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Martin TG, Leinwand LA. Molecular regulation of reversible cardiac remodeling: lessons from species with extreme physiological adaptations. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247445. [PMID: 39344503 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247445] [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] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Some vertebrates evolved to have a remarkable capacity for anatomical and physiological plasticity in response to environmental challenges. One example of such plasticity can be found in the ambush-hunting snakes of the genus Python, which exhibit reversible cardiac growth with feeding. The predation strategy employed by pythons is associated with months-long fasts that are arrested by ingestion of large prey. Consequently, digestion compels a dramatic increase in metabolic rate and hypertrophy of multiple organs, including the heart. In this Review, we summarize the post-prandial cardiac adaptations in pythons at the whole-heart, cellular and molecular scales. We highlight circulating factors and cellular signaling pathways that are altered during digestion to affect cardiac form and function and propose possible mechanisms that may drive the post-digestion regression of cardiac mass. Adaptive physiological cardiac hypertrophy has also been observed in other vertebrates, including in fish acclimated to cold water, birds flying at high altitudes and exercising mammals. To reveal potential evolutionarily conserved features, we summarize the molecular signatures of reversible cardiac remodeling identified in these species and compare them with those of pythons. Finally, we offer a perspective on the potential of biomimetics targeting the natural biology of pythons as therapeutics for human heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Martin
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
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2
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Crocini C, Woulfe KC, Ozeroff CD, Perni S, Cardiello J, Walker CJ, Wilson CE, Anseth K, Allen MA, Leinwand LA. Postprandial cardiac hypertrophy is sustained by mechanics, epigenetic, and metabolic reprogramming in pythons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322726121. [PMID: 39159386 PMCID: PMC11388396 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322726121] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Constricting pythons, known for their ability to consume infrequent, massive meals, exhibit rapid and reversible cardiac hypertrophy following feeding. Our primary goal was to investigate how python hearts achieve this adaptive response after feeding. Isolated myofibrils increased force after feeding without changes in sarcomere ultrastructure and without increasing energy cost. Ca2+ transients were prolonged after feeding with no changes in myofibril Ca2+ sensitivity. Feeding reduced titin-based tension, resulting in decreased cardiac tissue stiffness. Feeding also reduced the activity of sirtuins, a metabolically linked class of histone deacetylases, and increased chromatin accessibility. Transcription factor enrichment analysis on transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing revealed the prominent role of transcription factors Yin Yang1 and NRF1 in postfeeding cardiac adaptation. Gene expression also changed with the enrichment of translation and metabolism. Finally, metabolomics analysis and adenosine triphosphate production demonstrated that cardiac adaptation after feeding not only increased energy demand but also energy production. These findings have broad implications for our understanding of cardiac adaptation across species and hold promise for the development of innovative approaches to address cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Crocini
- Max Rubner Center for Cardiovascular Metabolic Renal Research (MRC), Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin 10115, Germany
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Kathleen C Woulfe
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Christopher D Ozeroff
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Stefano Perni
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Joseph Cardiello
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Cierra J Walker
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Cortney E Wilson
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Kristi Anseth
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Mary Ann Allen
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
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3
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Yuan H, Mancuso CA, Johnson K, Braasch I, Krishnan A. Computational strategies for cross-species knowledge transfer and translational biomedicine. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2408.08503v1. [PMID: 39184546 PMCID: PMC11343225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Research organisms provide invaluable insights into human biology and diseases, serving as essential tools for functional experiments, disease modeling, and drug testing. However, evolutionary divergence between humans and research organisms hinders effective knowledge transfer across species. Here, we review state-of-the-art methods for computationally transferring knowledge across species, primarily focusing on methods that utilize transcriptome data and/or molecular networks. We introduce the term "agnology" to describe the functional equivalence of molecular components regardless of evolutionary origin, as this concept is becoming pervasive in integrative data-driven models where the role of evolutionary origin can become unclear. Our review addresses four key areas of information and knowledge transfer across species: (1) transferring disease and gene annotation knowledge, (2) identifying agnologous molecular components, (3) inferring equivalent perturbed genes or gene sets, and (4) identifying agnologous cell types. We conclude with an outlook on future directions and several key challenges that remain in cross-species knowledge transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yuan
- Genetics and Genome Science Program; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University
| | - Christopher A. Mancuso
- Department of Biostatistics & Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Kayla Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology; Genetics and Genome Science Program; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University
| | - Arjun Krishnan
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Ollonen J, Khannoon ER, Macrì S, Vergilov V, Kuurne J, Saarikivi J, Soukainen A, Aalto IM, Werneburg I, Diaz RE, Di-Poï N. Dynamic evolutionary interplay between ontogenetic skull patterning and whole-head integration. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:536-551. [PMID: 38200368 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02295-3] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The arrangement and morphology of the vertebrate skull reflect functional and ecological demands, making it a highly adaptable structure. However, the fundamental developmental and macroevolutionary mechanisms leading to different vertebrate skull phenotypes remain unclear. Here we exploit the morphological diversity of squamate reptiles to assess the developmental and evolutionary patterns of skull variation and covariation in the whole head. Our geometric morphometric analysis of a complex squamate ontogenetic dataset (209 specimens, 169 embryos, 44 species), covering stages from craniofacial primordia to fully ossified bones, reveals that morphological differences between snake and lizard skulls arose gradually through changes in spatial relationships (heterotopy) followed by alterations in developmental timing or rate (heterochrony). Along with dynamic spatiotemporal changes in the integration pattern of skull bone shape and topology with surrounding brain tissues and sensory organs, we identify a relatively higher phenotypic integration of the developing snake head compared with lizards. The eye, nasal cavity and Jacobson's organ are pivotal in skull morphogenesis, highlighting the importance of sensory rearrangements in snake evolution. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate the importance of early embryonic, ontogenetic and tissue interactions in shaping craniofacial evolution and ecological diversification in squamates, with implications for the nature of cranio-cerebral relations across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joni Ollonen
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eraqi R Khannoon
- Biology Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | - Simone Macrì
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vladislav Vergilov
- National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Jaakko Kuurne
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jarmo Saarikivi
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Arttu Soukainen
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ida-Maria Aalto
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen, Germany
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Raul E Diaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas Di-Poï
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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5
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Title PO, Singhal S, Grundler MC, Costa GC, Pyron RA, Colston TJ, Grundler MR, Prates I, Stepanova N, Jones MEH, Cavalcanti LBQ, Colli GR, Di-Poï N, Donnellan SC, Moritz C, Mesquita DO, Pianka ER, Smith SA, Vitt LJ, Rabosky DL. The macroevolutionary singularity of snakes. Science 2024; 383:918-923. [PMID: 38386744 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh2449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Snakes and lizards (Squamata) represent a third of terrestrial vertebrates and exhibit spectacular innovations in locomotion, feeding, and sensory processing. However, the evolutionary drivers of this radiation remain poorly known. We infer potential causes and ultimate consequences of squamate macroevolution by combining individual-based natural history observations (>60,000 animals) with a comprehensive time-calibrated phylogeny that we anchored with genomic data (5400 loci) from 1018 species. Due to shifts in the dynamics of speciation and phenotypic evolution, snakes have transformed the trophic structure of animal communities through the recurrent origin and diversification of specialized predatory strategies. Squamate biodiversity reflects a legacy of singular events that occurred during the early history of snakes and reveals the impact of historical contingency on vertebrate biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal O Title
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sonal Singhal
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA 90747, USA
| | - Michael C Grundler
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Gabriel C Costa
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL 36117, USA
| | - R Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
- Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez 00680, Puerto Rico
| | - Maggie R Grundler
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ivan Prates
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Natasha Stepanova
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marc E H Jones
- Science Group: Fossil Reptiles, Amphibians and Birds Section, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Lucas B Q Cavalcanti
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Guarino R Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Nicolas Di-Poï
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Craig Moritz
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Daniel O Mesquita
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Eric R Pianka
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Stephen A Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Laurie J Vitt
- Sam Noble Museum and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Daniel L Rabosky
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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6
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Eastment RV, Wong BBM, McGee MD. Convergent genomic signatures associated with vertebrate viviparity. BMC Biol 2024; 22:34. [PMID: 38331819 PMCID: PMC10854053 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01837-w] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Viviparity-live birth-is a complex and innovative mode of reproduction that has evolved repeatedly across the vertebrate Tree of Life. Viviparous species exhibit remarkable levels of reproductive diversity, both in the amount of care provided by the parent during gestation, and the ways in which that care is delivered. The genetic basis of viviparity has garnered increasing interest over recent years; however, such studies are often undertaken on small evolutionary timelines, and thus are not able to address changes occurring on a broader scale. Using whole genome data, we investigated the molecular basis of this innovation across the diversity of vertebrates to answer a long held question in evolutionary biology: is the evolution of convergent traits driven by convergent genomic changes? RESULTS We reveal convergent changes in protein family sizes, protein-coding regions, introns, and untranslated regions (UTRs) in a number of distantly related viviparous lineages. Specifically, we identify 15 protein families showing evidence of contraction or expansion associated with viviparity. We additionally identify elevated substitution rates in both coding and noncoding sequences in several viviparous lineages. However, we did not find any convergent changes-be it at the nucleotide or protein level-common to all viviparous lineages. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the value of macroevolutionary comparative genomics in determining the genomic basis of complex evolutionary transitions. While we identify a number of convergent genomic changes that may be associated with the evolution of viviparity in vertebrates, there does not appear to be a convergent molecular signature shared by all viviparous vertebrates. Ultimately, our findings indicate that a complex trait such as viviparity likely evolves with changes occurring in multiple different pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhiannon V Eastment
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia.
