the evolution of entire transcriptomes ('ancestral transcriptome reconstruction') and show that maternal gene expression profiles are correlated with degree of placental invasion. These results indicate that an epitheliochorial-like placenta evolved early in the mammalian stem-lineage and that the ancestor of Eutherians had a hemochorial placenta, and suggest maternal control of placental invasiveness. These data resolve major transitions in the evolution of pregnancy and indicate that ancestral transcriptome reconstruction can be used to study the function of ancestral cell, tissue, and organ systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Mika
- Department of Human Genetics, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | | | | | - Vincent J Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkBuffalo,NewyorkUnited States
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9
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A bibliometric analysis of research trends in bat echolocation studies between 1970 and 2021. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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10
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Liu Z, Chen P, Xu DM, Qi FY, Guo YT, Liu Q, Bai J, Zhou X, Shi P. Molecular convergence and transgenic evidence suggest a single origin of laryngeal echolocation in bats. iScience 2022; 25:104114. [PMID: 35391832 PMCID: PMC8980745 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
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11
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Prestin-Mediated Frequency Selectivity Does not Cover Ultrahigh Frequencies in Mice. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:769-784. [DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00839-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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12
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Moreira A, Croze M, Delehelle F, Cussat-Blanc S, Luga H, Mollereau C, Balaresque P. Hearing Sensitivity of Primates: Recurrent and Episodic Positive Selection in Hair Cells and Stereocilia Protein-Coding Genes. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6302699. [PMID: 34137817 PMCID: PMC8358225 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The large spectrum of hearing sensitivity observed in primates results from the impact of environmental and behavioral pressures to optimize sound perception and localization. Although evidence of positive selection in auditory genes has been detected in mammals including in Hominoids, selection has never been investigated in other primates. We analyzed 123 genes highly expressed in the inner ear of 27 primate species and tested to what extent positive selection may have shaped these genes in the order Primates tree. We combined both site and branch-site tests to obtain a comprehensive picture of the positively selected genes (PSGs) involved in hearing sensitivity, and drew a detailed description of the most affected branches in the tree. We chose a conservative approach, and thus focused on confounding factors potentially affecting PSG signals (alignment, GC-biased gene conversion, duplications, heterogeneous sequencing qualities). Using site tests, we showed that around 12% of these genes are PSGs, an α selection value consistent with average human genome estimates (10-15%). Using branch-site tests, we showed that the primate tree is heterogeneously affected by positive selection, with the black snub-nosed monkey, the bushbaby, and the orangutan, being the most impacted branches. A large proportion of these genes is inclined to shape hair cells and stereocilia, which are involved in the mechanotransduction process, known to influence frequency perception. Adaptive selection, and more specifically recurrent adaptive evolution, could have acted in parallel on a set of genes (ADGRV1, USH2A, PCDH15, PTPRQ, and ATP8A2) involved in stereocilia growth and the whole complex of bundle links connecting them, in species across different habitats, including high altitude and nocturnal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Moreira
- Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse (AMIS), Faculté de Médecine Purpan, CNRS UMR5288, Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.,Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse (IRIT), CNRS UMR5505, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Myriam Croze
- Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse (AMIS), Faculté de Médecine Purpan, CNRS UMR5288, Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Franklin Delehelle
- Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse (AMIS), Faculté de Médecine Purpan, CNRS UMR5288, Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.,Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse (IRIT), CNRS UMR5505, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Sylvain Cussat-Blanc
- Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse (IRIT), CNRS UMR5505, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Hervé Luga
- Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse (IRIT), CNRS UMR5505, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Catherine Mollereau
- Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse (AMIS), Faculté de Médecine Purpan, CNRS UMR5288, Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Patricia Balaresque
- Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse (AMIS), Faculté de Médecine Purpan, CNRS UMR5288, Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
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13
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Wang H, Zhao H, Chu Y, Feng J, Sun K. Assessing evidence for adaptive evolution in two hearing-related genes important for high-frequency hearing in echolocating mammals. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2021; 11:jkab069. [PMID: 33784395 PMCID: PMC8049434 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
High-frequency hearing is particularly important for echolocating bats and toothed whales. Previously, studies of the hearing-related genes Prestin, KCNQ4, and TMC1 documented that adaptive evolution of high-frequency hearing has taken place in echolocating bats and toothed whales. In this study, we present two additional candidate hearing-related genes, Shh and SK2, that may also have contributed to the evolution of echolocation in mammals. Shh is a member of the vertebrate Hedgehog gene family and is required in the specification of the mammalian cochlea. SK2 is expressed in both inner and outer hair cells, and it plays an important role in the auditory system. The coding region sequences of Shh and SK2 were obtained from a wide range of mammals with and without echolocating ability. The topologies of phylogenetic trees constructed using Shh and SK2 were different; however, multiple molecular evolutionary analyses showed that those two genes experienced different selective pressures in echolocating bats and toothed whales compared to nonecholocating mammals. In addition, several nominally significant positively selected sites were detected in the nonfunctional domain of the SK2 gene, indicating that different selective pressures were acting on different parts of the SK2 gene. This study has expanded our knowledge of the adaptive evolution of high-frequency hearing in echolocating mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Hanbo Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Yujia Chu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
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14
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Abstract
Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying particular adaptations/phenotypes of organisms is one of the core issues of evolutionary biology. The use of genomic data has greatly advanced our understandings on this issue, as well as other aspects of evolutionary biology, including molecular adaptation, speciation, and even conservation of endangered species. Despite the well-recognized advantages, usages of genomic data are still limited to non-mammal vertebrate groups, partly due to the difficulties in assembling large or highly heterozygous genomes. Although this is particularly the case for amphibians, nonetheless, several comparative and population genomic analyses have shed lights into the speciation and adaptation processes of amphibians in a complex landscape, giving a promising hope for a wider application of genomics in the previously believed challenging groups of organisms. At the same time, these pioneer studies also allow us to realize numerous challenges in studying the molecular adaptations and/or phenotypic evolutionary mechanisms of amphibians. In this review, we first summarize the recent progresses in the study of adaptive evolution of amphibians based on genomic data, and then we give perspectives regarding how to effectively identify key pathways underlying the evolution of complex traits in the genomic era, as well as directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Bo Sun
