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Xu XD, Zhou Y, Wang CQ, Huang X, Zhang K, Xu XW, He LW, Zhang XY, Fu XZ, Ma M, Qin QB, Liu SJ. Identification and effective regulation of scarb1 gene involved in pigmentation change in autotetraploid Carassius auratus. Zool Res 2024; 45:381-397. [PMID: 38485507 PMCID: PMC11017083 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.293] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The autotetraploid Carassius auratus (4nRR, 4 n=200, RRRR) is derived from whole-genome duplication of Carassius auratus red var. (RCC, 2 n=100, RR). In the current study, we demonstrated that chromatophores and pigment changes directly caused the coloration and variation of 4nRR skin (red in RCC, brownish-yellow in 4nRR). To further explore the molecular mechanisms underlying coloration formation and variation in 4nRR, we performed transcriptome profiling and molecular functional verification in RCC and 4nRR. Results revealed that scarb1, associated with carotenoid metabolism, underwent significant down-regulation in 4nRR. Efficient editing of this candidate pigment gene provided clear evidence of its significant role in RCC coloration. Subsequently, we identified four divergent scarb1 homeologs in 4nRR: two original scarb1 homeologs from RCC and two duplicated ones. Notably, three of these homeologs possessed two highly conserved alleles, exhibiting biased and allele-specific expression in the skin. Remarkably, after precise editing of both the original and duplicated scarb1 homeologs and/or alleles, 4nRR individuals, whether singly or multiply mutated, displayed a transition from brownish-yellow skin to a cyan-gray phenotype. Concurrently, the proportional areas of the cyan-gray regions displayed a gene-dose correlation. These findings illustrate the subfunctionalization of duplicated scarb1, with all scarb1 genes synergistically and equally contributing to the pigmentation of 4nRR. This is the first report concerning the functional differentiation of duplicated homeologs in an autopolyploid fish, substantially enriching our understanding of coloration formation and change within this group of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Dan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Chong-Qing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Xu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Li-Wen He
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Xin-Yue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Xin-Zhu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Ming Ma
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Qin-Bo Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
- Nansha-South China Agricultural University Fishery Research Institute, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511458, China
- Hunan Yuelu Mountain Science and Technology Co. Ltd. for Aquatic Breeding, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China. E-mail:
| | - Shao-Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Engineering Research Center of Polyploid Fish Reproduction and Breeding of the State Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China. E-mail:
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Jin C, Wang M, Gao X, Wu S, Ding H, Bao Z, Wang B, Hu J. Deciphering scavenger receptors reveals key regulators in the intestine that function in carotenoid coloration of leopard coral groupers (Plectropomus leopardus). Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129387. [PMID: 38253150 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129387] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Carotenoid based body coloration are common features in fish, which depends on the diet derived carotenoids pigments deposition, employing a bunch of carotenoid uptake, absorption and processing related genes. Scavenger receptors are a large family of cell surface receptors with complex structure and diverse functions. However, the SRs genes have been insufficiently explored concerning their role in fish carotenoid coloration. Here, we systemically identified 19 SRs family genes and investigated their expression patterns of in various tissues of P. leopardus. Expression analysis unveiled the diverse involvements of SRs in the intestine of P. leopardus with different body colors and the responses to exogenous carotenoids. Notably, cd36, emerged as a pivotal factor in intestinal functions predominantly localized in the intestinal epithelial and goblet cells. Knockdown of cd36 led to the reduction in skin brightness and carotenoid levels in both intestine and skin, while overexpressing cd36 increased the carotenoids uptake of cells in vitro. Additionally, our investigations revealed that cd36 exerts regulation on genes associated with carotenoid uptake, transport, and processing. To sum up, our results provide a comprehensive view on SRs functions in carotenoid coloration of P. leopardus and will facilitate the understanding on the mechanism of carotenoids coloration of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofan Jin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China
| | - Mengya Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China
| | - Xin Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China
| | - Shaoxuan Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China
| | - Hui Ding
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China
| | - Zhenmin Bao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China; Hainan Seed Industry Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineer Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Bo Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China; Hainan Seed Industry Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China.
| | - Jingjie Hu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences/Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Qingdao/Sanya, China; Hainan Seed Industry Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineer Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou 511458, China.
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3
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Recknagel H, Leitão HG, Elmer KR. Genetic basis and expression of ventral colour in polymorphic common lizards. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17278. [PMID: 38268086 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17278] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Colour is an important visual cue that can correlate with sex, behaviour, life history or ecological strategies, and has evolved divergently and convergently across animal lineages. Its genetic basis in non-model organisms is rarely known, but such information is vital for determining the drivers and mechanisms of colour evolution. Leveraging genetic admixture in a rare contact zone between oviparous and viviparous common lizards (Zootoca vivipara), we show that females (N = 558) of the two otherwise morphologically indistinguishable reproductive modes differ in their ventral colouration (from pale to vibrant yellow) and intensity of melanic patterning. We find no association between female colouration and reproductive investment, and no evidence for selection on colour. Using a combination of genetic mapping and transcriptomic evidence, we identified two candidate genes associated with ventral colour differentiation, DGAT2 and PMEL. These are genes known to be involved in carotenoid metabolism and melanin synthesis respectively. Ventral melanic spots were associated with two genomic regions, including a SNP close to protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) genes. Using genome re-sequencing data, our results show that fixed coding mutations in the candidate genes cannot account for differences in colouration. Taken together, our findings show that the evolution of ventral colouration and its associations across common lizard lineages is variable. A potential genetic mechanism explaining the flexibility of ventral colouration may be that colouration in common lizards, but also across squamates, is predominantly driven by regulatory genetic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Recknagel
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Henrique G Leitão
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kathryn R Elmer
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Liao Y, Shi H, Han T, Jiang D, Lu B, Shi G, Zhu C, Li G. Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat ( Scatophagus argus) Larvae. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15356. [PMID: 37895036 PMCID: PMC10607709 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015356] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Red coloration is considered an economically important trait in some fish species, including spotted scat, a marine aquaculture fish. Erythrophores are gradually covered by melanophores from the embryonic stage. Despite studies of black spot formation and melanophore coloration in the species, little is known about erythrophore development, which is responsible for red coloration. 1-phenyl 2-thiourea (PTU) is a tyrosinase inhibitor commonly used to inhibit melanogenesis and contribute to the visualization of embryonic development. In this study, spotted scat embryos were treated with 0.003% PTU from 0 to 72 h post fertilization (hpf) to inhibit melanin. Erythrophores were clearly observed during the embryonic stage from 14 to 72 hpf, showing an initial increase (14 to 36 hpf), followed by a gradual decrease (36 to 72 hpf). The number and size of erythrophores at 36 hpf were larger than those at 24 and 72 hpf. At 36 hpf, LC-MS and absorbance spectrophotometry revealed that the carotenoid content was eight times higher than the pteridine content, and β-carotene and lutein were the main pigments related to red coloration in spotted scat larvae. Compared with their expression in the normal hatching group, rlbp1b, rbp1.1, and rpe65a related to retinol metabolism and soat2 and apoa1 related to steroid hormone biosynthesis and steroid biosynthesis were significantly up-regulated in the PTU group, and rh2 associated with phototransduction was significantly down-regulated. By qRT-PCR, the expression levels of genes involved in carotenoid metabolism (scarb1, plin6, plin2, apoda, bco1, and rep65a), pteridine synthesis (gch2), and chromatophore differentiation (slc2a15b and csf1ra) were significantly higher at 36 hpf than at 24 hpf and 72 hpf, except for bco1. These gene expression profiles were consistent with the developmental changes of erythrophores. These findings provide insights into pigment cell differentiation and gene function in the regulation of red coloration and contribute to selective breeding programs for ornamental aquatic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongguan Liao
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
| | - Hongjuan Shi
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
| | - Tong Han
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
| | - Dongneng Jiang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
| | - Baoyue Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
| | - Gang Shi
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
| | - Chunhua Zhu
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
| | - Guangli Li
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; (Y.L.); (H.S.); (T.H.); (D.J.); (G.S.); (C.Z.)
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5
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Kenyon HL, Martin PR. Color as an Interspecific Badge of Status: A Comparative Test. Am Nat 2023; 202:433-447. [PMID: 37792917 DOI: 10.1086/725916] [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] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAnimals as diverse as cephalopods, insects, fish, and mammals signal social dominance to conspecifics to avoid costly fights. Even though between-species fights may be equally costly, the extent to which dominance signals are used between species is unknown. Here, we test the hypothesis that differences in color are associated with dominance between closely related species that aggressively interact over resources, examining between-species variation in colors that are used in within-species badges of status (black, white, and carotenoid coloration) in a comparative analysis of diverse species of birds. We found that dominant species have more black, on average, than subordinate species, particularly in regions important for aggressive signaling (face, throat, and bill). Furthermore, dominant species were more likely to have more black in comparisons in which the dominant species was similar in size or smaller than the subordinate, suggesting that black may be a more important signal when other signals of dominance (size) are missing. Carotenoid colors (i.e., red, pink, orange, and yellow) were not generally associated with dominance but may signal dominance in some taxonomic groups. White may have opposing functions: white was associated with dominance in species in which black was also associated with dominance but was associated with subordinance in species in which carotenoid-based dominance signals may be used. Overall, these results provide new evidence that colors may function broadly as signals of dominance among competing species. Such signals could help to mediate aggressive interactions among species, thereby reducing some costs of co-occurrence and facilitating coexistence in nature.