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia
| | - Matthew D McGee
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia
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7
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Christensen KE, Duarte A, Ma Z, Edwards JL, Brem RB. Dissecting an ancient stress resistance trait syndrome in the compost yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.21.572915. [PMID: 38187519 PMCID: PMC10769334 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
In the search to understand how evolution builds new traits, ancient events are often the hardest to dissect. Species-unique traits pose a particular challenge for geneticists-cases in which a character arose long ago and, in the modern day, is conserved within a species, distinguishing it from reproductively isolated relatives. In this work, we have developed the budding yeast genus Kluyveromyces as a model for mechanistic dissection of trait variation across species boundaries. Phenotypic profiling revealed robust heat and chemical-stress tolerance phenotypes that distinguished the compost yeast K. marxianus from the rest of the clade. We used culture-based, transcriptomic, and genetic approaches to characterize the metabolic requirements of the K. marxianus trait syndrome. We then generated a population-genomic resource for K. marxianus and harnessed it in molecular-evolution analyses, which found hundreds of housekeeping genes with evidence for adaptive protein variation unique to this species. Our data support a model in which, in the distant past, K. marxianus underwent a vastly complex remodeling of its proteome to achieve stress resistance. Such a polygenic architecture, involving nucleotide-level allelic variation on a massive scale, is consistent with theoretical models of the mechanisms of long-term adaptation, and suggests principles of broad relevance for interspecies trait genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee E. Christensen
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720
| | - Abel Duarte
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720
| | - Zhenzhen Ma
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720
- Current address: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305
| | - Judith L. Edwards
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720
| | - Rachel B. Brem
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720
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Pinto BJ, Gamble T, Smith CH, Wilson MA. A lizard is never late: Squamate genomics as a recent catalyst for understanding sex chromosome and microchromosome evolution. J Hered 2023; 114:445-458. [PMID: 37018459 PMCID: PMC10445521 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2011, the first high-quality genome assembly of a squamate reptile (lizard or snake) was published for the green anole. Dozens of genome assemblies were subsequently published over the next decade, yet these assemblies were largely inadequate for answering fundamental questions regarding genome evolution in squamates due to their lack of contiguity or annotation. As the "genomics age" was beginning to hit its stride in many organismal study systems, progress in squamates was largely stagnant following the publication of the green anole genome. In fact, zero high-quality (chromosome-level) squamate genomes were published between the years 2012 and 2017. However, since 2018, an exponential increase in high-quality genome assemblies has materialized with 24 additional high-quality genomes published for species across the squamate tree of life. As the field of squamate genomics is rapidly evolving, we provide a systematic review from an evolutionary genomics perspective. We collated a near-complete list of publicly available squamate genome assemblies from more than half-a-dozen international and third-party repositories and systematically evaluated them with regard to their overall quality, phylogenetic breadth, and usefulness for continuing to provide accurate and efficient insights into genome evolution across squamate reptiles. This review both highlights and catalogs the currently available genomic resources in squamates and their ability to address broader questions in vertebrates, specifically sex chromosome and microchromosome evolution, while addressing why squamates may have received less historical focus and has caused their progress in genomics to lag behind peer taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Pinto
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, United States
| | - Chase H Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Melissa A Wilson
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Biodesign Institute, Tempe, AZ, United States
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Vanuopadath M, Rajan K, Alangode A, Nair SS, Nair BG. The Need for Next-Generation Antivenom for Snakebite Envenomation in India. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:510. [PMID: 37624267 PMCID: PMC10467155 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15080510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The limitations posed by currently available antivenoms have emphasized the need for alternative treatments to counteract snakebite envenomation. Even though exact epidemiological data are lacking, reports have indicated that most global snakebite deaths are reported in India. Among the many problems associated with snakebite envenomation, issues related to the availability of safer and more efficient antivenoms are of primary concern. Since India has the highest number of global snakebite deaths, efforts should be made to reduce the burden associated with snakebite envenoming. Alternative methods, including aptamers, camel antivenoms, phage display techniques for generating high-affinity antibodies and antibody fragments, small-molecule inhibitors, and natural products, are currently being investigated for their effectiveness. These alternative methods have shown promise in vitro, but their in vivo effectiveness should also be evaluated. In this review, the issues associated with Indian polyvalent antivenoms in neutralizing venom components from geographically distant species are discussed in detail. In a nutshell, this review gives an overview of the current drawbacks of using animal-derived antivenoms and several alternative strategies that are currently being widely explored.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bipin Gopalakrishnan Nair
- School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam 690 525, Kerala, India; (M.V.); (K.R.); (A.A.); (S.S.N.)
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10
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Lederer I, Shahid B, Dao U, Brogdon A, Byrtus H, Delva M, Deva O, Hatfield P, Hertz M, Justice J, Mavor S, Pilbeam E, Rice Z, Simpson A, Temar H, Wynn R, Xhangolli J, Graves C, Seidel H. A frameshift variant in the melanophilin gene is associated with loss of pigment from shed skin in ball pythons ( Python regius ). MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000896. [PMID: 37637270 PMCID: PMC10448248 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Melanophilin is a myosin adaptor required for transporting the pigment melanin within cells. Loss of melanophilin in fish, birds, and mammals causes pigmentation defects, but little is known about the role of melanophilin in non-avian reptiles. Here we show that a frameshift in the melanophilin gene in ball python ( P. regius ) is associated with loss of pigment from shed skin. This variant is predicted to remove the myosin-binding domain of melanophilin and thereby impair transport of melanin-containing organelles. Our study represents the first description of a melanophilin variant in a non-avian reptile and confirms the role of melanophilin across vertebrates.
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11
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Peng C, Wu DD, Ren JL, Peng ZL, Ma Z, Wu W, Lv Y, Wang Z, Deng C, Jiang K, Parkinson CL, Qi Y, Zhang ZY, Li JT. Large-scale snake genome analyses provide insights into vertebrate development. Cell 2023; 186:2959-2976.e22. [PMID: 37339633 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Snakes are a remarkable squamate lineage with unique morphological adaptations, especially those related to the evolution of vertebrate skeletons, organs, and sensory systems. To clarify the genetic underpinnings of snake phenotypes, we assembled and analyzed 14 de novo genomes from 12 snake families. We also investigated the genetic basis of the morphological characteristics of snakes using functional experiments. We identified genes, regulatory elements, and structural variations that have potentially contributed to the evolution of limb loss, an elongated body plan, asymmetrical lungs, sensory systems, and digestive adaptations in snakes. We identified some of the genes and regulatory elements that might have shaped the evolution of vision, the skeletal system and diet in blind snakes, and thermoreception in infrared-sensitive snakes. Our study provides insights into the evolution and development of snakes and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Jin-Long Ren
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | - Zhong-Liang Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhifei Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunyun Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; College of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan 641100, China
| | - Zeng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cao Deng
- Departments of Bioinformatics, DNA Stories Bioinformatics Center, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | | | - Yin Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | - Zhi-Yi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | - Jia-Tang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw 05282, Myanmar.
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12
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Dao UM, Lederer I, Tabor RL, Shahid B, Graves CW, Seidel HS. Stripes and loss of color in ball pythons (Python regius) are associated with variants affecting endothelin signaling. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad063. [PMID: 37191439 PMCID: PMC10320763 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Color patterns in nonavian reptiles are beautifully diverse, but little is known about the genetics and development of these patterns. Here, we investigated color patterning in pet ball pythons (Python regius), which have been bred to show color phenotypes that differ dramatically from the wildtype form. We report that several color phenotypes in pet animals are associated with putative loss-of-function variants in the gene encoding endothelin receptor EDNRB1: (1) frameshift variants in EDNRB1 are associated with conversion of the normal mottled color pattern to skin that is almost fully white, (2) missense variants affecting conserved sites of the EDNRB1 protein are associated with dorsal, longitudinal stripes, and (3) substitutions at EDNRB1 splice donors are associated with subtle changes in patterning compared to wildtype. We propose that these phenotypes are caused by loss of specialized color cells (chromatophores), with loss ranging from severe (fully white) to moderate (dorsal striping) to mild (subtle changes in patterning). Our study is the first to describe variants affecting endothelin signaling in a nonavian reptile and suggests that reductions in endothelin signaling in ball pythons can produce a variety of color phenotypes, depending on the degree of color cell loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uyen M Dao
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Izabella Lederer
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Ray L Tabor
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Basmah Shahid
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Chiron W Graves
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Hannah S Seidel
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
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13
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Gable SM, Mendez JM, Bushroe NA, Wilson A, Byars MI, Tollis M. The State of Squamate Genomics: Past, Present, and Future of Genome Research in the Most Speciose Terrestrial Vertebrate Order. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1387. [PMID: 37510292 PMCID: PMC10379679 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamates include more than 11,000 extant species of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians, and display a dazzling diversity of phenotypes across their over 200-million-year evolutionary history on Earth. Here, we introduce and define squamates (Order Squamata) and review the history and promise of genomic investigations into the patterns and processes governing squamate evolution, given recent technological advances in DNA sequencing, genome assembly, and evolutionary analysis. We survey the most recently available whole genome assemblies for squamates, including the taxonomic distribution of available squamate genomes, and assess their quality metrics and usefulness for research. We then focus on disagreements in squamate phylogenetic inference, how methods of high-throughput phylogenomics affect these inferences, and demonstrate the promise of whole genomes to settle or sustain persistent phylogenetic arguments for squamates. We review the role transposable elements play in vertebrate evolution, methods of transposable element annotation and analysis, and further demonstrate that through the understanding of the diversity, abundance, and activity of transposable elements in squamate genomes, squamates can be an ideal model for the evolution of genome size and structure in vertebrates. We discuss how squamate genomes can contribute to other areas of biological research such as venom systems, studies of phenotypic evolution, and sex determination. Because they represent more than 30% of the living species of amniote, squamates deserve a genome consortium on par with recent efforts for other amniotes (i.e., mammals and birds) that aim to sequence most of the extant families in a clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone M Gable