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China. E-mail:
| | - Yi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.,Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73072, USA
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15
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Sun H, Chen W, Wang J, Zhang L, Rossiter SJ, Mao X. Echolocation call frequency variation in horseshoe bats: molecular basis revealed by comparative transcriptomics. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200875. [PMID: 32900318 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently diverged taxa with contrasting phenotypes offer opportunities for unravelling the genetic basis of phenotypic variation in nature. Horseshoe bats are a speciose group that exhibit a derived form of high-duty cycle echolocation in which the inner ear is finely tuned to echoes of the narrowband call frequency. Here, by focusing on three recently diverged subspecies of the intermediate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis) that display divergent echolocation call frequencies, we aim to identify candidate loci putatively involved in hearing frequency variation. We used de novo transcriptome sequencing of two mainland taxa (himalayanus and macrurus) and one island taxon (hainanus) to compare expression profiles of thousands of genes. By comparing taxa with divergent call frequencies (around 15 kHz difference), we identified 252 differentially expressed genes, of which six have been shown to be involved in hearing or deafness in human/mouse. To obtain further validation of these results, we applied quantitative reverse transcription-PCR to the candidate gene FBXL15 and found a broad association between the level of expression and call frequency across taxa. The genes identified here represent strong candidate loci associated with hearing frequency variation in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijian Sun
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenli Chen
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaying Wang
- Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China
| | - Libiao Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou 510260, People's Republic of China
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Xiuguang Mao
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China
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16
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Tu N, Liang D, Zhang P. Whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide evolutionary analyses identify novel candidate genes associated with infrared perception in pit vipers. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13033. [PMID: 32747674 PMCID: PMC7400743 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69843-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pit vipers possess a unique thermal sensory system consisting of facial pits that allow them to detect minute temperature fluctuations within their environments. Biologists have long attempted to elucidate the genetic basis underlying the infrared perception of pit vipers. Early studies have shown that the TRPA1 gene is the thermal sensor associated with infrared detection in pit vipers. However, whether genes other than TRPA1 are also involved in the infrared perception of pit vipers remains unknown. Here, we sequenced the whole exomes of ten snake species and performed genome-wide evolutionary analyses to search for novel candidate genes that might be involved in the infrared perception of pit vipers. We applied both branch-length-comparison and selection-pressure-alteration analyses to identify genes that specifically underwent accelerated evolution in the ancestral lineage of pit vipers. A total of 47 genes were identified. These genes were significantly enriched in the ion transmembrane transporter, stabilization of membrane potential, and temperature gating activity functional categories. The expression levels of these candidate genes in relevant nerve tissues (trigeminal ganglion, dorsal root ganglion, midbrain, and cerebrum) were also investigated in this study. We further chose one of our candidate genes, the potassium channel gene KCNK4, as an example to discuss its possible role in the infrared perception of pit vipers. Our study provides the first genome-wide survey of infrared perception-related genes in pit vipers via comparative evolutionary analyses and reveals valuable candidate genes for future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, College of Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Higher Education Mega Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Dan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, College of Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Higher Education Mega Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, College of Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Higher Education Mega Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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17
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Baldwin MW, Ko MC. Functional evolution of vertebrate sensory receptors. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104771. [PMID: 32437717 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sensory receptors enable animals to perceive their external world, and functional properties of receptors evolve to detect the specific cues relevant for an organism's survival. Changes in sensory receptor function or tuning can directly impact an organism's behavior. Functional tests of receptors from multiple species and the generation of chimeric receptors between orthologs with different properties allow for the dissection of the molecular basis of receptor function and identification of the key residues that impart functional changes in different species. Knowledge of these functionally important sites facilitates investigation into questions regarding the role of epistasis and the extent of convergence, as well as the timing of sensory shifts relative to other phenotypic changes. However, as receptors can also play roles in non-sensory tissues, and receptor responses can be modulated by numerous other factors including varying expression levels, alternative splicing, and morphological features of the sensory cell, behavioral validation can be instrumental in confirming that responses observed in heterologous systems play a sensory role. Expression profiling of sensory cells and comparative genomics approaches can shed light on cell-type specific modifications and identify other proteins that may affect receptor function and can provide insight into the correlated evolution of complex suites of traits. Here we review the evolutionary history and diversity of functional responses of the major classes of sensory receptors in vertebrates, including opsins, chemosensory receptors, and ion channels involved in temperature-sensing, mechanosensation and electroreception.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meng-Ching Ko
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
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18
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Szyfter K, Witt MP. How far musicality and perfect pitch are derived from genetic factors? J Appl Genet 2020; 61:407-414. [PMID: 32533421 PMCID: PMC7413874 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-020-00563-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
There is an agreement about joint genetic and environmental background of musical reception and performance. Musical abilities tend to cluster in families. The studies done on a random population, twins and families of gifted musicians provided a strong support for genetic contribution. Modern biomolecular techniques exploring linkage analysis, variation of gene copy number, scanning for whole-genome expression helped to identify genes, or chromosome regions associated with musical aptitude. Some studies were focused on rare ability to recognize tone without reference that is known as a perfect pitch where a far ethnic differentiation was established. On the other hand, gene deletion leading to dysfunction in amusical individuals also indicated appropriate loci “by negation.” The strongest support for an association of genes with musicality was provided for genes: AVPR1 (12q14.2), SLC6A4 (17q11.2), GALM (2p22), PCDH7 (4p15.1), GATA2 (3q21.3), and few others as well for 4q22, 4q23, and 8q13–21 chromosome bands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Szyfter
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Strzeszyńska 32, 60-479, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał P Witt
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Strzeszyńska 32, 60-479, Poznań, Poland.