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Dansou DM, Zhang H, Yu Y, Wang H, Tang C, Zhao Q, Qin Y, Zhang J. Carotenoid enrichment in eggs: From biochemistry perspective. ANIMAL NUTRITION (ZHONGGUO XU MU SHOU YI XUE HUI) 2023; 14:315-333. [PMID: 37635928 PMCID: PMC10448277 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of safe and functional eggs for consumer acceptance has gained focus. The production of carotenoid-enriched eggs has received attention due to its multifunctional biological properties. Nutritional modification of laying hens' diet can be a strategy to produce such eggs. This review presents the chemistry of carotenoids in nature and eggs, the accumulation process of carotenoids into eggs, and the functions of carotenoids in eggs. Our findings showed that carotenoids can be deposited into the egg and contribute to improving its nutritive value. The biosynthesis, chemical structure, and metabolism pathways of carotenoids lead to the deposition of carotenoids into eggs in their original or metabolized forms. Also, some factors modulate the efficiency of carotenoids in fowls before accumulation into eggs. Carotenoid-enriched eggs may be promising, ensuring the availability of highly nutritive eggs. However, further studies are still needed to comprehend the full metabolism process and the extensive functions of carotenoids in eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieudonné M. Dansou
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Huiyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chaohua Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qingyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuchang Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junmin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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Kang X, Yang M, Cui X, Wang H, Kang L. Spatially differential regulation of ATF2 phosphorylation contributes to warning coloration of gregarious locusts. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi5168. [PMID: 37611100 PMCID: PMC10446495 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Warning coloration are common defense strategies used by animals to deter predators. Pestilential gregarious locusts exhibit a notable black-brown pattern as a form of warning coloration. However, the mechanisms regulating this distinctive pattern remain largely unknown. Here, we revealed that the black and brown integuments of locusts are governed by varying amounts of β-carotene and β-carotene-binding protein (βCBP) complexes. βCBP expression is regulated by the bZIP transcription factor activation transcription factor 2 (ATF2), which is activated by protein kinase C alpha in response to crowding. Specifically, ATF2 is phosphorylated at Ser327 and translocates to the nucleus, where it binds to the βCBP promoter and stimulates overexpression. Differential phosphorylation of ATF2 leads to the divergent black and brown coloration in gregarious locusts. The accumulation of red pigments vital for creating the brown sternum depends on βCBP overexpression. The spatial variation in ATF2 phosphorylation enables locusts to rapidly adapt to changing environment for aposematism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinle Kang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Meiling Yang
- College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Xiaoshuang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Huimin Wang
- College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Le Kang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Elkin J, Martin A, Courtier-Orgogozo V, Santos ME. Analysis of the genetic loci of pigment pattern evolution in vertebrates. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1250-1277. [PMID: 37017088 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12952] [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: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Vertebrate pigmentation patterns are amongst the best characterised model systems for studying the genetic basis of adaptive evolution. The wealth of available data on the genetic basis for pigmentation evolution allows for analysis of trends and quantitative testing of evolutionary hypotheses. We employed Gephebase, a database of genetic variants associated with natural and domesticated trait variation, to examine trends in how cis-regulatory and coding mutations contribute to vertebrate pigmentation phenotypes, as well as factors that favour one mutation type over the other. We found that studies with lower ascertainment bias identified higher proportions of cis-regulatory mutations, and that cis-regulatory mutations were more common amongst animals harbouring a higher number of pigment cell classes. We classified pigmentation traits firstly according to their physiological basis and secondly according to whether they affect colour or pattern, and identified that carotenoid-based pigmentation and variation in pattern boundaries are preferentially associated with cis-regulatory change. We also classified genes according to their developmental, cellular, and molecular functions. We found a greater proportion of cis-regulatory mutations in genes implicated in upstream developmental processes compared to those involved in downstream cellular functions, and that ligands were associated with a higher proportion of cis-regulatory mutations than their respective receptors. Based on these trends, we discuss future directions for research in vertebrate pigmentation evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Elkin
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, 800 22nd St. NW, Suite 6000, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | | | - M Emília Santos
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
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Thomas LD, Ramkumar S, Golczak M, von Lintig J. Genetic deletion of Bco2 and Isx establishes a golden mouse model for carotenoid research. Mol Metab 2023; 73:101742. [PMID: 37225015 PMCID: PMC10250156 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Low plasma levels of carotenoids are associated with mortality and chronic disease states. Genetic studies in animals revealed that the tissue accumulation of these dietary pigments is associated with the genes encoding β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) and the scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1). Here we examined in mice how BCO2 and SR-B1 affect the metabolism of the model carotenoid zeaxanthin that serves as a macular pigment in the human retina. METHODS We used mice with a lacZ reporter gene knock-in to determine Bco2 expression patterns in the small intestine. By genetic dissection, we studied the contribution of BCO2 and SR-B1 to zeaxanthin uptake homeostasis and tissue accumulation under different supply conditions (50 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg). We determined the metabolic profiles of zeaxanthin and its metabolites in different tissues by LC-MS using standard and chiral columns. An albino Isx-/-/Bco2-/- mouse homozygous for Tyrc-2J was generated to study the effect of light on ocular zeaxanthin metabolites. RESULTS We demonstrate that BCO2 is highly expressed in enterocytes of the small intestine. Genetic deletion of Bco2 led to enhanced accumulation of zeaxanthin, indicating that the enzyme serves as a gatekeeper of zeaxanthin bioavailability. Relaxing the regulation of SR-B1 expression in enterocytes by genetic deletion of the transcription factor ISX further enhanced zeaxanthin accumulation in tissues. We observed that the absorption of zeaxanthin was dose-dependent and identified the jejunum as the major zeaxanthin-absorbing intestinal region. We further showed that zeaxanthin underwent oxidation to ε,ε-3,3'-carotene-dione in mouse tissues. We detected all three enantiomers of the zeaxanthin oxidation product whereas the parent zeaxanthin only existed as (3R, 3'R)-enantiomer in the diet. The ratio of oxidized to parent zeaxanthin varied between tissues and was dependent on the supplementation dose. We further showed in an albino Isx-/-/Bco2-/- mouse that supra-physiological supplementation doses (250 mg/kg) with zeaxanthin rapidly induced hypercarotenemia with a golden skin phenotype and that light stress increased the concentration of oxidized zeaxanthin in the eyes. CONCLUSIONS We established the biochemical basis of zeaxanthin metabolism in mice and showed that tissue factors and abiotic stress affect the metabolism and homeostasis of this dietary lipid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda D Thomas
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Srinivasagan Ramkumar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Marcin Golczak
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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Zhao L, Niu J, Feng D, Wang X, Zhang R. Immune functions of pattern recognition receptors in Lepidoptera. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1203061. [PMID: 37398667 PMCID: PMC10312389 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1203061] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), as the "sensors" in the immune response, play a prominent role in recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and initiating an effective defense response to pathogens in Lepidoptera. It is becoming increasingly clear that damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) normally play a physiological role within cells; however, when exposed to extracellular, they may become "part-time" critical signals of the immune response. Based on research in recent years, we review herein typical PRRs of Lepidoptera, including peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP), gram-negative binding protein (GNBP), β-1,3-glucan recognition protein (βGRP), C-type lectin (CTL), and scavenger receptor (SR). We also outline the ways in which DAMPs participate in the immune response and the correlation between PRRs and immune escape. Taken together, these findings suggest that the role of PRRs in insect innate immunity may be much greater than expected and that it is possible to recognize a broader range of signaling molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhao
- School of Life Science and Bio-Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jinlan Niu
- School of Life Science and Bio-Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Disong Feng
- School of Life Science and Bio-Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xialu Wang
- School of Medical Devices, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- School of Life Science and Bio-Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
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11