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jasmine M Mendez
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Nicholas A Bushroe
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Adam Wilson
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Michael I Byars
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Marc Tollis
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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14
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Liu B, Cui L, Deng Z, Ma Y, Yang D, Gong Y, Xu Y, Lan T, Yang S, Huang S. The genome assembly and annotation of the many-banded krait, Bungarus multicinctus. GIGABYTE 2023; 2023:gigabyte82. [PMID: 37404266 PMCID: PMC10315667 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Snakes are a vital component of wildlife resources and are widely distributed across the globe. The many-banded krait Bungarus multicinctus is a highly venomous snake found across Southern Asia and central and southern China. Snakes are an ancient reptile group, and their genomes can provide important clues for understanding the evolutionary history of reptiles. Additionally, genomic resources play a crucial role in comprehending the evolution of all species. However, snake genomic resources are still scarce. Here, we present a highly contiguous genome of B. multicinctus with a size of 1.51 Gb. The genome contains a repeat content of 40.15%, with a total length exceeding 620 Mb. Additionally, we annotated a total of 24,869 functional genes. This research is of great significance for comprehending the evolution of B. multicinctus and provides genomic information on the genes involved in venom gland functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Liu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Liangyu Cui
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zhangwen Deng
- Guangxi Forest Inventory and Planning Institute, Nanning 530011, China
| | - Yue Ma
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Diancheng Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resource, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
- Huangshan Noah Biodiversity Institute, Huangshan 245000, China
| | - Yanan Gong
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resource, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
- Huangshan Noah Biodiversity Institute, Huangshan 245000, China
| | - Yanchun Xu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Tianming Lan
- BGI Life Science Joint Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Shuhui Yang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Song Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resource, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
- Huangshan Noah Biodiversity Institute, Huangshan 245000, China
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15
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Garcia-Elfring A, Sabin CE, Iouchmanov AL, Roffey HL, Samudra SP, Alcala AJ, Osman RS, Lauderdale JD, Hendry AP, Menke DB, Barrett RDH. Piebaldism and chromatophore development in reptiles are linked to the tfec gene. Curr Biol 2023; 33:755-763.e3. [PMID: 36702128 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Reptiles display great diversity in color and pattern, yet much of what we know about vertebrate coloration comes from classic model species such as the mouse and zebrafish.1,2,3,4 Captive-bred ball pythons (Python regius) exhibit a remarkable degree of color and pattern variation. Despite the wide range of Mendelian color phenotypes available in the pet trade, ball pythons remain an overlooked species in pigmentation research. Here, we investigate the genetic basis of the recessive piebald phenotype, a pattern defect characterized by patches of unpigmented skin (leucoderma). We performed whole-genome sequencing and used a case-control approach to discover a nonsense mutation in the gene encoding the transcription factor tfec, implicating this gene in the leucodermic patches in ball pythons. We functionally validated tfec in a lizard model (Anolis sagrei) using the gene editing CRISPR/Cas9 system and TEM imaging of skin. Our findings show that reading frame mutations in tfec affect coloration and lead to a loss of iridophores in Anolis, indicating that tfec is required for chromatophore development. This study highlights the value of captive-bred ball pythons as a model species for accelerating discoveries on the genetic basis of vertebrate coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Garcia-Elfring
- Department of Biology, Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
| | - Christina E Sabin
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Neuroscience Division of the Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Anna L Iouchmanov
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Heather L Roffey
- Biology Department, Vanier College, Montreal, QC H4L 3X9, Canada
| | - Sukhada P Samudra
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Aaron J Alcala
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Rida S Osman
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - James D Lauderdale
- Neuroscience Division of the Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Andrew P Hendry
- Department of Biology, Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Douglas B Menke
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Rowan D H Barrett
- Department of Biology, Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
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16
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Genome Evolution and the Future of Phylogenomics of Non-Avian Reptiles. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030471. [PMID: 36766360 PMCID: PMC9913427 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-avian reptiles comprise a large proportion of amniote vertebrate diversity, with squamate reptiles-lizards and snakes-recently overtaking birds as the most species-rich tetrapod radiation. Despite displaying an extraordinary diversity of phenotypic and genomic traits, genomic resources in non-avian reptiles have accumulated more slowly than they have in mammals and birds, the remaining amniotes. Here we review the remarkable natural history of non-avian reptiles, with a focus on the physical traits, genomic characteristics, and sequence compositional patterns that comprise key axes of variation across amniotes. We argue that the high evolutionary diversity of non-avian reptiles can fuel a new generation of whole-genome phylogenomic analyses. A survey of phylogenetic investigations in non-avian reptiles shows that sequence capture-based approaches are the most commonly used, with studies of markers known as ultraconserved elements (UCEs) especially well represented. However, many other types of markers exist and are increasingly being mined from genome assemblies in silico, including some with greater information potential than UCEs for certain investigations. We discuss the importance of high-quality genomic resources and methods for bioinformatically extracting a range of marker sets from genome assemblies. Finally, we encourage herpetologists working in genomics, genetics, evolutionary biology, and other fields to work collectively towards building genomic resources for non-avian reptiles, especially squamates, that rival those already in place for mammals and birds. Overall, the development of this cross-amniote phylogenomic tree of life will contribute to illuminate interesting dimensions of biodiversity across non-avian reptiles and broader amniotes.
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17
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Guzy JC, Falk BG, Smith BJ, Willson JD, Reed RN, Aumen NG, Avery ML, Bartoszek IA, Campbell E, Cherkiss MS, Claunch NM, Currylow AF, Dean T, Dixon J, Engeman R, Funck S, Gibble R, Hengstebeck KC, Humphrey JS, Hunter ME, Josimovich JM, Ketterlin J, Kirkland M, Mazzotti FJ, McCleery R, Miller MA, McCollister M, Parker MR, Pittman SE, Rochford M, Romagosa C, Roybal A, Snow RW, Spencer MM, Waddle JH, Yackel Adams AA, Hart KM. Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools. NEOBIOTA 2023. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.80.90439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are native to southeastern Asia, however, there is an established invasive population inhabiting much of southern Florida throughout the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Pythons have severely impacted native species and ecosystems in Florida and represent one of the most intractable invasive-species management issues across the globe. The difficulty stems from a unique combination of inaccessible habitat and the cryptic and resilient nature of pythons that thrive in the subtropical environment of southern Florida, rendering them extremely challenging to detect. Here we provide a comprehensive review and synthesis of the science relevant to managing invasive Burmese pythons. We describe existing control tools and review challenges to productive research, identifying key knowledge gaps that would improve future research and decision making for python control.
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18
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Montaña-Lozano P, Balaguera-Reina SA, Prada-Quiroga CF. Comparative analysis of codon usage of mitochondrial genomes provides evolutionary insights into reptiles. Gene 2023; 851:146999. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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19
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Grismer JL, Escalona M, Miller C, Beraut E, Fairbairn CW, Marimuthu MPA, Nguyen O, Toffelmier E, Wang IJ, Shaffer HB. Reference genome of the rubber boa, Charina bottae (Serpentes: Boidae). J Hered 2022; 113:641-648. [PMID: 36056886 PMCID: PMC9709994 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esac048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rubber boa, Charina bottae is a semi-fossorial, cold-temperature adapted snake that ranges across the wetter and cooler ecoregions of the California Floristic Province. The rubber boa is 1 of 2 species in the family Boidae native to California and currently has 2 recognized subspecies, the Northern rubber boa C. bottae bottae and the Southern rubber boa C. bottae umbratica. Recent genomic work on C. bottae indicates that these 2 subspecies are collectively composed of 4 divergent lineages that separated during the late Miocene. Analysis of habitat suitability indicates that C. bottae umbratica montane sky-island populations from southern California will lose the majority of their habit over the next 70 yr, and is listed as Threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. Here, we report a new, chromosome-level assembly of C. bottae bottae as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP). Consistent with the reference genome strategy of the CCGP, we used Pacific Biosciences HiFi long reads and Hi-C chromatin-proximity sequencing technology to produce a de novo assembled genome. The assembly comprises 289 scaffolds covering 1,804,944,895 bp, has a contig N50 of 37.3 Mb, a scaffold N50 of 97 Mb, and BUSCO completeness score of 96.3%, and represents the first reference genome for the Boidae snake family. This genome will enable studies of genetic differentiation and connectivity among C. bottae bottae and C. bottae umbratica populations across California and help manage locally endemic lineages as they confront challenges from human-induced climate warming, droughts, and wildfires across California.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L Grismer
- Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Merly Escalona
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Courtney Miller
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Eric Beraut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Colin W Fairbairn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Mohan P A Marimuthu
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Oanh Nguyen
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Erin Toffelmier
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ian J Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - H Bradley Shaffer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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20
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Card DC, Van Camp AG, Santonastaso T, Jensen-Seaman MI, Anthony NM, Edwards SV. Structure and evolution of the squamate major histocompatibility complex as revealed by two Anolis lizard genomes. Front Genet 2022; 13:979746. [PMID: 36425073 PMCID: PMC9679377 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.979746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is an important genomic region for adaptive immunity and has long been studied in ecological and evolutionary contexts, such as disease resistance and mate and kin selection. The MHC has been investigated extensively in mammals and birds but far less so in squamate reptiles, the third major radiation of amniotes. We localized the core MHC genomic region in two squamate species, the green anole (Anolis carolinensis) and brown anole (A. sagrei), and provide the first detailed characterization of the squamate MHC, including the presence and ordering of known MHC genes in these species and comparative assessments of genomic structure and composition in MHC regions. We find that the Anolis MHC, located on chromosome 2 in both species, contains homologs of many previously-identified mammalian MHC genes in a single core MHC region. The repetitive element composition in anole MHC regions was similar to those observed in mammals but had important distinctions, such as higher proportions of DNA transposons. Moreover, longer introns and intergenic regions result in a much larger squamate MHC region (11.7 Mb and 24.6 Mb in the green and brown anole, respectively). Evolutionary analyses of MHC homologs of anoles and other representative amniotes uncovered generally monophyletic relationships between species-specific homologs and a loss of the peptide-binding domain exon 2 in one of two mhc2β gene homologs of each anole species. Signals of diversifying selection in each anole species was evident across codons of mhc1, many of which appear functionally relevant given known structures of this protein from the green anole, chicken, and human. Altogether, our investigation fills a major gap in understanding of amniote MHC diversity and evolution and provides an important foundation for future squamate-specific or vertebrate-wide investigations of the MHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daren C. Card