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19
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Chai S, Tian R, Rong X, Li G, Chen B, Ren W, Xu S, Yang G. Evidence of Echolocation in the Common Shrew from Molecular Convergence with Other Echolocating Mammals. Zool Stud 2020; 59:e4. [PMID: 32494297 PMCID: PMC7262541 DOI: 10.6620/zs.2020.59-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Along with sophisticated echolocation found in bats and toothed whales, the common shrew (Sorex araneus) was confirmed to possess echolocation ability based on behavioral and experimental evidence such as high-frequency twittering and close-range spatial orientation. However, whether echolocation in the common shrew is convergent with bats and dolphins at the molecular level remains poorly understood. In this study, we gathered the coding region sequences of 11 hearing-related genes from genome data and previous studies. Convergent evolutionary analyses identified 13 amino acid residues (seven in CDH23, five in OTOF, and one in PRESTIN) under strong convergent evolution shared among the common shrew and other echolocating mammals (bats and dolphins). Furthermore, a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the combined amino acid dataset of convergent/parallel substitutions, sites with parallel radical property changes, and sites supporting echolocator-convergence; it supported the converged topology of the simple echolocator Sorex araneus and sophisticated echolocating bats with high posterior probability. This study gives evidence at the molecular level that the common shrew echolocate and provides novel insights into the convergent evolution between the common shrew and bats and dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Chai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Ran Tian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Xinghua Rong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Guiting Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Bingyao Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Wenhua Ren
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Shixia Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
| | - Guang Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. E-mail: (Xu); (Yang); (Chai); (Tian); (Rong); (Li); (Chen), (Ren)
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20
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Wang H, Zhao H, Sun K, Huang X, Jin L, Feng J. Evolutionary Basis of High-Frequency Hearing in the Cochleae of Echolocators Revealed by Comparative Genomics. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 12:3740-3753. [PMID: 31730196 PMCID: PMC7145703 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
High-frequency hearing is important for the survival of both echolocating bats and whales, but our understanding of its genetic basis is scattered and segmented. In this study, we combined RNA-Seq and comparative genomic analyses to obtain insights into the comprehensive gene expression profile of the cochlea and the adaptive evolution of hearing-related genes. A total of 144 genes were found to have been under positive selection in various species of echolocating bats and toothed whales, 34 of which were identified to be related to hearing behavior or auditory processes. Subsequently, multiple physiological processes associated with those genes were found to have adaptively evolved in echolocating bats and toothed whales, including cochlear bony development, antioxidant activity, ion balance, and homeostatic processes, along with signal transduction. In addition, abundant convergent/parallel genes and sites were detected between different pairs of echolocator species; however, no specific hearing-related physiological pathways were enriched by them and almost all of the convergent/parallel signals were selectively neutral, as previously reported. Notably, two adaptive parallel evolved sites in TECPR2 were shown to have been under positive selection, indicating their functional importance for the evolution of echolocation and high-frequency hearing in laryngeal echolocating bats. This study deepens our understanding of the genetic bases underlying high-frequency hearing in the cochlea of echolocating bats and toothed whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Hanbo Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaobin Huang
- Vector Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
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21
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Zhao H, Wang H, Liu T, Liu S, Jin L, Huang X, Dai W, Sun K, Feng J. Gene expression vs. sequence divergence: comparative transcriptome sequencing among natural Rhinolophus ferrumequinum populations with different acoustic phenotypes. Front Zool 2019; 16:37. [PMID: 31528181 PMCID: PMC6743130 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0336-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the sensory drive hypothesis can explain the geographic variation in echolocation frequencies of some bat species, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. The three lineages of greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in China (northeast, central-east, and southwest) have significant geographic variation in resting frequencies (RF) of echolocation calls. Because their cochleae have an acoustic fovea that is highly sensitive to a narrow range of frequencies, we reported the transcriptomes of cochleae collected from three genetic lineages of R. ferrumequinum, which is an ideal organism for studying geographic variation in echolocation signals, and tried to understand the mechanisms behind this bat phenomenon by analyzing gene expression and sequence variation. RESULTS A total of 8190 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. We identified five modules from all DEGs that were significantly related to RF or forearm length (FL). DEGs in the RF-related modules were significantly enriched in the gene categories involved in neural activity, learning, and response to sound. DEGs in the FL-related modules were significantly enriched in the pathways related to muscle and actin functions. Using 21,945 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we identified 18 candidate unigenes associated with hearing, five of which were differentially expressed among the three populations. Additionally, the gene ERBB4, which regulates diverse cellular processes in the inner ear such as cell proliferation and differentiation, was in the largest module. We also found 49 unigenes that were under positive selection from 4105 one-to-one orthologous gene pairs between the three R. ferrumequinum lineages and three other Chiroptera species. CONCLUSIONS The variability of gene expression and sequence divergence at the molecular level might provide evidence that can help elucidate the genetic basis of geographic variation in echolocation signals of greater horseshoe bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanbo Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Hui Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Tong Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Sen Liu
- Institute of Resources & Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000 China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Xiaobin Huang
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Branch of Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, 671003 China
| | - Wentao Dai
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118 China
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22
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Bamba M, Aoki S, Kajita T, Setoguchi H, Watano Y, Sato S, Tsuchimatsu T. Exploring Genetic Diversity and Signatures of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Nodule Bacteria Associated with Lotus japonicus in Natural Environments. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2019; 32:1110-1120. [PMID: 30880586 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-02-19-0039-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the genetic diversity and understand the process of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in nodule bacteria associated with Lotus japonicus, we analyzed sequences of three housekeeping and five symbiotic genes using samples from a geographically wide range in Japan. A phylogenetic analysis of the housekeeping genes indicated that L. japonicus in natural environments was associated with diverse lineages of Mesorhizobium spp., whereas the sequences of symbiotic genes were highly similar between strains, resulting in remarkably low nucleotide diversity at both synonymous and nonsynonymous sites. Guanine-cytosine content values were lower in symbiotic genes, and relative frequencies of recombination between symbiotic genes were also lower than those between housekeeping genes. An analysis of molecular variance showed significant genetic differentiation among populations in both symbiotic and housekeeping genes. These results confirm that the Mesorhizobium genes required for symbiosis with L. japonicus behave as a genomic island (i.e., a symbiosis island) and suggest that this island has spread into diverse genomic backgrounds of Mesorhizobium via HGT events in natural environments. Furthermore, our data compilation revealed that the genetic diversity of symbiotic genes in L. japonicus-associated symbionts was among the lowest compared with reports of other species, which may be related to the recent population expansion proposed in Japanese populations of L. japonicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaru Bamba
- Department of Biology (Frontier Science Program), Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Seishiro Aoki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Tadashi Kajita
- Iriomote Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, the University of Ryukyus, 870 Uehara, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa 907-1541, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Setoguchi
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshidanihonmatsu-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Watano
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University
| | - Shusei Sato
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
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23
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Rey C, Lanore V, Veber P, Guéguen L, Lartillot N, Sémon M, Boussau B. Detecting adaptive convergent amino acid evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180234. [PMID: 31154974 PMCID: PMC6560273 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In evolutionary genomics, researchers have taken an interest in identifying substitutions that subtend convergent phenotypic adaptations. This is a difficult question that requires distinguishing foreground convergent substitutions that are involved in the convergent phenotype from background convergent substitutions. Those may be linked to other adaptations, may be neutral or may be the consequence of mutational biases. Furthermore, there is no generally accepted definition of convergent substitutions. Various methods that use different definitions have been proposed in the literature, resulting in different sets of candidate foreground convergent substitutions. In this article, we first describe the processes that can generate foreground convergent substitutions in coding sequences, separating adaptive from non-adaptive processes. Second, we review methods that have been proposed to detect foreground convergent substitutions in coding sequences and expose the assumptions that underlie them. Finally, we examine their power on simulations of convergent changes-including in the presence of a change in the efficacy of selection-and on empirical alignments. This article is part of the theme issue 'Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Rey
- ENS de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5239, INSERM U1210, LBMC, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Vincent Lanore
- CNRS UMR 5558, LBBE, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Philippe Veber
- CNRS UMR 5558, LBBE, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laurent Guéguen