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Zhang Y, Mei Y, Cao A, Li S, He C, Song L, Gao J, Zhu Y, Cao X. Transcriptome analyses of betta fish (Betta splendens) provide novel insights into fin regeneration and color-related genes. Gene 2023:147508. [PMID: 37230203 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The betta fish (Betta splendens), an important ornamental fish, haswell-developed and colorful fins.After fin amputation, betta fish can easily regenerate finssimilar to the originalsin terms of structureand color. The powerful fin regeneration ability and a variety of colors in the betta fish are fascinating. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood. In this study, tail fin amputation and regeneration experiments were performed on two kinds of betta fish: red and white color betta fish. Then, transcriptome analyseswere conducted to screen out fin regeneration and color-relatedgenes in betta fish. Through enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we founda series of enrichment pathways and genes related to finregeneration, including cell cycle (i.e. plcg2), TGF-beta signaling pathway (i.e. bmp6), PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (i.e. loxl2aand loxl2b), Wnt signaling pathway(i.e. lef1), gap junctions (i.e. cx43), angiogenesis (i.e. foxp1), and interferon regulatory factor (i.e. irf8). Meanwhile, some fin color-related pathways and genes were identified in betta fish, especially melanogenesis (i.e. tyr, tyrp1a, tyrp1b, and mc1r) and carotenoid color genes (i.e. pax3, pax7, sox10, and ednrba). In conclusion, this studycan not only enrich the research onfish tissue regeneration, but also has a potential significance for the aquaculture and breeding of the betta fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunbang Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yihui Mei
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Aiying Cao
- Beijing Aquaculture Technology Extention Station, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Sen Li
- Beijing Aquaculture Technology Extention Station, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Chuan He
- Beijing Aquaculture Technology Extention Station, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Liyuan Song
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jian Gao
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yurong Zhu
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaojuan Cao
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Zhang J, Tian C, Zhu K, Liu Y, Zhao C, Jiang M, Zhu C, Li G. Effects of Natural and Synthetic Astaxanthin on Growth, Body Color, and Transcriptome and Metabolome Profiles in the Leopard Coral Grouper (Plectropomus leopardus). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071252. [PMID: 37048508 PMCID: PMC10093260 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural and synthetic astaxanthin can promote pigmentation in fish. In this study, the effects of dietary astaxanthin on growth and pigmentation were evaluated in leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus). Fish were assigned to three groups: 0% astaxanthin (C), 0.02% natural astaxanthin (HP), and 0.02% synthetic astaxanthin (AS). Brightness (L*) was not influenced by astaxanthin. However, redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) were significantly higher for fish fed astaxanthin-containing diets than fish fed control diets and were significantly higher in the HP group than in the AS group. In a transcriptome analysis, 466, 33, and 32 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between C and HP, C and AS, and AS and HP, including various pigmentation-related genes. DEGs were enriched for carotenoid deposition and other pathways related to skin color. A metabolome analysis revealed 377, 249, and 179 differential metabolites (DMs) between C and HP, C and AS, and AS and HP, respectively. In conclusion, natural astaxanthin has a better coloration effect on P. leopardus, which is more suitable as a red colorant in aquaculture. These results improve our understanding of the effects of natural and synthetic astaxanthin on red color formation in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junpeng Zhang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Changxu Tian
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Kecheng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Can Zhao
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Mouyan Jiang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Chunhua Zhu
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Guangli Li
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524088, China
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13
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Bandara S, von Lintig J. Aster la vista: Unraveling the biochemical basis of carotenoid homeostasis in the human retina. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200133. [PMID: 36127289 PMCID: PMC10044510 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids play pivotal roles in vision as light filters and precursor of chromophore. Many vertebrates also display the colorful pigments as ornaments in bare skin parts and feathers. Proteins involved in the transport and metabolism of these lipids have been identified including class B scavenger receptors and carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases. Recent research implicates members of the Aster protein family, also known as GRAM domain-containing (GRAMD), in carotenoid metabolism. These multi-domain proteins facilitate the intracellular movement of carotenoids from their site of cellular uptake by scavenger receptors to the site of their metabolic processing by carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases. We provide a model how the coordinated interplay of these proteins and their differential expression establishes carotenoid distribution patterns and function in tissues, with particular emphasis on the human retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepalika Bandara
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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14
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Hu L, Long J, Lin Y, Gu Z, Su H, Dong X, Lin Z, Xiao Q, Batbayar N, Bold B, Deutschová L, Ganusevich S, Sokolov V, Sokolov A, Patel HR, Waters PD, Graves JAM, Dixon A, Pan S, Zhan X. Arctic introgression and chromatin regulation facilitated rapid Qinghai-Tibet Plateau colonization by an avian predator. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6413. [PMID: 36302769 PMCID: PMC9613686 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34138-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), possesses a climate as cold as that of the Arctic, and also presents uniquely low oxygen concentrations and intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation. QTP animals have adapted to these extreme conditions, but whether they obtained genetic variations from the Arctic during cold adaptation, and how genomic mutations in non-coding regions regulate gene expression under hypoxia and intense UV environment, remain largely unknown. Here, we assemble a high-quality saker falcon genome and resequence populations across Eurasia. We identify female-biased hybridization with Arctic gyrfalcons in the last glacial maximum, that endowed eastern sakers with alleles conveying larger body size and changes in fat metabolism, predisposing their QTP cold adaptation. We discover that QTP hypoxia and UV adaptations mainly involve independent changes in non-coding genomic variants. Our study highlights key roles of gene flow from Arctic relatives during QTP hypothermia adaptation, and cis-regulatory elements during hypoxic response and UV protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Hu
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Juan Long
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Yi Lin
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Zhongru Gu
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Han Su
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Xuemin Dong
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Zhenzhen Lin
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Qian Xiao
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China ,grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 100875 Beijing, China
| | - Nyambayar Batbayar
- Wildlife Science and Conservation Center, Union Building B-802, Ulaanbaatar, 14210 Mongolia
| | - Batbayar Bold
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China ,Wildlife Science and Conservation Center, Union Building B-802, Ulaanbaatar, 14210 Mongolia
| | - Lucia Deutschová
- grid.455051.0Raptor Protection of Slovakia, Trhová 54, SK-841 01, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Sergey Ganusevich
- Wild Animal Rescue Centre, Krasnostudencheskiy pr., 21-45, Moscow, 125422 Russia
| | - Vasiliy Sokolov
- grid.426536.00000 0004 1760 306XInstitute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Division Russian Academy of Sciences, 202-8 Marta Street, Ekaterinburg, 620144 Russia
| | - Aleksandr Sokolov
- Arctic Research Station of the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Division Russian Academy of Sciences, 21 Zelenaya Gorka, Labytnangi, Yamalo-Nenetski District 629400 Russia
| | - Hardip R. Patel
- grid.1001.00000 0001 2180 7477The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Paul D. Waters
- grid.1005.40000 0004 4902 0432School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
| | | | - Andrew Dixon
- Emirates Falconers’ Club, Al Mamoura Building (A), P.O. Box 47716, Muroor Road, Abu Dhabi, UAE ,grid.511767.30000 0004 5895 0922International Wildlife Consultants, P.O. Box 19, Carmarthen, SA33 5YL UK
| | - Shengkai Pan
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjiang Zhan
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Cardiff University - Institute of Zoology Joint Laboratory for Biocomplexity Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223 China
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15
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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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16
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Toomey MB, Marques CI, Araújo PM, Huang D, Zhong S, Liu Y, Schreiner GD, Myers CA, Pereira P, Afonso S, Andrade P, Gazda MA, Lopes RJ, Viegas I, Koch RE, Haynes ME, Smith DJ, Ogawa Y, Murphy D, Kopec RE, Parichy DM, Carneiro M, Corbo JC. A mechanism for red coloration in vertebrates. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4201-4214.e12. [PMID: 36049480 PMCID: PMC9588406 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Red coloration is a salient feature of the natural world. Many vertebrates produce red color by converting dietary yellow carotenoids into red ketocarotenoids via an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that two enzymes, cytochrome P450 2J19 (CYP2J19) and 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1-like (BDH1L), are sufficient to catalyze this conversion. In birds, both enzymes are expressed at the sites of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis (feather follicles and red cone photoreceptors), and genetic evidence implicates these enzymes in yellow/red color variation in feathers. In fish, the homologs of CYP2J19 and BDH1L are required for ketocarotenoid production, and we show that these enzymes are sufficient to produce ketocarotenoids in cell culture and when ectopically expressed in fish skin. Finally, we demonstrate that the red-cone-enriched tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39B (TTC39B) enhances ketocarotenoid production when co-expressed with CYP2J19 and BDH1L. The discovery of this mechanism of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis has major implications for understanding the evolution of color diversity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA.