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Daren C. Card,
| | - Andrew G. Van Camp
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Trenten Santonastaso
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | | | - Nicola M. Anthony
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Scott V. Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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21
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Genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic analysis of a medicinal snake, Bungarus multicinctus, to provides insights into the origin of Elapidae neurotoxins. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 13:2234-2249. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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22
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Brown AR, Comai K, Mannino D, McCullough H, Donekal Y, Meyers HC, Graves CW, Seidel HS. A community-science approach identifies genetic variants associated with three color morphs in ball pythons (Python regius). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276376. [PMID: 36260636 PMCID: PMC9581371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Color morphs in ball pythons (Python regius) provide a unique and largely untapped resource for understanding the genetics of coloration in reptiles. Here we use a community-science approach to investigate the genetics of three color morphs affecting production of the pigment melanin. These morphs-Albino, Lavender Albino, and Ultramel-show a loss of melanin in the skin and eyes, ranging from severe (Albino) to moderate (Lavender Albino) to mild (Ultramel). To identify genetic variants causing each morph, we recruited shed skins of pet ball pythons via social media, extracted DNA from the skins, and searched for putative loss-of-function variants in homologs of genes controlling melanin production in other vertebrates. We report that the Albino morph is associated with missense and non-coding variants in the gene TYR. The Lavender Albino morph is associated with a deletion in the gene OCA2. The Ultramel morph is associated with a missense variant and a putative deletion in the gene TYRP1. Our study is one of the first to identify genetic variants associated with color morphs in ball pythons and shows that pet samples recruited from the community can provide a resource for genetic studies in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn R. Brown
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
| | - Kaylee Comai
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
| | - Dominic Mannino
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
| | - Haily McCullough
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
| | - Yamini Donekal
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
| | - Hunter C. Meyers
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
| | - Chiron W. Graves
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CWG); (HSS)
| | - Hannah S. Seidel
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CWG); (HSS)
| | - The BIO306W Consortium
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America
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23
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Dyson CJ, Pfennig A, Ariano-Sánchez D, Lachance J, Mendelson III JR, Goodisman MAD. Genome of the endangered Guatemalan Beaded Lizard, Heloderma charlesbogerti, reveals evolutionary relationships of squamates and declines in effective population sizes. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6760128. [DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Many lizard species face extinction due to worldwide climate change. The Guatemalan Beaded Lizard, Heloderma charlesbogerti, is a member of the Family Helodermatidae that may be particularly imperiled; fewer than 600 mature individuals are believed to persist in the wild. In addition, H. charlesbogerti lizards are phenotypically remarkable. They are large in size, charismatically patterned, and possess a venomous bite. Here, we report the draft genome of the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard using DNA from a wild-caught individual. The assembled genome totals 2.31 Gb in length, similar in size to the genomes of related species. Single-copy orthologs were used to produce a novel molecular phylogeny, revealing that the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard falls into a clade with the Asian Glass Lizard (Anguidae) and in close association with the Komodo Dragon (Varanidae) and the Chinese Crocodile Lizard (Shinisauridae). In addition, we identified 31,411 protein-coding genes within the genome. Of the genes identified, we found 504 that evolved with a differential constraint on the branch leading to the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard. Lastly, we identified a decline in the effective population size of the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard approximately 400,000 years ago, followed by a stabilization before starting to dwindle again 60,000 years ago. The results presented here provide important information regarding a highly endangered, venomous reptile that can be used in future conservation, functional genetic, and phylogenetic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl J Dyson
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Aaron Pfennig
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Daniel Ariano-Sánchez
- Centro de Estudios Ambientales y Biodiversidad, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala , Zona 15 01015, Guatemala
- Heloderma Natural Reserve , Zacapa 19007, Guatemala
| | - Joseph Lachance
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Joseph R Mendelson III
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Zoo Atlanta , Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Michael A D Goodisman
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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24
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Li M, Liu M, Hu SY, Luo FZ, Yuan ML. Comparative mitogenomic analyses provide evolutionary insights into the retrolateral tibial apophysis clade (Araneae: Entelegynae). Front Genet 2022; 13:974084. [PMID: 36186478 PMCID: PMC9515440 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.974084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) clade is the largest spider lineage within Araneae. To better understand the diversity and evolution, we newly determined mitogenomes of ten RTA species from six families and performed a comparative mitogenomics analysis by combining them with 40 sequenced RTA mitogenomes available on GenBank. The ten mitogenomes encoded 37 typical mitochondrial genes and included a large non-coding region (putative control region). Nucleotide composition and codon usage were well conserved within the RTA clade, whereas diversity in sequence length and structural features was observed in control region. A reversal of strand asymmetry in nucleotide composition, i.e., negative AT-skews and positive GC-skews, was observed in each RTA species, likely resulting from mitochondrial gene rearrangements. All protein-coding genes were evolving under purifying selection, except for atp8 whose Ka/Ks was larger than 1, possibly due to positive selection or selection relaxation. Both mutation pressure and natural selection might contribute to codon usage bias of 13 protein-coding genes in the RTA lineage. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitogenomic data recovered a family-level phylogeny within the RTA; {[(Oval calamistrum clade, Dionycha), Marronoid clade], Sparassidae}. This study characterized RTA mitogenomes and provided some new insights into the phylogeny and evolution of the RTA clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Shi-Yun Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Fang-Zhen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Ming-Long Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- *Correspondence: Ming-Long Yuan,
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25
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Schield DR, Perry BW, Card DC, Pasquesi GIM, Westfall AK, Mackessy SP, Castoe TA. The Rattlesnake W Chromosome: A GC-Rich Retroelement Refugium with Retained Gene Function Across Ancient Evolutionary Strata. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:evac116. [PMID: 35867356 PMCID: PMC9447483 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosomes diverge after the establishment of recombination suppression, resulting in differential sex-linkage of genes involved in genetic sex determination and dimorphic traits. This process produces systems of male or female heterogamety wherein the Y and W chromosomes are only present in one sex and are often highly degenerated. Sex-limited Y and W chromosomes contain valuable information about the evolutionary transition from autosomes to sex chromosomes, yet detailed characterizations of the structure, composition, and gene content of sex-limited chromosomes are lacking for many species. In this study, we characterize the female-specific W chromosome of the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) and evaluate how recombination suppression and other processes have shaped sex chromosome evolution in ZW snakes. Our analyses indicate that the rattlesnake W chromosome is over 80% repetitive and that an abundance of GC-rich mdg4 elements has driven an overall high degree of GC-richness despite a lack of recombination. The W chromosome is also highly enriched for repeat sequences derived from endogenous retroviruses and likely acts as a "refugium" for these and other retroelements. We annotated 219 putatively functional W-linked genes across at least two evolutionary strata identified based on estimates of sequence divergence between Z and W gametologs. The youngest of these strata is relatively gene-rich, however gene expression across strata suggests retained gene function amidst a greater degree of degeneration following ancient recombination suppression. Functional annotation of W-linked genes indicates a specialization of the W chromosome for reproductive and developmental function since recombination suppression from the Z chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew R Schield
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Daren C Card
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giulia I M Pasquesi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Aundrea K Westfall
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
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26
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Identification of Daboia siamensis venome using integrated multi-omics data. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13140. [PMID: 35907887 PMCID: PMC9338987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17300-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Snakebite, classified by World Health Organization as a neglected tropical disease, causes more than 100,000 deaths and 2 million injuries per year. Currently, available antivenoms do not bind with strong specificity to target toxins, which means that severe complications can still occur despite treatment. Moreover, the cost of antivenom is expensive. Knowledge of venom compositions is fundamental for producing a specific antivenom that has high effectiveness, low side effects, and ease of manufacture. With advances in mass spectrometry techniques, venom proteomes can now be analyzed in great depth at high efficiency. However, these techniques require genomic and transcriptomic data for interpreting mass spectrometry data. This study aims to establish and incorporate genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data to study venomics of a venomous snake, Daboia siamensis. Multiple proteins that have not been reported as venom components of this snake such as hyaluronidase-1, phospholipase B, and waprin were discovered. Thus, multi-omics data are advantageous for venomics studies. These findings will be valuable not only for antivenom production but also for the development of novel therapeutics.
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27
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The draft genome sequence of the Brahminy blindsnake Indotyphlops braminus. Sci Data 2022; 9:410. [PMID: 35840572 PMCID: PMC9287396 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01530-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Blindsnakes of infraoder Scolecophidia (order Squamata) are the most basal group of extant snakes, comprising of more than 450 species with ecological and morphological features highly specialized to underground living. The Brahminy blindsnake, Indotyphlops braminus, is the only known obligate parthenogenetic species of snakes. Although the origin of I. braminus is thought to be South Asia, this snake has attracted worldwide attention as an alien species, as it has been introduced to all continents except Antarctica. In this study, we present the first draft genome assembly and annotation of I. braminus. We generated approximately 480 Gbp of sequencing data and produced a draft genome with a total length of 1.86 Gbp and N50 scaffold size of 1.25 Mbp containing 89.3% of orthologs conserved in Sauropsida. We also identified 0.98 Gbp (52.82%) of repetitive genome sequences and a total of 23,560 protein-coding genes. The first draft genome of I. braminus will facilitate further study of snake evolution as well as help to understand the emergence mechanism of parthenogenetic vertebrates.