- CNRS UMR 5558, LBBE, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nicolas Lartillot
- CNRS UMR 5558, LBBE, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Marie Sémon
- ENS de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5239, INSERM U1210, LBMC, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Bastien Boussau
- CNRS UMR 5558, LBBE, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France
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24
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Gutierrez EDA, Castiglione GM, Morrow JM, Schott RK, Loureiro LO, Lim BK, Chang BSW. Functional Shifts in Bat Dim-Light Visual Pigment Are Associated with Differing Echolocation Abilities and Reveal Molecular Adaptation to Photic-Limited Environments. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 35:2422-2434. [PMID: 30010964 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats are excellent models for studying the molecular basis of sensory adaptation. In Chiroptera, a sensory trade-off has been proposed between the visual and auditory systems, though the extent of this association has yet to be fully examined. To investigate whether variation in visual performance is associated with echolocation, we experimentally assayed the dim-light visual pigment rhodopsin from bat species with differing echolocation abilities. While spectral tuning properties were similar among bats, we found that the rate of decay of their light-activated state was significantly slower in a nonecholocating bat relative to species that use distinct echolocation strategies, consistent with a sensory trade-off hypothesis. We also found that these rates of decay were remarkably slower compared with those of other mammals, likely indicating an adaptation to dim light. To examine whether functional changes in rhodopsin are associated with shifts in selection intensity upon bat Rh1 sequences, we implemented selection analyses using codon-based likelihood clade models. While no shifts in selection were identified in response to diverse echolocation abilities of bats, we detected a significant increase in the intensity of evolutionary constraint accompanying the diversification of Chiroptera. Taken together, this suggests that substitutions that modulate the stability of the light-activated rhodopsin state were likely maintained through intensified constraint after bats diversified, being finely tuned in response to novel sensory specializations. Our study demonstrates the power of combining experimental and computational approaches for investigating functional mechanisms underlying the evolution of complex sensory adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo de A Gutierrez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gianni M Castiglione
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James M Morrow
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.,Centre of Forensic Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan K Schott
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Livia O Loureiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Burton K Lim
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Belinda S W Chang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.,Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Solari S, Sotero-Caio CG, Baker RJ. Advances in systematics of bats: towards a consensus on species delimitation and classifications through integrative taxonomy. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Solari
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Cibele G Sotero-Caio
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Robert J Baker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
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26
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A metaanalysis of bat phylogenetics and positive selection based on genomes and transcriptomes from 18 species. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:11351-11360. [PMID: 31113885 PMCID: PMC6561249 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1814995116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
This work represents a large, order-wide evolutionary analysis of the order Chiroptera (bats). Our pipeline for assembling sequence data and curating orthologous multiple sequence alignments includes methods for improving results when combining genomic and transcriptomic data sources. The resulting phylogenetic tree divides the order Chiroptera into Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera, in disagreement with the previous division into Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera and in agreement with some other recent molecular studies, and also provides evidence for other contested branch placements. We also performed a genome-wide analysis of positive selection and found 181 genes with signatures of positive selection. Enrichment analysis shows these positively selected genes to be primarily related to immune responses but also, surprisingly, collagen formation. Historically, the evolution of bats has been analyzed using a small number of genetic loci for many species or many genetic loci for a few species. Here we present a phylogeny of 18 bat species, each of which is represented in 1,107 orthologous gene alignments used to build the tree. We generated a transcriptome sequence of Hypsignathus monstrosus, the African hammer-headed bat, and additional transcriptome sequence for Rousettus aegyptiacus, the Egyptian fruit bat. We then combined these data with existing genomic and transcriptomic data from 16 other bat species. In the analysis of such datasets, there is no clear consensus on the most reliable computational methods for the curation of quality multiple sequence alignments since these public datasets represent multiple investigators and methods, including different source materials (chromosomal DNA or expressed RNA). Here we lay out a systematic analysis of parameters and produce an advanced pipeline for curating orthologous gene alignments from combined transcriptomic and genomic data, including a software package: the Mismatching Isoform eXon Remover (MIXR). Using this method, we created alignments of 11,677 bat genes, 1,107 of which contain orthologs from all 18 species. Using the orthologous gene alignments created, we assessed bat phylogeny and also performed a holistic analysis of positive selection acting in bat genomes. We found that 181 genes have been subject to positive natural selection. This list is dominated by genes involved in immune responses and genes involved in the production of collagens.
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27
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Ren M, Sun H, Bo S, Zhang S, Hua P. Parallel Amino Acid Deletions of Prestin Protein in Two Dramatically Divergent Bat Lineages Suggest the Complexity of the Evolution of Echolocation in Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2018.20.2.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Min Ren
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Haijian Sun
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Shunqi Bo
- Department of Wildlife Protection Management Administration, Shanghai, 200023, China
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Panyu Hua
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
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28
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Simões BF, Foley NM, Hughes GM, Zhao H, Zhang S, Rossiter SJ, Teeling EC. As Blind as a Bat? Opsin Phylogenetics Illuminates the Evolution of Color Vision in Bats. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:54-68. [PMID: 30476197 PMCID: PMC6340466 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Through their unique use of sophisticated laryngeal echolocation bats are considered sensory specialists amongst mammals and represent an excellent model in which to explore sensory perception. Although several studies have shown that the evolution of vision is linked to ecological niche adaptation in other mammalian lineages, this has not yet been fully explored in bats. Recent molecular analysis of the opsin genes, which encode the photosensitive pigments underpinning color vision, have implicated high-duty cycle (HDC) echolocation and the adoption of cave roosting habits in the degeneration of color vision in bats. However, insufficient sampling of relevant taxa has hindered definitive testing of these hypotheses. To address this, novel sequence data was generated for the SWS1 and MWS/LWS opsin genes and combined with existing data to comprehensively sample species representing diverse echolocation types and niches (SWS1 n = 115; MWS/LWS n = 45). A combination of phylogenetic analysis, ancestral state reconstruction, and selective pressure analyses were used to reconstruct the evolution of these visual pigments in bats and revealed that although both genes are evolving under purifying selection in bats, MWS/LWS is highly conserved but SWS1 is highly variable. Spectral tuning analyses revealed that MWS/LWS opsin is tuned to a long wavelength, 555-560 nm in the bat ancestor and the majority of extant taxa. The presence of UV vision in bats is supported by our spectral tuning analysis, but phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the SWS1 opsin gene has undergone pseudogenization in several lineages. We do not find support for a link between the evolution of HDC echolocation and the pseudogenization of the SWS1 gene in bats, instead we show the SWS1 opsin is functional in the HDC echolocator, Pteronotus parnellii. Pseudogenization of the SWS1 is correlated with cave roosting habits in the majority of pteropodid species. Together these results demonstrate that the loss of UV vision in bats is more widespread than was previously considered and further elucidate the role of ecological niche specialization in the evolution of vision in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno F Simões
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Earth Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Science, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nicole M Foley
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Graham M Hughes
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Huabin Zhao
- Department of Ecology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emma C Teeling
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
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29
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Comparative cochlear transcriptomics of echolocating bats provides new insights into different nervous activities of CF bat species. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15934. [PMID: 30374045 PMCID: PMC6206067 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34333-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms used by echolocating bats to deal with different ultrasonic signals remain to be revealed. Here, we utilised RNA-Seq data to conduct comparative cochlear transcriptomics to assess the variation of gene expression among bats with three types of echolocation: constant-frequency (CF) bats, frequency-modulated (FM) bats and click bats. Our results suggest larger differences in gene expression between CF and click bats than between CF and FM bats and small differences between FM and click bats. We identified 426 and 1,504 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by the different methods as functionally important for CF bats, in that they showed consistent upregulation in the cochlea of two CF bats, relative to the levels in click and FM bats. Subsequently, downstream GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that both the 426 and 1,504 gene sets were associated with changes in nervous activities in the cochleae of CF bats. In addition, another set of 1,764 DEGs were identified to have crucial hearing related physiological functions for laryngeally echolocating bats. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic basis of differences among echolocating bats, revealing different nervous system activities during auditory perception in the cochlea particularly in CF bats.