| | - Cristiana I Marques
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro M Araújo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Delai Huang
- Department of Biology and Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Siqiong Zhong
- Program in Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gretchen D Schreiner
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Connie A Myers
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Paulo Pereira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Pedro Andrade
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Małgorzata A Gazda
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; MHNC-UP, Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ivan Viegas
- University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rebecca E Koch
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Maureen E Haynes
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Dustin J Smith
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Yohey Ogawa
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Murphy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel E Kopec
- Program in Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - David M Parichy
- Department of Biology and Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
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17
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Alonso-Alvarez C, Andrade P, Cantarero A, Morales J, Carneiro M. Relocation to avoid costs: A hypothesis on red carotenoid-based signals based on recent CYP2J19 gene expression data. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200037. [PMID: 36209392 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
In many vertebrates, the enzymatic oxidation of dietary yellow carotenoids generates red keto-carotenoids giving color to ornaments. The oxidase CYP2J19 is here a key effector. Its purported intracellular location suggests a shared biochemical pathway between trait expression and cell functioning. This might guarantee the reliability of red colorations as individual quality signals independent of production costs. We hypothesize that the ornament type (feathers vs. bare parts) and production costs (probably CYP2J19 activity compromising vital functions) could have promoted tissue-specific gene relocation. We review current avian tissue-specific CYP2J19 expression data. Among the ten red-billed species showing CYP2J19 bill expression, only one showed strong hepatic expression. Moreover, a phylogenetically-controlled analysis of 25 red-colored species shows that those producing red bare parts are less likely to have strong hepatic CYP2J19 expression than species with only red plumages. Thus, both production costs and shared pathways might have contributed to the evolution of red signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alonso-Alvarez
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences - CSIC. C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro Andrade
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Alejandro Cantarero
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences - CSIC. C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Physiology, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Judith Morales
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences - CSIC. C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
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18
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Xue Y, Zhang H, Tan K, Ma H, Li S, Zheng H. Identification of a key gene StAR-like-3 responsible for carotenoids accumulation in the noble scallop Chlamys nobilis. FOOD CHEMISTRY: MOLECULAR SCIENCES 2022; 4:100072. [PMID: 35415702 PMCID: PMC8991518 DOI: 10.1016/j.fochms.2021.100072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Significantly higher expression level of StAR-like-3 in intestine and hemocytes in golden scallops than that of brown ones. StAR-like-3 protein only existed in intestinal epithelial cells in golden scallops. Recombinant StAR-like-3 protein can bind lutein. The expression level of StAR-like-3 is significantly positive with the total carotenoids content in hemolymph. StAR-like-3 is a key gene responsible for carotenoids accumulation in golden scallops.
Carotenoids play important roles in living organisms. However, animals cannot synthesize carotenoids by themselves, and they must absorb and accumulate carotenoids from their diets in which some key genes are involved. In present study, a gene named StAR-like-3 was characterized in the noble scallop Chlamys nobilis, and its function was identified using golden scallops with higher carotenoids content and brown scallops with less carotenoids content by immunohistochemistry, carotenoid binding assay and RNAi. Results showed that the StAR-like-3 encodes a 54.7 kDa transmembrane protein (named as StAR3) of 481 amino acids containing a MENTAL domain and a START (Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer) domain, and its expression level in hemocytes and intestine of golden scallops were significantly higher than those of brown ones. Subsequently, the StAR3 protein was detected in the intestinal epithelial cells of golden scallops, and recombinant StAR3 could bind lutein conjugated to protein G and antibody to form a yellow complex, suggesting it is a carotenoid binding protein involving in carotenoids accumulation in golden scallops. Furthermore, total carotenoids content of hemolymph in golden scallops was significantly decreased when the expression of StAR-like-3 suppressed, suggesting this gene plays an important role in transport of carotenoids. Conclusion, the present results indicated that the StAR-like-3 is a key gene responsible for the carotenoids accumulation in the scallop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Xue
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Engineering Research Center for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Hongkuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Engineering Research Center for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Karsoon Tan
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Engineering Research Center for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Hongyu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Engineering Research Center for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Shengkang Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Engineering Research Center for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Huaiping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Engineering Research Center for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
- Corresponding author at: Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China.
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19
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Wan S, Li Q, Yu H, Liu S, Kong L. Transcriptome analysis based on dietary beta-carotene supplement reveals genes potentially involved in carotenoid metabolism in Crassostrea gigas. Gene 2022; 818:146226. [PMID: 35063572 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids are essential micronutrients for animals, and they can only be obtained from the diet for mollusk as well as other animals. In the body, carotenoids undergo processes including absorption, transport, deposition, and metabolic conversion; however, knowledge of the involved genes is still limited. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of carotenoid processing and identify the related genes in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis using digestive gland tissues of oysters on a beta-carotene supplemented diet or a normal diet. A total of 718 differentially expressed genes were obtained, including 505 upregulated and 213 downregulated genes in the beta-carotene supplemented group. Function Annotation and enrichment analyses revealed enrichment in genes possibly involved in carotenoid transport and storage (e.g., LOC105342035), carotenoid cleavage (e.g., LOC105341121), retinoid homeostasis (e.g., LOC105339597) and PPAR signaling pathway (e.g., LOC105323212). Notably, down-regulation of mRNA expressions of two apolipoprotein genes (LOC105342035 and LOC105342186) by RNA interference significantly decreased the carotenoid level in the digestive gland, supporting their role in carotenoid transport and storage. Based on these differentially expressed genes, we propose that there may be a negative feedback mechanism regulated by nuclear receptor transcription factors controlling carotenoid oxygenases. Our findings provide useful hints for elucidating the molecular basis of carotenoid metabolism and functions of carotenoid-related genes in the oyster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Wan
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Qi Li
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Wenhai Road, Qingdao 266237, China.
| | - Hong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Shikai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Lingfeng Kong
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
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20
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Abstract
Carotenoid pigments accumulate in specific patterns in vertebrate tissues and play important roles as colorants, chromophores, and hormone precursors. However, proteins that facilitate transportation of these lipophilic pigments within cells have not been identified. We provide evidence that Aster proteins are key components for this process and show that they bind the pigments with high affinity. We observed in mice that carotenoids accumulate in tissues that express Aster-B and this accumulation can be prevented by enzymatic turnover by the BCO2 protein. Accordingly, we found opposing expression patterns of the Aster-B protein and BCO2 in the human retina that seemingly contribute to the unique carotenoid concentration in the macula lutea. Some mammalian tissues uniquely concentrate carotenoids, but the underlying biochemical mechanism for this accumulation has not been fully elucidated. For instance, the central retina of the primate eyes displays high levels of the carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, whereas the pigments are largely absent in rodent retinas. We previously identified the scavenger receptor class B type 1 and the enzyme β-carotene-oxygenase-2 (BCO2) as key components that determine carotenoid concentration in tissues. We now provide evidence that Aster (GRAM-domain-containing) proteins, recently recognized for their role in nonvesicular cholesterol transport, engage in carotenoid metabolism. Our analyses revealed that the StART-like lipid binding domain of Aster proteins can accommodate the bulky pigments and bind them with high affinity. We further showed that carotenoids and cholesterol compete for the same binding site. We established a bacterial test system to demonstrate that the StART-like domains of mouse and human Aster proteins can extract carotenoids from biological membranes. Mice deficient for the carotenoid catabolizing enzyme BCO2 concentrated carotenoids in Aster-B protein-expressing tissues such as the adrenal glands. Remarkably, Aster-B was expressed in the human but not in the mouse retina. Within the retina, Aster-B and BCO2 showed opposite expression patterns in central versus peripheral parts. Together, our study unravels the biochemical basis for intracellular carotenoid transport and implicates Aster-B in the pathway for macula pigment concentration in the human retina.