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28
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Zhang ZY, Lv Y, Wu W, Yan C, Tang CY, Peng C, Li JT. The structural and functional divergence of a neglected three-finger toxin subfamily in lethal elapids. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111079. [PMID: 35830808 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bungarus multicinctus is a widely distributed and medically important elapid snake that produces lethal neurotoxic venom. To study and enhance existing antivenom, we explore the complete repertoire of its toxin genes based on de novo chromosome-level assembly and multi-tissue transcriptome data. Comparative genomic analyses suggest that the three-finger toxin family (3FTX) may evolve through the neofunctionalization of flanking LY6E. A long-neglected 3FTX subfamily (i.e., MKA-3FTX) is also investigated. Only one MKA-3FTX gene, which evolves a different protein conformation, is under positive selection and actively transcribed in the venom gland, functioning as a major toxin effector together with MKT-3FTX subfamily homologs. Furthermore, this lethal snake may acquire self-resistance to its β-bungarotoxin via amino acid replacements on fast-evolving KCNA2. This study provides valuable resources for further evolutionary and structure-function studies of snake toxins, which are fundamental for the development of effective antivenoms and drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yunyun Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; College of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan 641100, China
| | - Wei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Chaochao Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Chen-Yang Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Changjun Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Jia-Tang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.
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29
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Rao WQ, Kalogeropoulos K, Allentoft ME, Gopalakrishnan S, Zhao WN, Workman CT, Knudsen C, Jiménez-Mena B, Seneci L, Mousavi-Derazmahalleh M, Jenkins TP, Rivera-de-Torre E, Liu SQ, Laustsen AH. The rise of genomics in snake venom research: recent advances and future perspectives. Gigascience 2022; 11:giac024. [PMID: 35365832 PMCID: PMC8975721 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Snake venoms represent a danger to human health, but also a gold mine of bioactive proteins that can be harnessed for drug discovery purposes. The evolution of snakes and their venom has been studied for decades, particularly via traditional morphological and basic genetic methods alongside venom proteomics. However, while the field of genomics has matured rapidly over the past 2 decades, owing to the development of next-generation sequencing technologies, snake genomics remains in its infancy. Here, we provide an overview of the state of the art in snake genomics and discuss its potential implications for studying venom evolution and toxinology. On the basis of current knowledge, gene duplication and positive selection are key mechanisms in the neofunctionalization of snake venom proteins. This makes snake venoms important evolutionary drivers that explain the remarkable venom diversification and adaptive variation observed in these reptiles. Gene duplication and neofunctionalization have also generated a large number of repeat sequences in snake genomes that pose a significant challenge to DNA sequencing, resulting in the need for substantial computational resources and longer sequencing read length for high-quality genome assembly. Fortunately, owing to constantly improving sequencing technologies and computational tools, we are now able to explore the molecular mechanisms of snake venom evolution in unprecedented detail. Such novel insights have the potential to affect the design and development of antivenoms and possibly other drugs, as well as provide new fundamental knowledge on snake biology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-qiao Rao
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Beijing Genomics Institute-Research, 518083, Shenzhen, China
| | - Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Morten E Allentoft
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, 6102, Bentley Perth, Australia
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5, 1350, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shyam Gopalakrishnan
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5, 1350, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Wei-ning Zhao
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Beijing Genomics Institute-Research, 518083, Shenzhen, China
| | - Christopher T Workman
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Knudsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Belén Jiménez-Mena
- DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Lorenzo Seneci
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, 6102, Bentley Perth, Australia
| | - Timothy P Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Si-qi Liu
- Department of Mass Spectrometry, Beijing Genomics Institute-Research, 518083, Shenzhen, China
| | - Andreas H Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 224, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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30
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Snake Venomics: Fundamentals, Recent Updates, and a Look to the Next Decade. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14040247. [PMID: 35448856 PMCID: PMC9028316 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14040247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Venomic research, powered by techniques adapted from proteomics, transcriptomics, and genomics, seeks to unravel the diversity and complexity of venom through which knowledge can be applied in the treatment of envenoming, biodiscovery, and conservation. Snake venom proteomics is most extensively studied, but the methods varied widely, creating a massive amount of information which complicates data comparison and interpretation. Advancement in mass spectrometry technology, accompanied by growing databases and sophisticated bioinformatic tools, has overcome earlier limitations of protein identification. The progress, however, remains challenged by limited accessibility to samples, non-standardized quantitative methods, and biased interpretation of -omic data. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies enable high-throughput venom-gland transcriptomics and genomics, complementing venom proteomics by providing deeper insights into the structural diversity, differential expression, regulation and functional interaction of the toxin genes. Venomic tissue sampling is, however, difficult due to strict regulations on wildlife use and transfer of biological materials in some countries. Limited resources for techniques and funding are among other pertinent issues that impede the progress of venomics, particularly in less developed regions and for neglected species. Genuine collaboration between international researchers, due recognition of regional experts by global organizations (e.g., WHO), and improved distribution of research support, should be embraced.
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31
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Distinguishing Evolutionary Conservation from Derivedness. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12030440. [PMID: 35330191 PMCID: PMC8954198 DOI: 10.3390/life12030440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
While the concept of “evolutionary conservation” has enabled biologists to explain many ancestral features and traits, it has also frequently been misused to evaluate the degree of changes from a common ancestor, or “derivedness”. We propose that the distinction of these two concepts allows us to properly understand phenotypic and organismal evolution. From a methodological aspect, “conservation” mainly considers genes or traits which species have in common, while “derivedness” additionally covers those that are not commonly shared, such as novel or lost traits and genes to evaluate changes from the time of divergence from a common ancestor. Due to these differences, while conservation-oriented methods are effective in identifying ancestral features, they may be prone to underestimating the overall changes accumulated during the evolution of certain lineages. Herein, we describe our recently developed method, “transcriptomic derivedness index”, for estimating the phenotypic derivedness of embryos with a molecular approach using the whole-embryonic transcriptome as a phenotype. Although echinoderms are often considered as highly derived species, our analyses with this method showed that their embryos, at least at the transcriptomic level, may not be much more derived than those of chordates. We anticipate that the future development of derivedness-oriented methods could provide quantitative indicators for finding highly/lowly evolvable traits.
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32
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Boukens BJD, Joyce W, Kristensen DL, Hooijkaas I, Jongejan A, Wang T, Jensen B. Catecholamines are key modulators of ventricular repolarization patterns in the ball python (Python regius). J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:212914. [PMID: 34910097 PMCID: PMC8679508 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202012761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ectothermic vertebrates experience daily changes in body temperature, and anecdotal observations suggest these changes affect ventricular repolarization such that the T-wave in the ECG changes polarity. Mammals, in contrast, can maintain stable body temperatures, and their ventricular repolarization is strongly modulated by changes in heart rate and by sympathetic nervous system activity. The aim of this study was to assess the role of body temperature, heart rate, and circulating catecholamines on local repolarization gradients in the ectothermic ball python (Python regius). We recorded body-surface electrocardiograms and performed open-chest high-resolution epicardial mapping while increasing body temperature in five pythons, in all of which there was a change in T-wave polarity. However, the vector of repolarization differed between individuals, and only a subset of leads revealed T-wave polarity change. RNA sequencing revealed regional differences related to adrenergic signaling. In one denervated and Ringer's solution-perfused heart, heating and elevated heart rates did not induce change in T-wave polarity, whereas noradrenaline did. Accordingly, electrocardiograms in eight awake pythons receiving intra-arterial infusion of the β-adrenergic receptor agonists adrenaline and isoproterenol revealed T-wave inversion in most individuals. Conversely, blocking the β-adrenergic receptors using propranolol prevented T-wave change during heating. Our findings indicate that changes in ventricular repolarization in ball pythons are caused by increased tone of the sympathetic nervous system, not by changes in temperature. Therefore, ventricular repolarization in both pythons and mammals is modulated by evolutionary conserved mechanisms involving catecholaminergic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastiaan J D Boukens
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - William Joyce
- Department of Biology, Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Ingeborg Hooijkaas
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aldo Jongejan
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias Wang
- Department of Biology, Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bjarke Jensen
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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33
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Westfall AK, Perry BW, Kamal AHM, Hales NR, Kay JC, Sapkota M, Schield DR, Pellegrino MW, Secor SM, Chowdhury SM, Castoe TA. Identification of an integrated stress and growth response signaling switch that directs vertebrate intestinal regeneration. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:6. [PMID: 34983392 PMCID: PMC8725436 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08226-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Snakes exhibit extreme intestinal regeneration following months-long fasts that involves unparalleled increases in metabolism, function, and tissue growth, but the specific molecular control of this process is unknown. Understanding the mechanisms that coordinate these regenerative phenotypes provides valuable opportunities to understand critical pathways that may control vertebrate regeneration and novel perspectives on vertebrate regenerative capacities. RESULTS Here, we integrate a comprehensive set of phenotypic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic data from boa constrictors to identify the mechanisms that orchestrate shifts in metabolism, nutrient uptake, and cellular stress to direct phases of the regenerative response. We identify specific temporal patterns of metabolic, stress response, and growth pathway activation that direct regeneration and provide evidence for multiple key central regulatory molecules kinases that integrate these signals, including major conserved pathways like mTOR signaling and the unfolded protein response. CONCLUSION Collectively, our results identify a novel switch-like role of stress responses in intestinal regeneration that forms a primary regulatory hub facilitating organ regeneration and could point to potential pathways to understand regenerative capacity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aundrea K Westfall
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Abu H M Kamal
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Nicole R Hales
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.,Department of Research Development and Commercialization, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Jarren C Kay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Madhab Sapkota
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Drew R Schield
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mark W Pellegrino
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Stephen M Secor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Saiful M Chowdhury
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
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34
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Roscito JG, Sameith K, Kirilenko BM, Hecker N, Winkler S, Dahl A, Rodrigues MT, Hiller M. Convergent and lineage-specific genomic differences in limb regulatory elements in limbless reptile lineages. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110280. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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35