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30
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Bankoff RJ, Jerjos M, Hohman B, Lauterbur ME, Kistler L, Perry GH. Testing Convergent Evolution in Auditory Processing Genes between Echolocating Mammals and the Aye-Aye, a Percussive-Foraging Primate. Genome Biol Evol 2017; 9:1978-1989. [PMID: 28810710 PMCID: PMC5553384 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Several taxonomically distinct mammalian groups-certain microbats and cetaceans (e.g., dolphins)-share both morphological adaptations related to echolocation behavior and strong signatures of convergent evolution at the amino acid level across seven genes related to auditory processing. Aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) are nocturnal lemurs with a specialized auditory processing system. Aye-ayes tap rapidly along the surfaces of trees, listening to reverberations to identify the mines of wood-boring insect larvae; this behavior has been hypothesized to functionally mimic echolocation. Here we investigated whether there are signals of convergence in auditory processing genes between aye-ayes and known mammalian echolocators. We developed a computational pipeline (Basic Exon Assembly Tool) that produces consensus sequences for regions of interest from shotgun genomic sequencing data for nonmodel organisms without requiring de novo genome assembly. We reconstructed complete coding region sequences for the seven convergent echolocating bat-dolphin genes for aye-ayes and another lemur. We compared sequences from these two lemurs in a phylogenetic framework with those of bat and dolphin echolocators and appropriate nonecholocating outgroups. Our analysis reaffirms the existence of amino acid convergence at these loci among echolocating bats and dolphins; some methods also detected signals of convergence between echolocating bats and both mice and elephants. However, we observed no significant signal of amino acid convergence between aye-ayes and echolocating bats and dolphins, suggesting that aye-aye tap-foraging auditory adaptations represent distinct evolutionary innovations. These results are also consistent with a developing consensus that convergent behavioral ecology does not reliably predict convergent molecular evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bankoff
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.,Intercollege Program in Bioethics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - Michael Jerjos
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - Baily Hohman
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - M Elise Lauterbur
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Logan Kistler
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.,Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
| | - George H Perry
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
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31
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Hauzman E, Bonci DMO, Suárez-Villota EY, Neitz M, Ventura DF. Daily activity patterns influence retinal morphology, signatures of selection, and spectral tuning of opsin genes in colubrid snakes. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:249. [PMID: 29228925 PMCID: PMC5725783 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-1110-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Morphological divergences of snake retinal structure point to complex evolutionary processes and adaptations. The Colubridae family has a remarkable variety of retinal structure that can range from all-cone and all-rod to duplex (cone/rod) retinas. To explore whether nocturnal versus diurnal activity is responsible for constraints on molecular evolution and plays a role in visual opsin spectral tuning of colubrids, we carried out molecular evolution analyses of the visual opsin genes LWS, RH1, and SWS1 from 17 species and performed morphological analyses. Results Phylogenetic reconstructions of the RH1 and LWS recovered major clades characterized by primarily diurnal or primarily nocturnal activity patterns, in contrast with the topology for SWS1, which is very similar to the species tree. We found stronger signals of purifying selection along diurnal and nocturnal lineages for RH1 and SWS1, respectively. A blue-shift of the RH1 spectral peak is associated with diurnal habits. Spectral tuning of cone opsins did not differ among diurnal and nocturnal species. Retinas of nocturnal colubrids had many rows of photoreceptor nuclei, with large numbers of rods, labeled by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and two types of cones: large cones sensitive to long/medium wavelengths (L/M) and small cones sensitive to ultra-violet/violet wavelengths (UV/VS). In contrast, retinas of diurnal species had only one row of photoreceptor nuclei, with four types of cones: large and double L/M cones, small UV/VS cones, and a second group of small cones, labeled by WGA. Conclusions For LWS gene, selection tests did not confirm different constraints related to activity pattern. For SWS1, stronger purifying selection in nocturnal lineages indicates divergent evolutionary pressures related to the activity pattern, and the importance of the short wavelength sensitivity at low light condition. Activity pattern has a clear influence on the signatures of selection and spectral tuning of RH1, with stronger purifying selection in diurnal lineages, which indicates selective pressure to preserve rhodopsin structure and function in pure-cone retinas. We suggest that the presence of four cone types in primarily diurnal colubrids might be related to the gain of color discrimination capacity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-017-1110-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Hauzman
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes 1721 Bloco A Sala D9 - Butantã, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil. .,Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - D M O Bonci
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes 1721 Bloco A Sala D9 - Butantã, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil.,Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - E Y Suárez-Villota
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnólogicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Edificio Emilio Pugin, Campus Isla Teja S/N, 5110236, Valdivia, Chile.,Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M Neitz
- Department of Opthalmology, University of Washington, 750 Republican Street, Box 358058, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - D F Ventura
- Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes 1721 Bloco A Sala D9 - Butantã, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil.,Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
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32
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Mao B, Moss CF, Wilkinson GS. Age-dependent gene expression in the inner ear of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186667. [PMID: 29073148 PMCID: PMC5658057 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
For echolocating bats, hearing is essential for survival. Specializations for detecting and processing high frequency sounds are apparent throughout their auditory systems. Recent studies on echolocating mammals have reported evidence of parallel evolution in some hearing-related genes in which distantly related groups of echolocating animals (bats and toothed whales), cluster together in gene trees due to apparent amino acid convergence. However, molecular adaptations can occur not only in coding sequences, but also in the regulation of gene expression. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of hearing-related genes in the inner ear of developing big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, during the period in which echolocation vocalizations increase dramatically in frequency. We found that seven genes were significantly upregulated in juveniles relative to adults, and that the expression of four genes through development correlated with estimated age. Compared to available data for mice, it appears that expression of some hearing genes is extended in juvenile bats. These results are consistent with a prolonged growth period required to develop larger cochlea relative to body size, a later maturation of high frequency hearing, and a greater dependence on high frequency hearing in echolocating bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Mao
- Department of Biology, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cynthia F. Moss
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gerald S. Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