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21
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O’Connor C, Varshosaz P, Moise AR. Mechanisms of Feedback Regulation of Vitamin A Metabolism. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14061312. [PMID: 35334970 PMCID: PMC8950952 DOI: 10.3390/nu14061312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [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: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient required throughout life. Through its various metabolites, vitamin A sustains fetal development, immunity, vision, and the maintenance, regulation, and repair of adult tissues. Abnormal tissue levels of the vitamin A metabolite, retinoic acid, can result in detrimental effects which can include congenital defects, immune deficiencies, proliferative defects, and toxicity. For this reason, intricate feedback mechanisms have evolved to allow tissues to generate appropriate levels of active retinoid metabolites despite variations in the level and format, or in the absorption and conversion efficiency of dietary vitamin A precursors. Here, we review basic mechanisms that govern vitamin A signaling and metabolism, and we focus on retinoic acid-controlled feedback mechanisms that contribute to vitamin A homeostasis. Several approaches to investigate mechanistic details of the vitamin A homeostatic regulation using genomic, gene editing, and chromatin capture technologies are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine O’Connor
- MD Program, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 317-MSE Bldg., 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada;
| | - Parisa Varshosaz
- Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Ph.D. Program, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada;
| | - Alexander R. Moise
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 317-MSE Bldg., 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-705-662-7253
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22
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Wu S, Huang J, Li Y, Zhao L, Liu Z. Analysis of yellow mutant rainbow trout transcriptomes at different developmental stages reveals dynamic regulation of skin pigmentation genes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:256. [PMID: 34997156 PMCID: PMC8742018 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04255-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Yellow mutant rainbow trout (YR), an economically important aquaculture species, is popular among consumers due to its excellent meat quality and attractive appearance. Skin color is a key economic trait for YR, but little is known about the molecular mechanism of skin color development. In this study, YR skin transcriptomes were analyzed to explore temporal expression patterns of pigmentation-related genes in three different stages of skin color development. In total, 16,590, 16,682, and 5619 genes were differentially expressed between fish at 1 day post-hatching (YR1d) and YR45d, YR1d and YR90d, and YR45d and YR90d. Numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with pigmentation were identified, and almost all of them involved in pteridine and carotenoid synthesis were significantly upregulated in YR45d and YR90d compared to YR1d, including GCH1, PTS, QDPR, CSFIR1, SLC2A11, SCARB1, DGAT2, PNPLA2, APOD, and BCO2. Interestingly, many DEGs enriched in melanin synthesis pathways were also significantly upregulated, including melanogenesis (MITF, MC1R, SLC45A2, OCA2, and GPR143), tyrosine metabolism (TYR, TYRP1, and DCT), and MAPK signaling (KITA) pathways. Using short time-series expression miner, we identified eight differential gene expression pattern profiles, and DEGs in profile 7 were associated with skin pigmentation. Protein–protein interaction network analysis showed that two modules were related to xanthophores and melanophores. In addition, 1,812,329 simple sequence repeats and 2,011,334 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were discovered. The results enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying skin pigmentation in YR, and could accelerate the molecular breeding of fish species with valuable skin color traits and will likely be highly informative for developing new therapeutic approaches to treat pigmentation disorders and melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenji Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Jinqiang Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
| | - Yongjuan Li
- College of Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Lu Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
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23
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De novo assembly transcriptome analysis reveals the genes associated with body color formation in the freshwater ornamental shrimps Neocaridina denticulate sinensis. Gene 2022; 806:145929. [PMID: 34461150 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The body color of Neocaridina denticulate sinensis is a compelling phenotypic trait, in which a cascade of carotenoid metabolic processes plays an important role. The study was conducted to compare the transcriptome of cephalothoraxes among three pigmentation phenotypes (red, blue, and chocolate) of N. denticulate sinensis. The purpose of this study was to explore the candidate genes associated with different colors of N. denticulate sinensis. Nine cDNA libraries in three groups were constructed from the cephalothoraxes of shrimps. After assembly, 75022 unigenes were obtained in total with an average length of 1026 bp and N50 length of 1876 bp. There were 45977, 25284, 23605, 21913 unigenes annotated in the Nr, Swissprot, KOG, and KEGG databases, respectively. Differential expression analysis revealed that there were 829, 554, and 3194 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in RD vs BL, RD vs CH, and BL vs CH, respectively. These DEGs may play roles in the absorption, transport, and metabolism of carotenoids. We also emphasized that electron transfer across the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) was a key process in pigment metabolism. In addition, a total of 6328 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were also detected in N. denticulate sinensis. The results laid a solid foundation for further research on the molecular mechanism of integument pigmentation in the crustacean and contributed to developing more attractive aquatic animals.
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24
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Toomey MB, Smith DJ, Gonzales DM, McGraw KJ. Methods for extracting and analyzing carotenoids from bird feathers. Methods Enzymol 2022; 670:459-497. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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25
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Funk ER, Mason NA, Pálsson S, Albrecht T, Johnson JA, Taylor SA. A supergene underlies linked variation in color and morphology in a Holarctic songbird. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6833. [PMID: 34824228 PMCID: PMC8616904 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic architecture of a phenotype can have considerable effects on the evolution of a trait or species. Characterizing genetic architecture provides insight into the complexity of a given phenotype and, potentially, the role of the phenotype in evolutionary processes like speciation. We use genome sequences to investigate the genetic basis of phenotypic variation in redpoll finches (Acanthis spp.). We demonstrate that variation in redpoll phenotype is broadly controlled by a ~55-Mb chromosomal inversion. Within this inversion, we find multiple candidate genes related to melanogenesis, carotenoid coloration, and bill shape, suggesting the inversion acts as a supergene controlling multiple linked traits. A latitudinal gradient in ecotype distribution suggests supergene driven variation in color and bill morphology are likely under environmental selection, maintaining supergene haplotypes as a balanced polymorphism. Our results provide a mechanism for the maintenance of ecotype variation in redpolls despite a genome largely homogenized by gene flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik R Funk
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
| | - Nicholas A Mason
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Snæbjörn Pálsson
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Department of Zoology, Charles University, Vinicna 7, CZ-12844, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-60365, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Scott A Taylor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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26
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Bravo GA, Schmitt CJ, Edwards SV. What Have We Learned from the First 500 Avian Genomes? ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012121-085928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The increased capacity of DNA sequencing has significantly advanced our understanding of the phylogeny of birds and the proximate and ultimate mechanisms molding their genomic diversity. In less than a decade, the number of available avian reference genomes has increased to over 500—approximately 5% of bird diversity—placing birds in a privileged position to advance the fields of phylogenomics and comparative, functional, and population genomics. Whole-genome sequence data, as well as indels and rare genomic changes, are further resolving the avian tree of life. The accumulation of bird genomes, increasingly with long-read sequence data, greatly improves the resolution of genomic features such as germline-restricted chromosomes and the W chromosome, and is facilitating the comparative integration of genotypes and phenotypes. Community-based initiatives such as the Bird 10,000 Genomes Project and Vertebrate Genome Project are playing a fundamental role in amplifying and coalescing a vibrant international program in avian comparative genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo A. Bravo
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA;, ,
| | - C. Jonathan Schmitt
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA;, ,
| | - Scott V. Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA;, ,
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27
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Enbody ED, Sprehn CG, Abzhanov A, Bi H, Dobreva MP, Osborne OG, Rubin CJ, Grant PR, Grant BR, Andersson L. A multispecies BCO2 beak color polymorphism in the Darwin's finch radiation. Curr Biol 2021; 31:5597-5604.e7. [PMID: 34687609 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.09.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoid-based polymorphisms are widespread in populations of birds, fish, and reptiles,1 but generally little is known about the factors affecting their maintenance in populations.2 We report a combined field and molecular-genetic investigation of a nestling beak color polymorphism in Darwin's finches. Beaks are pink or yellow, and yellow is recessive.3 Here we show that the polymorphism arose in the Galápagos half a million years ago through a mutation associated with regulatory change in the BCO2 gene and is shared by 14 descendant species. The polymorphism is probably a balanced polymorphism, maintained by ecological selection associated with survival and diet. In cactus finches, the frequency of the yellow genotype is correlated with cactus fruit abundance and greater hatching success and may be altered by introgressive hybridization. Polymorphisms that are hidden as adults, as here, may be far more common than is currently recognized, and contribute to diversification in ways that are yet to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik D Enbody
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - C Grace Sprehn
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Arhat Abzhanov
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, SL5 7PY Ascot, UK
| | - Huijuan Bi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mariya P Dobreva
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, SL5 7PY Ascot, UK
| | - Owen G Osborne
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Carl-Johan Rubin
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter R Grant
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - B Rosemary Grant
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Leif Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4458, USA.
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28
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Huang D, Lewis VM, Foster TN, Toomey MB, Corbo JC, Parichy DM. Development and genetics of red coloration in the zebrafish relative Danio albolineatus. eLife 2021; 10:70253. [PMID: 34435950 PMCID: PMC8416024 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal pigment patterns play important roles in behavior and, in many species, red coloration serves as an honest signal of individual quality in mate choice. Among Danio fishes, some species develop erythrophores, pigment cells that contain red ketocarotenoids, whereas other species, like zebrafish (D. rerio) only have yellow xanthophores. Here, we use pearl danio (D. albolineatus) to assess the developmental origin of erythrophores and their mechanisms of differentiation. We show that erythrophores in the fin of D. albolineatus share a common progenitor with xanthophores and maintain plasticity in cell fate even after differentiation. We further identify the predominant ketocarotenoids that confer red coloration to erythrophores and use reverse genetics to pinpoint genes required for the differentiation and maintenance of these cells. Our analyses are a first step toward defining the mechanisms underlying the development of erythrophore-mediated red coloration in Danio and reveal striking parallels with the mechanism of red coloration in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delai Huang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
| | - Victor M Lewis
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
| | - Tarah N Foster
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, United States
| | - Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, United States.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - David M Parichy
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
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29
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Price-Waldman R, Stoddard MC. Avian Coloration Genetics: Recent Advances and Emerging Questions. J Hered 2021; 112:395-416. [PMID: 34002228 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The colorful phenotypes of birds have long provided rich source material for evolutionary biologists. Avian plumage, beaks, skin, and eggs-which exhibit a stunning range of cryptic and conspicuous forms-inspired early work on adaptive coloration. More recently, avian color has fueled discoveries on the physiological, developmental, and-increasingly-genetic mechanisms responsible for phenotypic variation. The relative ease with which avian color traits can be quantified has made birds an attractive system for uncovering links between phenotype and genotype. Accordingly, the field of avian coloration genetics is burgeoning. In this review, we highlight recent advances and emerging questions associated with the genetic underpinnings of bird color. We start by describing breakthroughs related to 2 pigment classes: carotenoids that produce red, yellow, and orange in most birds and psittacofulvins that produce similar colors in parrots. We then discuss structural colors, which are produced by the interaction of light with nanoscale materials and greatly extend the plumage palette. Structural color genetics remain understudied-but this paradigm is changing. We next explore how colors that arise from interactions among pigmentary and structural mechanisms may be controlled by genes that are co-expressed or co-regulated. We also identify opportunities to investigate genes mediating within-feather micropatterning and the coloration of bare parts and eggs. We conclude by spotlighting 2 research areas-mechanistic links between color vision and color production, and speciation-that have been invigorated by genetic insights, a trend likely to continue as new genomic approaches are applied to non-model species.