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Gower DJ, Fleming JF, Pisani D, Vonk FJ, Kerkkamp HMI, Peichl L, Meimann S, Casewell NR, Henkel CV, Richardson MK, Sanders KL, Simões BF. Eye-Transcriptome and Genome-Wide Sequencing for Scolecophidia: Implications for Inferring the Visual System of the Ancestral Snake. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6430116. [PMID: 34791190 PMCID: PMC8643396 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular genetic data have recently been incorporated in attempts to reconstruct the ecology of the ancestral snake, though this has been limited by a paucity of data for one of the two main extant snake taxa, the highly fossorial Scolecophidia. Here we present and analyze vision genes from the first eye-transcriptomic and genome-wide data for Scolecophidia, for Anilios bicolor, and A. bituberculatus, respectively. We also present immunohistochemistry data for retinal anatomy and visual opsin-gene expression in Anilios. Analyzed in the context of 19 lepidosaurian genomes and 12 eye transcriptomes, the new genome-wide and transcriptomic data provide evidence for a much more reduced visual system in Anilios than in non-scolecophidian (=alethinophidian) snakes and in lizards. In Anilios, there is no evidence of the presence of 7 of the 12 genes associated with alethinophidian photopic (cone) phototransduction. This indicates extensive gene loss and many of these candidate gene losses occur also in highly fossorial mammals with reduced vision. Although recent phylogenetic studies have found evidence for scolecophidian paraphyly, the loss in Anilios of visual genes that are present in alethinophidians implies that the ancestral snake had a better-developed visual system than is known for any extant scolecophidian.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Gower
- Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - James F Fleming
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Davide Pisani
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Freek J Vonk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Leo Peichl
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sonja Meimann
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Christiaan V Henkel
- Institute of Biology, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Kate L Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bruno F Simões
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
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36
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Vonk FJ, Bittenbinder MA, Kerkkamp HMI, Grashof DGB, Archer JP, Afonso S, Richardson MK, Kool J, van der Meijden A. A non-lethal method for studying scorpion venom gland transcriptomes, with a review of potentially suitable taxa to which it can be applied. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258712. [PMID: 34793470 PMCID: PMC8601437 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpion venoms are mixtures of proteins, peptides and small molecular compounds with high specificity for ion channels and are therefore considered to be promising candidates in the venoms-to-drugs pipeline. Transcriptomes are important tools for studying the composition and expression of scorpion venom. Unfortunately, studying the venom gland transcriptome traditionally requires sacrificing the animal and therefore is always a single snapshot in time. This paper describes a new way of generating a scorpion venom gland transcriptome without sacrificing the animal, thereby allowing the study of the transcriptome at various time points within a single individual. By comparing these venom-derived transcriptomes to the traditional whole-telson transcriptomes we show that the relative expression levels of the major toxin classes are similar. We further performed a multi-day extraction using our proposed method to show the possibility of doing a multiple time point transcriptome analysis. This allows for the study of patterns of toxin gene activation over time a single individual, and allows assessment of the effects of diet, season and other factors that are known or likely to influence intraindividual venom composition. We discuss the gland characteristics that may allow this method to be successful in scorpions and provide a review of other venomous taxa to which this method may potentially be successfully applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freek J. Vonk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Animal Science and Health Cluster, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mátyás A. Bittenbinder
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harald M. I. Kerkkamp
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Animal Science and Health Cluster, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - John P. Archer
- CIBIO-InBIO, Biopolis, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO-InBIO, Biopolis, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Michael K. Richardson
- Animal Science and Health Cluster, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Faculty of Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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37
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Josimovich JM, Falk BG, Grajal-Puche A, Hanslowe EB, Bartoszek IA, Reed RN, Currylow AF. Clutch may predict growth of hatchling Burmese pythons better than food availability or sex. Biol Open 2021; 10:273482. [PMID: 34796905 PMCID: PMC8609237 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058739] [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] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying which environmental and genetic factors affect growth pattern phenotypes can help biologists predict how organisms distribute finite energy resources in response to varying environmental conditions and physiological states. This information may be useful for monitoring and managing populations of cryptic, endangered, and invasive species. Consequently, we assessed the effects of food availability, clutch, and sex on the growth of invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus Kuhl) from the Greater Everglades Ecosystem in Florida, USA. Though little is known from the wild, Burmese pythons have been physiological model organisms for decades, with most experimental research sourcing individuals from the pet trade. Here, we used 60 hatchlings collected as eggs from the nests of two wild pythons, assigned them to High or Low feeding treatments, and monitored growth and meal consumption for 12 weeks, a period when pythons are thought to grow very rapidly. None of the 30 hatchlings that were offered food prior to their fourth week post-hatching consumed it, presumably because they were relying on internal yolk stores. Although only two clutches were used in the experiment, we found that nearly all phenotypic variation was explained by clutch rather than feeding treatment or sex. Hatchlings from clutch 1 (C1) grew faster and were longer, heavier, in better body condition, ate more frequently, and were bolder than hatchlings from clutch 2 (C2), regardless of food availability. On average, C1 and C2 hatchling snout-vent length (SVL) and weight grew 0.15 cm d−1 and 0.10 cm d−1, and 0.20 g d−1 and 0.03 g d−1, respectively. Additional research may be warranted to determine whether these effects remain with larger clutch sample sizes and to identify the underlying mechanisms and fitness implications of this variation to help inform risk assessments and management. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Hatchling pythons from an invasive population displayed substantial phenotypic variation in morphometrics, growth rates, and behaviors. This information may be useful for managing populations of cryptic, endangered, and invasive species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M Josimovich
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center - South Florida Field Station, 40001 SR 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, USA
| | - Bryan G Falk
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center - South Florida Field Station, 40001 SR 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, USA
| | - Alejandro Grajal-Puche
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center - South Florida Field Station, 40001 SR 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, USA
| | - Emma B Hanslowe
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center - South Florida Field Station, 40001 SR 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, USA
| | | | - Robert N Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Andrea F Currylow
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center - South Florida Field Station, 40001 SR 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, USA
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38
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Westfall AK, Telemeco RS, Grizante MB, Waits DS, Clark AD, Simpson DY, Klabacka RL, Sullivan AP, Perry GH, Sears MW, Cox CL, Cox RM, Gifford ME, John-Alder HB, Langkilde T, Angilletta MJ, Leaché AD, Tollis M, Kusumi K, Schwartz TS. A chromosome-level genome assembly for the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), a reptile model for physiological and evolutionary ecology. Gigascience 2021; 10:6380105. [PMID: 34599334 PMCID: PMC8486681 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giab066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High-quality genomic resources facilitate investigations into behavioral ecology, morphological and physiological adaptations, and the evolution of genomic architecture. Lizards in the genus Sceloporus have a long history as important ecological, evolutionary, and physiological models, making them a valuable target for the development of genomic resources. Findings We present a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome assembly, SceUnd1.0 (using 10X Genomics Chromium, HiC, and Pacific Biosciences data), and tissue/developmental stage transcriptomes for the eastern fence lizard, Sceloporus undulatus. We performed synteny analysis with other snake and lizard assemblies to identify broad patterns of chromosome evolution including the fusion of micro- and macrochromosomes. We also used this new assembly to provide improved reference-based genome assemblies for 34 additional Sceloporus species. Finally, we used RNAseq and whole-genome resequencing data to compare 3 assemblies, each representing an increased level of cost and effort: Supernova Assembly with data from 10X Genomics Chromium, HiRise Assembly that added data from HiC, and PBJelly Assembly that added data from Pacific Biosciences sequencing. We found that the Supernova Assembly contained the full genome and was a suitable reference for RNAseq and single-nucleotide polymorphism calling, but the chromosome-level scaffolds provided by the addition of HiC data allowed synteny and whole-genome association mapping analyses. The subsequent addition of PacBio data doubled the contig N50 but provided negligible gains in scaffold length. Conclusions These new genomic resources provide valuable tools for advanced molecular analysis of an organism that has become a model in physiology and evolutionary ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aundrea K Westfall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Rory S Telemeco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.,Department of Biology, California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA 93740, USA
| | | | - Damien S Waits
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Amanda D Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Dasia Y Simpson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Randy L Klabacka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Alexis P Sullivan
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - George H Perry
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Michael W Sears
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Christian L Cox
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Robert M Cox
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Matthew E Gifford
- Department of Biology, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035, USA
| | - Henry B John-Alder
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | | | - Adam D Leaché
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Marc Tollis
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.,School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Kenro Kusumi
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Tonia S Schwartz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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39
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Neinavaie F, Ibrahim-Hashim A, Kramer AM, Brown JS, Richards CL. The Genomic Processes of Biological Invasions: From Invasive Species to Cancer Metastases and Back Again. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.681100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of invasion is useful across a broad range of contexts, spanning from the fine scale landscape of cancer tumors up to the broader landscape of ecosystems. Invasion biology provides extraordinary opportunities for studying the mechanistic basis of contemporary evolution at the molecular level. Although the field of invasion genetics was established in ecology and evolution more than 50 years ago, there is still a limited understanding of how genomic level processes translate into invasive phenotypes across different taxa in response to complex environmental conditions. This is largely because the study of most invasive species is limited by information about complex genome level processes. We lack good reference genomes for most species. Rigorous studies to examine genomic processes are generally too costly. On the contrary, cancer studies are fortified with extensive resources for studying genome level dynamics and the interactions among genetic and non-genetic mechanisms. Extensive analysis of primary tumors and metastatic samples have revealed the importance of several genomic mechanisms including higher mutation rates, specific types of mutations, aneuploidy or whole genome doubling and non-genetic effects. Metastatic sites can be directly compared to primary tumor cell counterparts. At the same time, clonal dynamics shape the genomics and evolution of metastatic cancers. Clonal diversity varies by cancer type, and the tumors’ donor and recipient tissues. Still, the cancer research community has been unable to identify any common events that provide a universal predictor of “metastatic potential” which parallels findings in evolutionary ecology. Instead, invasion in cancer studies depends strongly on context, including order of events and clonal composition. The detailed studies of the behavior of a variety of human cancers promises to inform our understanding of genome level dynamics in the diversity of invasive species and provide novel insights for management.