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33
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Davies KTJ. Digest: Know your poison: Predictable molecular changes confer toxin resistance in snakes. Evolution 2017; 71:1728-1729. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kalina T. J. Davies
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences; Queen Mary University of London; London E1 4NS United Kingdom
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34
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Dong D, Lei M, Hua P, Pan YH, Mu S, Zheng G, Pang E, Lin K, Zhang S. The Genomes of Two Bat Species with Long Constant Frequency Echolocation Calls. Mol Biol Evol 2016; 34:20-34. [PMID: 27803123 PMCID: PMC7107545 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msw231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats can perceive the world by using a wide range of sensory systems, and some of the systems have become highly specialized, such as auditory sensory perception. Among bat species, the Old World leaf-nosed bats and horseshoe bats (rhinolophoid bats) possess the most sophisticated echolocation systems. Here, we reported the whole-genome sequencing and de novo assembles of two rhinolophoid bats – the great leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros armiger) and the Chinese rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus sinicus). Comparative genomic analyses revealed the adaptation of auditory sensory perception in the rhinolophoid bat lineages, probably resulting from the extreme selectivity used in the auditory processing by these bats. Pseudogenization of some vision-related genes in rhinolophoid bats was observed, suggesting that these genes have undergone relaxed natural selection. An extensive contraction of olfactory receptor gene repertoires was observed in the lineage leading to the common ancestor of bats. Further extensive gene contractions can be observed in the branch leading to the rhinolophoid bats. Such concordance suggested that molecular changes at one sensory gene might have direct consequences for genes controlling for other sensory modalities. To characterize the population genetic structure and patterns of evolution, we re-sequenced the genome of 20 great leaf-nosed bats from four different geographical locations of China. The result showed similar sequence diversity values and little differentiation among populations. Moreover, evidence of genetic adaptations to high altitudes in the great leaf-nosed bats was observed. Taken together, our work provided a useful resource for future research on the evolution of bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Dong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai , China
| | - Ming Lei
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai , China
| | - Panyu Hua
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai , China
| | - Yi-Hsuan Pan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai , China
| | - Shuo Mu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai , China
| | - Guantao Zheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai , China
| | - Erli Pang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Kui Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Liaoning Province, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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35
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Comparisons of MRI images, and auditory-related and vocal-related protein expressions in the brain of echolocation bats and rodents. Neuroreport 2016; 27:923-8. [PMID: 27337384 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000000633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Although echolocating bats and other mammals share the basic design of laryngeal apparatus for sound production and auditory system for sound reception, they have a specialized laryngeal mechanism for ultrasonic sound emissions as well as a highly developed auditory system for processing species-specific sounds. Because the sounds used by bats for echolocation and rodents for communication are quite different, there must be differences in the central nervous system devoted to producing and processing species-specific sounds between them. The present study examines the difference in the relative size of several brain structures and expression of auditory-related and vocal-related proteins in the central nervous system of echolocation bats and rodents. Here, we report that bats using constant frequency-frequency-modulated sounds (CF-FM bats) and FM bats for echolocation have a larger volume of midbrain nuclei (inferior and superior colliculi) and cerebellum relative to the size of the brain than rodents (mice and rats). However, the former have a smaller volume of the cerebrum and olfactory bulb, but greater expression of otoferlin and forkhead box protein P2 than the latter. Although the size of both midbrain colliculi is comparable in both CF-FM and FM bats, CF-FM bats have a larger cerebrum and greater expression of otoferlin and forkhead box protein P2 than FM bats. These differences in brain structure and protein expression are discussed in relation to their biologically relevant sounds and foraging behavior.
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36
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Prudent X, Parra G, Schwede P, Roscito JG, Hiller M. Controlling for Phylogenetic Relatedness and Evolutionary Rates Improves the Discovery of Associations Between Species' Phenotypic and Genomic Differences. Mol Biol Evol 2016; 33:2135-50. [PMID: 27222536 PMCID: PMC4948712 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msw098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing number of sequenced genomes allows us now to address a key question in genetics and evolutionary biology: which genomic changes underlie particular phenotypic changes between species? Previously, we developed a computational framework called Forward Genomics that associates phenotypic to genomic differences by focusing on phenotypes that are independently lost in different lineages. However, our previous implementation had three main limitations. Here, we present two new Forward Genomics methods that overcome these limitations by (1) directly controlling for phylogenetic relatedness, (2) controlling for differences in evolutionary rates, and (3) computing a statistical significance. We demonstrate on large-scale simulated data and on real data that both new methods substantially improve the sensitivity to detect associations between phenotypic and genomic differences. We applied these new methods to detect genomic differences involved in the loss of vision in the blind mole rat and the cape golden mole, two independent subterranean mammals. Forward Genomics identified several genes that are enriched in functions related to eye development and the perception of light, as well as genes involved in the circadian rhythm. These new Forward Genomics methods represent a significant advance in our ability to discover the genomic basis underlying phenotypic differences between species. Source code: https://github.com/hillerlab/ForwardGenomics/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Prudent
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
| | - Genis Parra
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter Schwede
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
| | - Juliana G Roscito
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Hiller
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
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37
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Mao X, Zhang S, Rossiter SJ. Differential introgression suggests candidate beneficial and barrier loci between two parapatric subspecies of Pearson's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus pearsoni. Curr Zool 2016; 62:405-412. [PMID: 29491929 PMCID: PMC5829442 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zow017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Observations that rates of introgression between taxa can vary across loci are
increasingly common. Here, we test for differential locus-wise introgression in 2
parapatric subspecies of Pearson′s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus pearsoni
chinensis and R. p. pearsoni). To efficiently identify
putative speciation genes and/or beneficial genes in our current system, we used a
candidate gene approach by including loci from X chromosome that are suggested to be more
likely involved in reproductive isolation in other organisms and loci underlying hearing
that have been suggested to spread across the hybrid zone in another congeneric species.