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30
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Shakya SB, Haryoko T, Irham M, Suparno, Prawiradilaga DM, Sheldon FH. Genomic investigation of colour polymorphism and phylogeographic variation among populations of black-headed bulbul (Brachypodius atriceps) in insular southeast Asia. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4757-4770. [PMID: 34297854 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Intraspecific polymorphism in birds, especially plumage colour polymorphism, and the mechanisms that control it are an area of active research in evolutionary biology. The black-headed bulbul (Brachypodius atriceps) is a polymorphic species with two distinct morphs, yellow and grey. This species inhabits the mainland and virtually all continental islands of Southeast Asia where yellow morphs predominate, but on two islands in the Sunda region, Bawean and Maratua, grey morphs are common or exclusive. Here, we generated a high-quality reference genome of a yellow individual and resequenced genomes of multiple individuals of both yellow and grey morphs to study the genetic basis of coloration and population history of the species. Using PCA and STRUCTURE analysis, we found the Maratua Island population (which is exclusively grey) to be distinct from all other B. atriceps populations, having been isolated c. 1.9 million years ago (Ma). In contrast, Bawean grey individuals (a subset of yellow and grey individuals on that island) are embedded within an almost panmictic Sundaic clade of yellow birds. Using FST and dxy to compare variable genomic segments between Maratua and yellow individuals, we located peaks of divergence and identified candidate loci involved in the colour polymorphism. Tests of selection among coding-proteins in high FST regions, however, did not indicate selection on the candidate genes. Overall, we report on some loci that are potentially responsible for the grey/yellow polymorphism in a species that otherwise shows little genetic diversification across most of its range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subir B Shakya
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Tri Haryoko
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Centre for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Mohammad Irham
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Centre for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Suparno
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Centre for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Dewi M Prawiradilaga
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Centre for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Frederick H Sheldon
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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31
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de Mello PLH, Hime PM, Glor RE. Transcriptomic Analysis of Skin Color in Anole Lizards. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab110. [PMID: 33988681 PMCID: PMC8290120 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Color and color pattern are critical for animal camouflage, reproduction, and defense. Few studies, however, have attempted to identify candidate genes for color and color pattern in squamate reptiles, a colorful group with over 10,000 species. We used comparative transcriptomic analyses between white, orange, and yellow skin in a color-polymorphic species of anole lizard to 1) identify candidate color and color-pattern genes in squamates and 2) assess if squamates share an underlying genetic basis for color and color pattern variation with other vertebrates. Squamates have three types of chromatophores that determine color pattern: guanine-filled iridophores, carotenoid- or pteridine-filled xanthophores/erythrophores, and melanin-filled melanophores. We identified 13 best candidate squamate color and color-pattern genes shared with other vertebrates: six genes linked to pigment synthesis pathways, and seven genes linked to chromatophore development and maintenance. In comparisons of expression profiles between pigment-rich and white skin, pigment-rich skin upregulated the pteridine pathway as well as xanthophore/erythrophore development and maintenance genes; in comparisons between orange and yellow skin, orange skin upregulated the pteridine and carotenoid pathways as well as melanophore maintenance genes. Our results corroborate the predictions that squamates can produce similar colors using distinct color-reflecting molecules, and that both color and color-pattern genes are likely conserved across vertebrates. Furthermore, this study provides a concise list of candidate genes for future functional verification, representing a first step in determining the genetic basis of color and color pattern in anoles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Longo Hollanda de Mello
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Paul M Hime
- Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Richard E Glor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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32
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Kenyon HL, Martin PR. Experimental tests of selection against heterospecific aggression as a driver of avian colour pattern divergence. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1110-1124. [PMID: 33949033 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Signal divergence is thought to reduce the costs of co-occurrence for closely related species and may thereby be important in the generation and maintenance of new biodiversity. In birds, closely related, sympatric species are more divergent in their colour patterns than those that live apart, but the selective pressures driving sympatric divergence in colour pattern are not well-understood. Here, we conducted field experiments on naïve birds using spectrometer-matched, painted, 3D-printed models to test whether selection against heterospecific aggression might drive colour pattern divergence in the genus Poecile. We found that territorial male black-capped chickadees (P. atricapillus) are equally likely to attack sympatric and allopatric congeners, and wintering flocks are equally likely to visit feeders occupied by sympatric and allopatric congeners, despite sympatric congeners being more divergent in colour pattern. These results suggest that either the concerted evolution of additional traits (e.g. discrimination), or interactions in sympatry that promote learning, is required if colour pattern divergence among sympatric species is to reduce heterospecific aggression. Alternatively, colour pattern divergence among sympatric species may be caused by other selective pressures, such as selection against hybridization or habitat partitioning and secondary signal adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley L Kenyon
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Paul R Martin
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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33
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Toomey MB, Ronald KL. Avian color expression and perception: is there a carotenoid link? J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269205. [PMID: 34142139 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.203844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids color many of the red, orange and yellow ornaments of birds and also shape avian vision. The carotenoid-pigmented oil droplets in cone photoreceptors filter incoming light and are predicted to aid in color discrimination. Carotenoid use in both avian coloration and color vision raises an intriguing question: is the evolution of visual signals and signal perception linked through these pigments? Here, we explore the genetic, physiological and functional connections between these traits. Carotenoid color and droplet pigmentation share common mechanisms of metabolic conversion and are both affected by diet and immune system challenges. Yet, the time scale and magnitude of these effects differ greatly between plumage and the visual system. Recent observations suggest a link between retinal carotenoid levels and color discrimination performance, but the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. Therefore, we performed a modeling exercise to ask whether and how changes in droplet carotenoid content could alter the perception of carotenoid-based plumage. This exercise revealed that changing oil droplet carotenoid concentration does not substantially affect the discrimination of carotenoid-based colors, but might change how reliably a receiver can predict the carotenoid content of an ornament. These findings suggest that, if present, a carotenoid link between signal and perception is subtle. Deconstructing this relationship will require a deeper understanding of avian visual perception and the mechanisms of color production. We highlight several areas where we see opportunities to gain new insights, including comparative genomic studies of shared mechanisms of carotenoid processing and alternative approaches to investigating color vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, 800 S Tucker Dr., Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Kelly L Ronald
- Department of Biology, Hope College, 35 East 12th Street, Holland, MI 49422, USA
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34
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Bennett KFP, Lim HC, Braun MJ. Sexual selection and introgression in avian hybrid zones: Spotlight on Manacus. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1291-1309. [PMID: 34128981 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab135] [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] Open
Abstract
Hybrid zones offer a window into the processes and outcomes of evolution, from species formation or fusion to genomic underpinnings of specific traits and isolating mechanisms. Sexual selection is believed to be an important factor in speciation processes, and hybrid zones present special opportunities to probe its impact. The manakins (Aves, Pipridae) are a promising group in which to study the interplay of sexual selection and natural hybridization: they show substantial variation across the family in the strength of sexual selection they experience, they readily hybridize within and between genera, and they appear to have formed hybrid species, a rare event in birds. A hybrid zone between two manakins in the genus Manacus is unusual in that plumage and behavioral traits of one species have introgressed asymmetrically into populations of the second species through positive sexual selection, then apparently stalled at a river barrier. This is one of a handful of documented examples of asymmetric sexual trait introgression with a known selective mechanism. It offers opportunities to examine reproductive isolation, introgression, plumage color evolution, and natural factors enhancing or constraining the effects of sexual selection in real time. Here, we review previous work in this system, propose new hypotheses for observed patterns, and recommend approaches to test them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin F P Bennett
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Haw Chuan Lim
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA.,Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Michael J Braun
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
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35
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Peneaux C, Machovsky-Capuska GE, Endler JA, Griffin AS. Eat yourself sexy: how selective macronutrient intake influences the expression of a visual signal in common mynas. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:237821. [PMID: 33758023 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.241349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Producing colored signals often requires consuming dietary carotenoid pigments. Evidence that food deprivation can reduce coloration, however, raises the question of whether other dietary nutrients contribute to signal coloration, and furthermore, whether individuals can voluntarily select food combinations to achieve optimal coloration. We created a two-way factorial design to manipulate macronutrient and carotenoid access in common mynas (Acridotheres tristis) and measured eye patch coloration as a function of the food combinations individuals selected. Mynas had access to either water or carotenoid-supplemented water and could either eat a standard captive diet or choose freely between three nutritionally defined pellets (protein, lipid or carbohydrate). Mynas supplemented with both carotenoids and macronutrient pellets had higher color scores than control birds. Male coloration tended to respond more to nutritional manipulation than females, with color scores improving in macronutrient- and carotenoid-supplemented individuals compared with controls. All mynas consuming carotenoids had higher levels of plasma carotenoids, but only males showed a significant increase by the end of the experiment. Dietary carotenoids and macronutrient intake consumed in combination tended to increase plasma carotenoid concentrations the most. These results demonstrate for the first time that consuming specific combinations of macronutrients along with carotenoids contributes to optimizing a colorful signal, and point to sex-specific nutritional strategies. Our findings improve our knowledge of how diet choices affect signal expression and, by extension, how nutritionally impoverished diets, such as those consumed by birds in cities, might affect sexual selection processes and, ultimately, population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Peneaux
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Gabriel E Machovsky-Capuska
- Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - John A Endler
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Andrea S Griffin
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
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36
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Molecular characterization and functional analysis of scavenger receptor class B from black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). ELECTRON J BIOTECHN 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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37
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Transcriptome Analysis Provides Insights into the Mechanism of Astaxanthin Enrichment in a Mutant of the Ridgetail White Prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050618. [PMID: 33919403 PMCID: PMC8143343 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050618] [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] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A mutant of the ridgetail white prawn, which exhibited rare orange-red body color with a higher level of free astaxanthin (ASTX) concentration than that in the wild-type prawn, was obtained in our lab. In order to understand the underlying mechanism for the existence of a high level of free astaxanthin, transcriptome analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the mutant and wild-type prawns. A total of 78,224 unigenes were obtained, and 1863 were identified as DEGs, in which 902 unigenes showed higher expression levels, while 961 unigenes presented lower expression levels in the mutant in comparison with the wild-type prawns. Based on Gene Ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis, as well as further investigation of annotated DEGs, we found that the biological processes related to astaxanthin binding, transport, and metabolism presented significant differences between the mutant and the wild-type prawns. Some genes related to these processes, including crustacyanin, apolipoprotein D (ApoD), cathepsin, and cuticle proteins, were identified as DEGs between the two types of prawns. These data may provide important information for us to understand the molecular mechanism of the existence of a high level of free astaxanthin in the prawn.