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40
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Wu Y, Yan Y, Zhao Y, Gu L, Wang S, Johnson DH. Genomic bases underlying the adaptive radiation of core landbirds. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:162. [PMID: 34454438 PMCID: PMC8403425 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01888-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Core landbirds undergo adaptive radiation with different ecological niches, but the genomic bases that underlie their ecological diversification remain unclear. RESULTS Here we used the genome-wide target enrichment sequencing of the genes related to vision, hearing, language, temperature sensation, beak shape, taste transduction, and carbohydrate, protein and fat digestion and absorption to examine the genomic bases underlying their ecological diversification. Our comparative molecular phyloecological analyses show that different core landbirds present adaptive enhancement in different aspects, and two general patterns emerge. First, all three raptorial birds (Accipitriformes, Strigiformes, and Falconiformes) show a convergent adaptive enhancement for fat digestion and absorption, while non-raptorial birds tend to exhibit a promoted capability for protein and carbohydrate digestion and absorption. Using this as a molecular marker, our results show relatively strong support for the raptorial lifestyle of the common ancestor of core landbirds, consequently suggesting a single origin of raptors, followed by two secondary losses of raptorial lifestyle within core landbirds. In addition to the dietary niche, we find at temporal niche that diurnal birds tend to exhibit an adaptive enhancement in bright-light vision, while nocturnal birds show an increased adaption in dim-light vision, in line with previous findings. CONCLUSIONS Our molecular phyloecological study reveals the genome-wide adaptive differentiations underlying the ecological diversification of core landbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
| | - Yi Yan
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yuanqin Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Li Gu
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Songbo Wang
- Bio-Intelligence Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - David H Johnson
- Global Owl Project, 6504 Carriage Drive, Alexandria, VA, 22310, USA.
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41
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Srikulnath K, Ahmad SF, Singchat W, Panthum T. Why Do Some Vertebrates Have Microchromosomes? Cells 2021; 10:2182. [PMID: 34571831 PMCID: PMC8466491 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
With more than 70,000 living species, vertebrates have a huge impact on the field of biology and research, including karyotype evolution. One prominent aspect of many vertebrate karyotypes is the enigmatic occurrence of tiny and often cytogenetically indistinguishable microchromosomes, which possess distinctive features compared to macrochromosomes. Why certain vertebrate species carry these microchromosomes in some lineages while others do not, and how they evolve remain open questions. New studies have shown that microchromosomes exhibit certain unique characteristics of genome structure and organization, such as high gene densities, low heterochromatin levels, and high rates of recombination. Our review focuses on recent concepts to expand current knowledge on the dynamic nature of karyotype evolution in vertebrates, raising important questions regarding the evolutionary origins and ramifications of microchromosomes. We introduce the basic karyotypic features to clarify the size, shape, and morphology of macro- and microchromosomes and report their distribution across different lineages. Finally, we characterize the mechanisms of different evolutionary forces underlying the origin and evolution of microchromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kornsorn Srikulnath
- Animal Genomics and Bioresource Research Center (AGB Research Center), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; (S.F.A.); (W.S.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of Animal Cytogenetics and Comparative Genomics (ACCG), Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- The International Undergraduate Program in Bioscience and Technology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Special Research Unit for Wildlife Genomics (SRUWG), Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1, Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Syed Farhan Ahmad
- Animal Genomics and Bioresource Research Center (AGB Research Center), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; (S.F.A.); (W.S.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of Animal Cytogenetics and Comparative Genomics (ACCG), Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- The International Undergraduate Program in Bioscience and Technology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Special Research Unit for Wildlife Genomics (SRUWG), Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Worapong Singchat
- Animal Genomics and Bioresource Research Center (AGB Research Center), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; (S.F.A.); (W.S.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of Animal Cytogenetics and Comparative Genomics (ACCG), Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Special Research Unit for Wildlife Genomics (SRUWG), Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Thitipong Panthum
- Animal Genomics and Bioresource Research Center (AGB Research Center), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; (S.F.A.); (W.S.); (T.P.)
- Laboratory of Animal Cytogenetics and Comparative Genomics (ACCG), Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Special Research Unit for Wildlife Genomics (SRUWG), Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
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42
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Li A, Wang J, Sun K, Wang S, Zhao X, Wang T, Xiong L, Xu W, Qiu L, Shang Y, Liu R, Wang S, Lu Y. Two reference-quality sea snake genomes reveal their divergent evolution of adaptive traits and venom systems. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4867-4883. [PMID: 34320652 PMCID: PMC8557462 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
True sea snakes (Hydrophiini) are among the last and most successful clades of vertebrates that show secondary marine adaptation, exhibiting diverse phenotypic traits and lethal venom systems. To better understand their evolution, we generated the first chromosome-level genomes of two representative Hydrophiini snakes, Hydrophis cyanocinctus and H. curtus. Through comparative genomics we identified a great expansion of the underwater olfaction-related V2R gene family, consisting of more than 1,000 copies in both snakes. A series of chromosome rearrangements and genomic structural variations were recognized, including large inversions longer than 30 megabase (Mb) on sex chromosomes which potentially affect key functional genes associated with differentiated phenotypes between the two species. By integrating multiomics we found a significant loss of the major weapon for elapid predation, three-finger toxin genes, which displayed a dosage effect in H. curtus. These genetic changes may imply mechanisms that drove the divergent evolution of adaptive traits including prey preferences between the two closely related snakes. Our reference-quality sea snake genomes also enrich the repositories for addressing important issues on the evolution of marine tetrapods, and provide a resource for discovering marine-derived biological products.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.,School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Kuo Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Shuocun Wang
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Tingfang Wang
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Liyan Xiong
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Weiheng Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Lei Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yan Shang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Runhui Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Yiming Lu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.,School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.,School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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43
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Chattopadhyay B, Garg KM, Ray R, Mendenhall IH, Rheindt FE. Novel de Novo Genome of Cynopterus brachyotis Reveals Evolutionarily Abrupt Shifts in Gene Family Composition across Fruit Bats. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 12:259-272. [PMID: 32068833 PMCID: PMC7151552 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Major novel physiological or phenotypic adaptations often require accompanying modifications at the genic level. Conversely, the detection of considerable contractions and/or expansions of gene families can be an indicator of fundamental but unrecognized physiological change. We sequenced a novel fruit bat genome (Cynopterus brachyotis) and adopted a comparative approach to reconstruct the evolution of fruit bats, mapping contractions and expansions of gene families along their evolutionary history. Despite a radical change in life history as compared with other bats (e.g., loss of echolocation, large size, and frugivory), fruit bats have undergone surprisingly limited change in their genic composition, perhaps apart from a potentially novel gene family expansion relating to telomere protection and longevity. In sharp contrast, within fruit bats, the new Cynopterus genome bears the signal of unusual gene loss and gene family contraction, despite its similar morphology and lifestyle to two other major fruit bat lineages. Most missing genes are regulatory, immune-related, and olfactory in nature, illustrating the diversity of genomic strategies employed by bats to contend with responses to viral infection and olfactory requirements. Our results underscore that significant fluctuations in gene family composition are not always associated with obvious examples of novel physiological and phenotypic adaptations but may often relate to less-obvious shifts in immune strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kritika M Garg
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rajasri Ray
- Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.,Centre for Studies in Ethnobiology, Biodiversity and Sustainability (CEiBa), Mokdumpur, Malda, West Bengal, India
| | - Ian H Mendenhall
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Frank E Rheindt
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Impact of Repetitive DNA Elements on Snake Genome Biology and Evolution. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071707. [PMID: 34359877 PMCID: PMC8303610 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The distinctive biology and unique evolutionary features of snakes make them fascinating model systems to elucidate how genomes evolve and how variation at the genomic level is interlinked with phenotypic-level evolution. Similar to other eukaryotic genomes, large proportions of snake genomes contain repetitive DNA, including transposable elements (TEs) and satellite repeats. The importance of repetitive DNA and its structural and functional role in the snake genome, remain unclear. This review highlights the major types of repeats and their proportions in snake genomes, reflecting the high diversity and composition of snake repeats. We present snakes as an emerging and important model system for the study of repetitive DNA under the impact of sex and microchromosome evolution. We assemble evidence to show that certain repetitive elements in snakes are transcriptionally active and demonstrate highly dynamic lineage-specific patterns as repeat sequences. We hypothesize that particular TEs can trigger different genomic mechanisms that might contribute to driving adaptive evolution in snakes. Finally, we review emerging approaches that may be used to study the expression of repetitive elements in complex genomes, such as snakes. The specific aspects presented here will stimulate further discussion on the role of genomic repeats in shaping snake evolution.