Phylogenetic and coalescent analyses were performed at 2 X-linked, 4 hearing genes, as
well as 2 other autosomal loci individually. Likelihood ratio tests could not reject the
model of zero gene flow at 2 X-linked and 2 autosomal genes. In contrast, gene flow was
supported at 3 of 4 hearing genes. While this introgression could be adaptive, we cannot
rule out stochastic processes. Our results highlight the utility of the candidate gene
approach in searching for speciation genes and/or beneficial genes across the species
boundary in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuguang Mao
- Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China and.,School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China and
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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38
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Integrating Ontogeny of Echolocation and Locomotion Gives Unique Insights into the Origin of Bats. J MAMM EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-016-9324-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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39
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Teeling EC, Jones G, Rossiter SJ. Phylogeny, Genes, and Hearing: Implications for the Evolution of Echolocation in Bats. BAT BIOACOUSTICS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3527-7_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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40
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Hahn MW, Nakhleh L. Irrational exuberance for resolved species trees. Evolution 2015; 70:7-17. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W. Hahn
- Department of Biology; Indiana University; Bloomington Indiana 47405
- School of Informatics and Computing; Indiana University; Bloomington Indiana 47405
| | - Luay Nakhleh
- Department of Computer Science; Rice University; Houston Texas 77005
- BioSciences; Rice University; Houston Texas 77005
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41
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Kössl M, Hechavarria J, Voss C, Schaefer M, Vater M. Bat auditory cortex – model for general mammalian auditory computation or special design solution for active time perception? Eur J Neurosci 2015; 41:518-32. [PMID: 25728173 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Audition in bats serves passive orientation, alerting functions and communication as it does in other vertebrates. In addition, bats have evolved echolocation for orientation and prey detection and capture. This put a selective pressure on the auditory system in regard to echolocation-relevant temporal computation and frequency analysis. The present review attempts to evaluate in which respect the processing modules of bat auditory cortex (AC) are a model for typical mammalian AC function or are designed for echolocation-unique purposes. We conclude that, while cortical area arrangement and cortical frequency processing does not deviate greatly from that of other mammals, the echo delay time-sensitive dorsal cortex regions contain special designs for very powerful time perception. Different bat species have either a unique chronotopic cortex topography or a distributed salt-and-pepper representation of echo delay. The two designs seem to enable similar behavioural performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Kössl
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, University of Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str.13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
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42
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Abstract
Bats account for ~20% of mammalian species, and are the only mammals with true powered flight. For the sake of their specialized phenotypic traits, many researches have been devoted to examine the evolution of bats. Until now, some whole genome sequences of bats have been assembled and annotated, however, a uniform resource for the annotated bat genomes is still unavailable. To make the extensive data associated with the bat genomes accessible to the general biological communities, we established a Bat Genome Database (BGD). BGD is an open-access, web-available portal that integrates available data of bat genomes and genes. It hosts data from six bat species, including two megabats and four microbats. Users can query the gene annotations using efficient searching engine, and it offers browsable tracks of bat genomes. Furthermore, an easy-to-use phylogenetic analysis tool was also provided to facilitate online phylogeny study of genes. To the best of our knowledge, BGD is the first database of bat genomes. It will extend our understanding of the bat evolution and be advantageous to the bat sequences analysis. BGD is freely available at: http://donglab.ecnu.edu.cn/databases/BatGenome/.
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43
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Zou Z, Zhang J. Are Convergent and Parallel Amino Acid Substitutions in Protein Evolution More Prevalent Than Neutral Expectations? Mol Biol Evol 2015; 32:2085-96. [PMID: 25862140 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Convergent and parallel amino acid substitutions in protein evolution, collectively referred to as molecular convergence here, have small probabilities under neutral evolution. For this reason, molecular convergence is commonly viewed as evidence for similar adaptations of different species. The surge in the number of reports of molecular convergence in the last decade raises the intriguing question of whether molecular convergence occurs substantially more frequently than expected under neutral evolution. We here address this question using all one-to-one orthologous proteins encoded by the genomes of 12 fruit fly species and those encoded by 17 mammals. We found that the expected amount of molecular convergence varies greatly depending on the specific neutral substitution model assumed at each amino acid site and that the observed amount of molecular convergence is explainable by neutral models incorporating site-specific information of acceptable amino acids. Interestingly, the total number of convergent and parallel substitutions between two lineages, relative to the neutral expectation, decreases with the genetic distance between the two lineages, regardless of the model used in computing the neutral expectation. We hypothesize that this trend results from differences in the amino acids acceptable at a given site among different clades of a phylogeny, due to prevalent epistasis, and provide simulation as well as empirical evidence for this hypothesis. Together, our study finds no genomic evidence for higher-than-neutral levels of molecular convergence, but suggests the presence of abundant epistasis that decreases the likelihood of molecular convergence between distantly related lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengting Zou
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Jianzhi Zhang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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44
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Carter RT, Adams RA. Postnatal ontogeny of the cochlea and flight ability in Jamaican fruit bats (Phyllostomidae) with implications for the evolution of echolocation. J Anat 2015; 226:301-8. [PMID: 25831957 PMCID: PMC4386930 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence has shown that the developmental emergence of echolocation calls in young bats follow an independent developmental pathway from other vocalizations and that adult-like echolocation call structure significantly precedes flight ability. These data in combination with new insights into the echolocation ability of some shrews suggest that the evolution of echolocation in bats may involve inheritance of a primitive sonar system that was modified to its current state, rather than the ad hoc evolution of echolocation in the earliest bats. Because the cochlea is crucial in the sensation of echoes returning from sonar pulses, we tracked changes in cochlear morphology during development that included the basilar membrane (BM) and secondary spiral lamina (SSL) along the length of the cochlea in relation to stages of flight ability in young bats. Our data show that the morphological prerequisite for sonar sensitivity of the cochlea significantly precedes the onset of flight in young bats and, in fact, development of this prerequisite is complete before parturition. In addition, there were no discernible changes in cochlear morphology with stages of flight development, demonstrating temporal asymmetry between the development of morphology associated with echo-pulse return sensitivity and volancy. These data further corroborate and support the hypothesis that adaptations for sonar and echolocation evolved before flight in mammals.