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38
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Wu J, Lin Z, Chen G, Luo Q, Nie Q, Zhang X, Luo W. Characterization of Chicken Skin Yellowness and Exploration of Genes Involved in Skin Yellowness Deposition in Chicken. Front Physiol 2021; 12:585089. [PMID: 33867996 PMCID: PMC8044320 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.585089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin color is an important economic trait in meat-type chickens. A uniform bright skin color can increase the sales value of chicken. Chickens with bright yellow skin are more popular in China, especially in the broiler market of South China. However, the skin color of chickens can vary because of differences in breeds, diet, health, and individual genetics. To obtain greater insight into the genetic factors associated with the process of skin pigmentation in chickens, we used a colorimeter and high-resolution skin photographs to measure and analyze the skin color of chickens. By analyzing 534 chickens of the same breed, age, and feed condition, we found that the yellowness values of the chickens varied within this population. A significant positive correlation was found between the cloacal skin yellowness values before and after slaughter, and the cloacal skin yellowness value of live chickens was positively correlated with the overall body skin yellowness value. Additionally, chicken skin yellowness exhibited low heritability, ranging from 0.07 to 0.27. Through RNA sequencing, 882 genes were found to be differentially expressed between the skin with the highest and lowest yellowness values. Some of these differentially expressed genes may play an important role in yellow pigment deposition in chicken skin, which included TLR2B, IYD, SMOC1, ALDH1A3, CYP11A1, FHL2, TECRL, ACACB, TYR, PMEL, and GPR143. In addition, we found that the expression and variations of the BCO2 gene, which is referred to as the yellow skin gene, cannot be used to estimate the skin yellowness value of chickens in this population. These data will help to further our understanding of chicken skin yellowness and might contribute to the selection of specific chicken strains with consistent skin coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Wu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zetong Lin
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Genghua Chen
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingbin Luo
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Nie
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiquan Zhang
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen Luo
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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39
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Gazda MA, Toomey MB, Araújo PM, Lopes RJ, Afonso S, Myers CA, Serres K, Kiser PD, Hill GE, Corbo JC, Carneiro M. Genetic Basis of De Novo Appearance of Carotenoid Ornamentation in Bare Parts of Canaries. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:1317-1328. [PMID: 31930402 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Unlike wild and domestic canaries (Serinus canaria), or any of the three dozen species of finches in genus Serinus, the domestic urucum breed of canaries exhibits bright red bills and legs. This novel trait offers a unique opportunity to understand the mechanisms of bare-part coloration in birds. To identify the mutation producing the colorful phenotype, we resequenced the genome of urucum canaries and performed a range of analyses to search for genotype-to-phenotype associations across the genome. We identified a nonsynonymous mutation in the gene BCO2 (beta-carotene oxygenase 2, also known as BCDO2), an enzyme involved in the cleavage and breakdown of full-length carotenoids into short apocarotenoids. Protein structural models and in vitro functional assays indicate that the urucum mutation abrogates the carotenoid-cleavage activity of BCO2. Consistent with the predicted loss of carotenoid-cleavage activity, urucum canaries tended to have increased levels of full-length carotenoid pigments in bill tissue and reduced levels of carotenoid-cleavage products (apocarotenoids) in retinal tissue compared with other breeds of canaries. We hypothesize that carotenoid-based bare-part coloration might be readily gained, modified, or lost through simple switches in the enzymatic activity or regulation of BCO2 and this gene may be an important mediator in the evolution of bare-part coloration among bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Anna Gazda
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
| | - Pedro M Araújo
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Connie A Myers
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Kyla Serres
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Philip D Kiser
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine, Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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40
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Pigmentation Genes Show Evidence of Repeated Divergence and Multiple Bouts of Introgression in Setophaga Warblers. Curr Biol 2021; 31:643-649.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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41
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Ahi EP, Lecaudey LA, Ziegelbecker A, Steiner O, Goessler W, Sefc KM. Expression levels of the tetratricopeptide repeat protein gene ttc39b covary with carotenoid-based skin colour in cichlid fish. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200629. [PMID: 33236977 PMCID: PMC7728679 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Carotenoid pigments play a major role in animal body colouration, generating strong interest in the genes involved in the metabolic processes that lead from their dietary uptake to their storage in the integument. Here, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to test for differentially expressed genes in a taxonomically replicated design using three pairs of related cichlid fish taxa from the genera Tropheus and Aulonocara. Within each pair, taxa differed in terms of red and yellow body colouration, and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses of skin extracts revealed different carotenoid profiles and concentrations across the studied taxa. Five genes were differentially expressed in all three yellow–red skin contrasts (dhrsx, nlrc3, tcaf2, urah and ttc39b), but only the tetratricopeptide repeat protein-coding gene ttc39b, whose gene product is linked to mammalian lipid metabolism, was consistently expressed more highly in the red skin samples. The RNA-Seq results were confirmed by quantitative PCR. We propose ttc39b as a compelling candidate gene for variation in animal carotenoid colouration. Since differential expression of ttc39b was correlated with the presence/absence of yellow carotenoids in a previous study, we suggest that ttc39b is more likely associated with the concentration of total carotenoids than with the metabolic formation of red carotenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Pashay Ahi
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria.,Department of Comparative Physiology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-75 236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Laurène A Lecaudey
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria.,Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Oliver Steiner
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Walter Goessler
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Kristina M Sefc
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria
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42
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Kirschel ANG, Nwankwo EC, Pierce DK, Lukhele SM, Moysi M, Ogolowa BO, Hayes SC, Monadjem A, Brelsford A. CYP2J19 mediates carotenoid colour introgression across a natural avian hybrid zone. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:4970-4984. [PMID: 33058329 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It has long been of interest to identify the phenotypic traits that mediate reproductive isolation between related species, and more recently, the genes that underpin them. Much work has focused on identifying genes associated with animal colour, with the candidate gene CYP2J19 identified in laboratory studies as the ketolase converting yellow dietary carotenoids to red ketocarotenoids in birds with red pigments. However, evidence that CYP2J19 explains variation between red and yellow feather coloration in wild populations of birds is lacking. Hybrid zones provide the opportunity to identify genes associated with specific traits. Here we investigate genomic regions associated with colour in red-fronted and yellow-fronted tinkerbirds across a hybrid zone in southern Africa. We sampled 85 individuals, measuring spectral reflectance of forecrown feathers and scoring colours from photographs, while testing for carotenoid presence with Raman spectroscopy. We performed a genome-wide association study to identify associations with carotenoid-based coloration, using double-digest RAD sequencing aligned to a short-read whole genome of a Pogoniulus tinkerbird. Admixture mapping using 104,933 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified a region of chromosome 8 that includes CYP2J19 as the only locus with more than two SNPs significantly associated with both crown hue and crown score, while Raman spectra provided evidence of ketocarotenoids in red feathers. Asymmetric backcrossing in the hybrid zone suggests that yellow-fronted females mate more often with red-fronted males than vice versa. Female red-fronted tinkerbirds mating assortatively with red-crowned males is consistent with the hypothesis that converted carotenoids are an honest signal of quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanuel C Nwankwo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Daniel K Pierce
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Sifiso M Lukhele
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Michaella Moysi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Bridget O Ogolowa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sophia C Hayes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ara Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini.,Department of Zoology & Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Alan Brelsford
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
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43
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Hudon J, Wiebe KL, Stradi R. Disruptions of feather carotenoid pigmentation in a subset of hybrid northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) may be linked to genetic incompatibilities. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 251:110510. [PMID: 33010421 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Hybridization can bring in single individuals alleles that were never designed to work together, which can result in unexpected or transgressive phenotypes. The Yellow-shafted (auratus group) and Red-shafted (cafer group) subspecies groups of the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) differ conspicuously in the coloration of their flight feathers, but hybridize freely where their ranges overlap in western North America. The difference in color is largely the result of the Red-shafted form harboring ketolated products at C4(4') of the carotenoids found in the Yellow-shafted form. Characterizing the carotenoid pigments in a series of birds of intermediate color (presumed hybrids) revealed that most accumulated a product of β-cryptoxanthin with a keto group on its hydroxylated ring (3-hydroxy-echinenone), while a few accumulated the product with a keto group on the unhydroxylated ring (3'-hydroxy-echinenone). Surprisingly, the latter group also had feather barbs that were noticeably yellower than the associated rachis, corresponding to a lower level of ketolation at C4(4'). We assessed possible biochemical explanations for the differences by probing the relative carotenoid concentration data in individuals of varying color. The difference between the hybrids could not be explained by the general level of ketolation of carotenoids or a particular selectivity of the 4-ketolase involved. We present a testable genetic explanation that invokes incompatibilities between divergent alleles of the two parental forms at interacting loci. Because the idiosyncrasies affect oxidation, they may be the product of mitonuclear incompatibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Hudon
- Royal Alberta Museum, 9810 103A Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0G2, Canada.