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Hoencamp C, Dudchenko O, Elbatsh AMO, Brahmachari S, Raaijmakers JA, van Schaik T, Sedeño Cacciatore Á, Contessoto VG, van Heesbeen RGHP, van den Broek B, Mhaskar AN, Teunissen H, St Hilaire BG, Weisz D, Omer AD, Pham M, Colaric Z, Yang Z, Rao SSP, Mitra N, Lui C, Yao W, Khan R, Moroz LL, Kohn A, St Leger J, Mena A, Holcroft K, Gambetta MC, Lim F, Farley E, Stein N, Haddad A, Chauss D, Mutlu AS, Wang MC, Young ND, Hildebrandt E, Cheng HH, Knight CJ, Burnham TLU, Hovel KA, Beel AJ, Mattei PJ, Kornberg RD, Warren WC, Cary G, Gómez-Skarmeta JL, Hinman V, Lindblad-Toh K, Di Palma F, Maeshima K, Multani AS, Pathak S, Nel-Themaat L, Behringer RR, Kaur P, Medema RH, van Steensel B, de Wit E, Onuchic JN, Di Pierro M, Lieberman Aiden E, Rowland BD. 3D genomics across the tree of life reveals condensin II as a determinant of architecture type. Science 2021; 372:984-989. [PMID: 34045355 PMCID: PMC8172041 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe2218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We investigated genome folding across the eukaryotic tree of life. We find two types of three-dimensional (3D) genome architectures at the chromosome scale. Each type appears and disappears repeatedly during eukaryotic evolution. The type of genome architecture that an organism exhibits correlates with the absence of condensin II subunits. Moreover, condensin II depletion converts the architecture of the human genome to a state resembling that seen in organisms such as fungi or mosquitoes. In this state, centromeres cluster together at nucleoli, and heterochromatin domains merge. We propose a physical model in which lengthwise compaction of chromosomes by condensin II during mitosis determines chromosome-scale genome architecture, with effects that are retained during the subsequent interphase. This mechanism likely has been conserved since the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Hoencamp
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Ahmed M O Elbatsh
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Jonne A Raaijmakers
- Division of Cell Biology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tom van Schaik
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Vinícius G Contessoto
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Physics, Institute of Biosciences, Letters and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto - SP, 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Roy G H P van Heesbeen
- Division of Cell Biology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bram van den Broek
- BioImaging Facility, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Aditya N Mhaskar
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hans Teunissen
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Brian Glenn St Hilaire
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Arina D Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Melanie Pham
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zane Colaric
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhenzhen Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech, Pudong 201210, China
| | - Suhas S P Rao
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Namita Mitra
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christopher Lui
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weijie Yao
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ruqayya Khan
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Leonid L Moroz
- Whitney Laboratory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Andrea Kohn
- Whitney Laboratory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Judy St Leger
- Department of Biosciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | | | | | - Fabian Lim
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emma Farley
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nils Stein
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK Gatersleben), 06466 Seeland, Germany
- Center of Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), Department of Crop Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Alexander Haddad
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Daniel Chauss
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ayse Sena Mutlu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Meng C Wang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Neil D Young
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Evin Hildebrandt
- Avian Diseases and Oncology Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Hans H Cheng
- Avian Diseases and Oncology Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | | | - Theresa L U Burnham
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Coastal and Marine Institute and Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Kevin A Hovel
- Coastal and Marine Institute and Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Andrew J Beel
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Pierre-Jean Mattei
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Roger D Kornberg
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wesley C Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Gregory Cary
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - José Luis Gómez-Skarmeta
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo CSIC, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Veronica Hinman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kerstin Lindblad-Toh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Federica Di Palma
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Asha S Multani
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sen Pathak
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Liesl Nel-Themaat
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Parwinder Kaur
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - René H Medema
- Division of Cell Biology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bas van Steensel
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Elzo de Wit
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - José N Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Departments of Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry, and Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Michele Di Pierro
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech, Pudong 201210, China
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Benjamin D Rowland
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Almeida DD, Viala VL, Nachtigall PG, Broe M, Gibbs HL, Serrano SMDT, Moura-da-Silva AM, Ho PL, Nishiyama-Jr MY, Junqueira-de-Azevedo ILM. Tracking the recruitment and evolution of snake toxins using the evolutionary context provided by the Bothrops jararaca genome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2015159118. [PMID: 33972420 PMCID: PMC8157943 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015159118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Venom is a key adaptive innovation in snakes, and how nonvenom genes were co-opted to become part of the toxin arsenal is a significant evolutionary question. While this process has been investigated through the phylogenetic reconstruction of toxin sequences, evidence provided by the genomic context of toxin genes remains less explored. To investigate the process of toxin recruitment, we sequenced the genome of Bothrops jararaca, a clinically relevant pitviper. In addition to producing a road map with canonical structures of genes encoding 12 toxin families, we inferred most of the ancestral genes for their loci. We found evidence that 1) snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and phospholipases A2 (PLA2) have expanded in genomic proximity to their nonvenomous ancestors; 2) serine proteinases arose by co-opting a local gene that also gave rise to lizard gilatoxins and then expanded; 3) the bradykinin-potentiating peptides originated from a C-type natriuretic peptide gene backbone; and 4) VEGF-F was co-opted from a PGF-like gene and not from VEGF-A. We evaluated two scenarios for the original recruitment of nontoxin genes for snake venom: 1) in locus ancestral gene duplication and 2) in locus ancestral gene direct co-option. The first explains the origins of two important toxins (SVMP and PLA2), while the second explains the emergence of a greater number of venom components. Overall, our results support the idea of a locally assembled venom arsenal in which the most clinically relevant toxin families expanded through posterior gene duplications, regardless of whether they originated by duplication or gene co-option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Dantas Almeida
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Vincent Louis Viala
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Pedro Gabriel Nachtigall
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Michael Broe
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - H Lisle Gibbs
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Solange Maria de Toledo Serrano
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Moura-da-Silva
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA), Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
| | - Paulo Lee Ho
- Serviço de Bacteriologia, Divisão BioIndustrial, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Milton Yutaka Nishiyama-Jr
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Inácio L M Junqueira-de-Azevedo
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil;
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Thornton AM, Schuett GW, Swift JA. Urates of colubroid snakes are different from those of boids and pythonids. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Uricotelic species, such as squamate reptiles, birds and insects, effectively eliminate nitrogen as uric acid in a solid form commonly called urates. Observations made over a decade suggested that the voided urates produced by colubroids (modern snake species) exhibit remarkable differences from those of boids and pythons (ancient snake species). Here, we compare the urates generated by eight captive snake species fed the same diet. Although all fresh urates were wet at the time of excretion, those produced by modern snakes dried to a powdery solid, whereas those of ancient species dried to a rock-hard mass that was tightly adherent to surfaces. Powder X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analyses performed on voided urates produced by five modern and three ancient snakes confirmed their underlying chemical and structural differences. Urates excreted by ancient snakes were amorphous uric acid, whereas urates from modern snakes consisted primarily of ammonium acid urate, with some uric acid dihydrate. These compositional differences indicate that snakes have more than one mechanism to manage nitrogenous waste. Why different species use different nitrogen-handling pathways is not yet known, but the answer might be related to key differences in metabolism, physiology or, in the case of ancient snakes, the potential use of urates in social communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gordon W Schuett
- Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo, NM, USA
- Department of Biology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Swift
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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48
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Smith SN, Colston TJ, Siler CD. Venomous Snakes Reveal Ecological and Phylogenetic Factors Influencing Variation in Gut and Oral Microbiomes. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:657754. [PMID: 33841384 PMCID: PMC8032887 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.657754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of vertebrates contains a series of organs beginning with the mouth and ending with the anus or cloacal opening. Each organ represents a unique environment for resident microorganisms. Due to their simple digestive anatomy, snakes are good models for studying microbiome variation along the GIT. Cloacal sampling captures the majority of the microbial diversity found in the GIT of snakes—yet little is known about the oral microbiota of snakes. Most research on the snake mouth and gut microbiota are limited to studies of a single species or captive-bred individuals. It therefore remains unclear how a host’s life history, diet, or evolutionary history correlate with differences in the microbial composition within the mouths and guts of wild snakes. We sampled the mouth and gut microbial communities from three species of Asian venomous snakes and utilized 16S rRNA microbial inventories to test if host phylogenetic and ecological differences correlate with distinct microbial compositions within the two body sites. These species occupy three disparate habitat types: marine, semi-arboreal, and arboreal, our results suggest that the diversity of snake mouth and gut microbial communities correlate with differences in both host ecology and phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra N Smith
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Cameron D Siler
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
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Vassetzky NS, Kosushkin SA, Korchagin VI, Ryskov AP. New Ther1-derived SINE Squam3 in scaled reptiles. Mob DNA 2021; 12:10. [PMID: 33752750 PMCID: PMC7983390 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-021-00238-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SINEs comprise a significant part of animal genomes and are used to study the evolution of diverse taxa. Despite significant advances in SINE studies in vertebrates and higher eukaryotes in general, their own evolution is poorly understood. RESULTS We have discovered and described in detail a new Squam3 SINE specific for scaled reptiles (Squamata). The subfamilies of this SINE demonstrate different distribution in the genomes of squamates, which together with the data on similar SINEs in the tuatara allowed us to propose a scenario of their evolution in the context of reptilian evolution. CONCLUSIONS Ancestral SINEs preserved in small numbers in most genomes can give rise to taxa-specific SINE families. Analysis of this aspect of SINEs can shed light on the history and mechanisms of SINE variation in reptilian genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita S Vassetzky
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Sergei A Kosushkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Vitaly I Korchagin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Alexey P Ryskov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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50
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Schield DR, Pasquesi GIM, Perry BW, Adams RH, Nikolakis ZL, Westfall AK, Orton RW, Meik JM, Mackessy SP, Castoe TA. Snake Recombination Landscapes Are Concentrated in Functional Regions despite PRDM9. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:1272-1294. [PMID: 31926008 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiotic recombination in vertebrates is concentrated in hotspots throughout the genome. The location and stability of hotspots have been linked to the presence or absence of PRDM9, leading to two primary models for hotspot evolution derived from mammals and birds. Species with PRDM9-directed recombination have rapid turnover of hotspots concentrated in intergenic regions (i.e., mammals), whereas hotspots in species lacking PRDM9 are concentrated in functional regions and have greater stability over time (i.e., birds). Snakes possess PRDM9, yet virtually nothing is known about snake recombination. Here, we examine the recombination landscape and test hypotheses about the roles of PRDM9 in rattlesnakes. We find substantial variation in recombination rate within and among snake chromosomes, and positive correlations between recombination rate and gene density, GC content, and genetic diversity. Like mammals, snakes appear to have a functional and active PRDM9, but rather than being directed away from genes, snake hotspots are concentrated in promoters and functional regions-a pattern previously associated only with species that lack a functional PRDM9. Snakes therefore provide a unique example of recombination landscapes in which PRDM9 is functional, yet recombination hotspots are associated with functional genic regions-a combination of features that defy existing paradigms for recombination landscapes in vertebrates. Our findings also provide evidence that high recombination rates are a shared feature of vertebrate microchromosomes. Our results challenge previous assumptions about the adaptive role of PRDM9 and highlight the diversity of recombination landscape features among vertebrate lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew R Schield
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
| | | | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
| | - Richard H Adams
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX.,Department of Computer & Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
| | | | | | - Richard W Orton
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
| | - Jesse M Meik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
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