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45
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Abstract
Toothed whales and two groups of bats independently acquired echolocation, the ability to locate and identify objects by reflected sound. Echolocation requires physiologically complex and coordinated vocal, auditory, and neural functions, but the molecular basis of the capacity for echolocation is not well understood. A recent study suggested that convergent amino acid substitutions widespread in the proteins of echolocators underlay the convergent origins of mammalian echolocation. Here, we show that genomic signatures of molecular convergence between echolocating lineages are generally no stronger than those between echolocating and comparable nonecholocating lineages. The same is true for the group of 29 hearing-related proteins claimed to be enriched with molecular convergence. Reexamining the previous selection test reveals several flaws and invalidates the asserted evidence for adaptive convergence. Together, these findings indicate that the reported genomic signatures of convergence largely reflect the background level of sequence convergence unrelated to the origins of echolocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengting Zou
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Jianzhi Zhang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Davies KTJ, Tsagkogeorga G, Rossiter SJ. Divergent evolutionary rates in vertebrate and mammalian specific conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) in echolocating mammals. BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:261. [PMID: 25523630 PMCID: PMC4302572 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-014-0261-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of DNA contained within vertebrate genomes is non-coding, with a certain proportion of this thought to play regulatory roles during development. Conserved Non-coding Elements (CNEs) are an abundant group of putative regulatory sequences that are highly conserved across divergent groups and thus assumed to be under strong selective constraint. Many CNEs may contain regulatory factor binding sites, and their frequent spatial association with key developmental genes - such as those regulating sensory system development - suggests crucial roles in regulating gene expression and cellular patterning. Yet surprisingly little is known about the molecular evolution of CNEs across diverse mammalian taxa or their role in specific phenotypic adaptations. We examined 3,110 vertebrate-specific and ~82,000 mammalian-specific CNEs across 19 and 9 mammalian orders respectively, and tested for changes in the rate of evolution of CNEs located in the proximity of genes underlying the development or functioning of auditory systems. As we focused on CNEs putatively associated with genes underlying the development/functioning of auditory systems, we incorporated echolocating taxa in our dataset because of their highly specialised and derived auditory systems. RESULTS Phylogenetic reconstructions of concatenated CNEs broadly recovered accepted mammal relationships despite high levels of sequence conservation. We found that CNE substitution rates were highest in rodents and lowest in primates, consistent with previous findings. Comparisons of CNE substitution rates from several genomic regions containing genes linked to auditory system development and hearing revealed differences between echolocating and non-echolocating taxa. Wider taxonomic sampling of four CNEs associated with the homeobox genes Hmx2 and Hmx3 - which are required for inner ear development - revealed family-wise variation across diverse bat species. Specifically within one family of echolocating bats that utilise frequency-modulated echolocation calls varying widely in frequency and intensity high levels of sequence divergence were found. CONCLUSIONS Levels of selective constraint acting on CNEs differed both across genomic locations and taxa, with observed variation in substitution rates of CNEs among bat species. More work is needed to determine whether this variation can be linked to echolocation, and wider taxonomic sampling is necessary to fully document levels of conservation in CNEs across diverse taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalina T J Davies
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Georgia Tsagkogeorga
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
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47
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Nonecholocating Fruit Bats Produce Biosonar Clicks with Their Wings. Curr Biol 2014; 24:2962-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.10.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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48
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Mao X, Zhu G, Zhang L, Zhang S, Rossiter SJ. Differential introgression among loci across a hybrid zone of the intermediate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis). BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:154. [PMID: 25011626 PMCID: PMC4105523 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-14-154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hybrid zones formed by the secondary contact of divergent lineages represent natural laboratories for studying the genetic basis of speciation. Here we tested for patterns of differential introgression among three X-linked and 11 autosomal regions to identify candidate loci related to either reproductive isolation or adaptive introgression across a hybrid zone between two Chinese mainland subspecies of the intermediate horseshoe bat Rhinolophus affinis: R. a. himalayanus and R. a. macrurus. Results Our results support the previous suggestion that macrurus formed when a third subspecies (R. a. hainanus) recolonized the mainland from Hainan Island, and that himalayanus is the ancestral taxon. However, this overall evolutionary history was not reflected in all loci examined, with considerable locus-wise heterogeneity seen in gene tree topologies, levels of polymorphism, genetic differentiation and rates of introgression. Coalescent simulations suggested levels of lineage mixing seen at some nuclear loci might result from incomplete lineage sorting. Isolation with migration models supported evidence of gene flow across the hybrid zone at one intronic marker of the hearing gene Prestin. Conclusions We suggest that phylogenetic discordance with respect to the species tree seen here is likely to arise via a combination of incomplete lineage sorting and a low incidence of introgression although we cannot rule out other explanations such as selection and recombination. Two X-linked loci and one autosomal locus were identified as candidate regions related to reproductive isolation across the hybrid zone. Our work highlights the importance of including multiple genomic regions in characterizing patterns of divergence and gene flow across a hybrid zone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.
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49
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Liu Z, Qi FY, Zhou X, Ren HQ, Shi P. Parallel sites implicate functional convergence of the hearing gene prestin among echolocating mammals. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 31:2415-24. [PMID: 24951728 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Echolocation is a sensory system whereby certain mammals navigate and forage using sound waves, usually in environments where visibility is limited. Curiously, echolocation has evolved independently in bats and whales, which occupy entirely different environments. Based on this phenotypic convergence, recent studies identified several echolocation-related genes with parallel sites at the protein sequence level among different echolocating mammals, and among these, prestin seems the most promising. Although previous studies analyzed the evolutionary mechanism of prestin, the functional roles of the parallel sites in the evolution of mammalian echolocation are not clear. By functional assays, we show that a key parameter of prestin function, 1/α, is increased in all echolocating mammals and that the N7T parallel substitution accounted for this functional convergence. Moreover, another parameter, V1/2, was shifted toward the depolarization direction in a toothed whale, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and a constant-frequency (CF) bat, the Stoliczka's trident bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus). The parallel site of I384T between toothed whales and CF bats was responsible for this functional convergence. Furthermore, the two parameters (1/α and V1/2) were correlated with mammalian high-frequency hearing, suggesting that the convergent changes of the prestin function in echolocating mammals may play important roles in mammalian echolocation. To our knowledge, these findings present the functional patterns of echolocation-related genes in echolocating mammals for the first time and rigorously demonstrate adaptive parallel evolution at the protein sequence level, paving the way to insights into the molecular mechanism underlying mammalian echolocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Fei-Yan Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaUniversity of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hai-Qing Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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50
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Shen B, Fang T, Yang T, Jones G, Irwin DM, Zhang S. Relaxed evolution in the tyrosine aminotransferase gene tat in old world fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). PLoS One 2014; 9:e97483. [PMID: 24824435 PMCID: PMC4019583 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Frugivorous and nectarivorous bats fuel their metabolism mostly by using carbohydrates and allocate the restricted amounts of ingested proteins mainly for anabolic protein syntheses rather than for catabolic energy production. Thus, it is possible that genes involved in protein (amino acid) catabolism may have undergone relaxed evolution in these fruit- and nectar-eating bats. The tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT, encoded by the Tat gene) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the tyrosine catabolic pathway. To test whether the Tat gene has undergone relaxed evolution in the fruit- and nectar-eating bats, we obtained the Tat coding region from 20 bat species including four Old World fruit bats (Pteropodidae) and two New World fruit bats (Phyllostomidae). Phylogenetic reconstructions revealed a gene tree in which all echolocating bats (including the New World fruit bats) formed a monophyletic group. The phylogenetic conflict appears to stem from accelerated TAT protein sequence evolution in the Old World fruit bats. Our molecular evolutionary analyses confirmed a change in the selection pressure acting on Tat, which was likely caused by a relaxation of the evolutionary constraints on the Tat gene in the Old World fruit bats. Hepatic TAT activity assays showed that TAT activities in species of the Old World fruit bats are significantly lower than those of insectivorous bats and omnivorous mice, which was not caused by a change in TAT protein levels in the liver. Our study provides unambiguous evidence that the Tat gene has undergone relaxed evolution in the Old World fruit bats in response to changes in their metabolism due to the evolution of their special diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Shen
- Institute of Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institutes for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Fang
- Institute of Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institutes for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianxiao Yang
- Institute of Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institutes for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - David M. Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institutes for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail:
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