| | - Karen L Wiebe
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada.
| | - Riccardo Stradi
- DISFARM, Sezione di Chimica Generale e Organica "A. Marchesini", Facoltà di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Venezian, 21, 20133 Milano, Italy
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Khalil S, Welklin JF, McGraw KJ, Boersma J, Schwabl H, Webster MS, Karubian J. Testosterone regulates CYP2J19-linked carotenoid signal expression in male red-backed fairywrens ( Malurus melanocephalus). Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201687. [PMID: 32933448 PMCID: PMC7542802 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoid pigments produce most red, orange and yellow colours in vertebrates. This coloration can serve as an honest signal of quality that mediates social and mating interactions, but our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that control carotenoid signal production, including how different physiological pathways interact to shape and maintain these signals, remains incomplete. We investigated the role of testosterone in mediating gene expression associated with a red plumage sexual signal in red-backed fairywrens (Malurus melanocephalus). In this species, males within a single population can flexibly produce either red/black nuptial plumage or female-like brown plumage. Combining correlational analyses with a field-based testosterone implant experiment and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we show that testosterone mediates expression of carotenoid-based plumage in part by regulating expression of CYP2J19, a ketolase gene associated with ketocarotenoid metabolism and pigmentation in birds. This is, to our knowledge, the first time that hormonal regulation of a specific genetic locus has been linked to carotenoid production in a natural context, revealing how endocrine mechanisms produce sexual signals that shape reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Khalil
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Joseph F. Welklin
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Kevin J. McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Jordan Boersma
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Hubert Schwabl
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Michael S. Webster
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Thomas LD, Bandara S, Parmar VM, Srinivasagan R, Khadka N, Golczak M, Kiser PD, von Lintig J. The human mitochondrial enzyme BCO2 exhibits catalytic activity toward carotenoids and apocarotenoids. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:15553-15565. [PMID: 32873706 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The enzyme β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) converts carotenoids into more polar metabolites. Studies in mammals, fish, and birds revealed that BCO2 controls carotenoid homeostasis and is involved in the pathway for vitamin A production. However, it is controversial whether BCO2 function is conserved in humans, because of a 4-amino acid long insertion caused by a splice acceptor site polymorphism. We here show that human BCO2 splice variants, BCO2a and BCO2b, are expressed as pre-proteins with mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS). The MTS of BCO2a directed a green fluorescent reporter protein to the mitochondria when expressed in ARPE-19 cells. Removal of the MTS increased solubility of BCO2a when expressed in Escherichia coli and rendered the recombinant protein enzymatically active. The expression of the enzymatically active recombinant human BCO2a was further improved by codon optimization and its fusion with maltose-binding protein. Introduction of the 4-amino acid insertion into mouse Bco2 did not impede the chimeric enzyme's catalytic proficiency. We further showed that the chimeric BCO2 displayed broad substrate specificity and converted carotenoids into two ionones and a central C14-apocarotendial by oxidative cleavage reactions at C9,C10 and C9',C10'. Thus, our study demonstrates that human BCO2 is a catalytically competent enzyme. Consequently, information on BCO2 becomes broadly applicable in human biology with important implications for the physiology of the eyes and other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda D Thomas
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sepalika Bandara
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Vipulkumar M Parmar
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ramkumar Srinivasagan
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Nimesh Khadka
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Marcin Golczak
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Philip D Kiser
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA; Research Service, Veterans Affairs Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, California, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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Mandal SC, Tripathy PS, Khatei A, Behera DU, Ghosh A, Pandey PK, Parhi J. Genetics of colour variation in wild versus cultured queen loach, Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822). Genomics 2020; 112:3256-3267. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity describes the ability of a given genotype to produce different phenotypes in response to distinct environmental conditions. It has major implications in agronomy, animal husbandry and medicine and is also thought to facilitate evolution. Phenotypic plasticity is widely observed in the wild. It is only relatively recently that the mechanisms involved in phenotypic plasticity have been analysed. Thanks to laboratory experiments we understand better how environmental conditions are involved in phenotypic variations. This article introduces major concepts from the phenotypic plasticity field, presents briefly mechanisms involved in phenotypic plasticity and discusses the links between phenotypic plasticity and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Michel Gibert
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR7622, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement (IBPS-LBD), 75005 Paris, France
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48
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Gazda MA, Araújo PM, Lopes RJ, Toomey MB, Andrade P, Afonso S, Marques C, Nunes L, Pereira P, Trigo S, Hill GE, Corbo JC, Carneiro M. A genetic mechanism for sexual dichromatism in birds. Science 2020; 368:1270-1274. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aba0803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dichromatism, a difference in coloration between males and females, may be due to sexual selection for ornamentation and mate choice. Here, we show that carotenoid-based dichromatism in mosaic canaries, a hybrid phenotype that arises in offspring of the sexually dichromatic red siskin and monochromatic canaries, is controlled by the gene that encodes the carotenoid-cleaving enzyme β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2). Dichromatism in mosaic canaries is explained by differential carotenoid degradation in the integument, rather than sex-specific variation in physiological functions such as pigment uptake or transport. Transcriptome analyses suggest that carotenoid degradation in the integument might be a common mechanism contributing to sexual dichromatism across finches. These results suggest that differences in ornamental coloration between sexes can evolve through simple molecular mechanisms controlled by genes of major effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata A. Gazda
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro M. Araújo
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J. Lopes
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Matthew B. Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Pedro Andrade
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Cristiana Marques
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Nunes
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Pereira
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Trigo
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Geoffrey E. Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Joseph C. Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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49
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Orteu A, Jiggins CD. The genomics of coloration provides insights into adaptive evolution. Nat Rev Genet 2020; 21:461-475. [PMID: 32382123 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-020-0234-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Coloration is an easily quantifiable visual trait that has proven to be a highly tractable system for genetic analysis and for studying adaptive evolution. The application of genomic approaches to evolutionary studies of coloration is providing new insight into the genetic architectures underlying colour traits, including the importance of large-effect mutations and supergenes, the role of development in shaping genetic variation and the origins of adaptive variation, which often involves adaptive introgression. Improved knowledge of the genetic basis of traits can facilitate field studies of natural selection and sexual selection, making it possible for strong selection and its influence on the genome to be demonstrated in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Orteu
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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von Lintig J, Moon J, Babino D. Molecular components affecting ocular carotenoid and retinoid homeostasis. Prog Retin Eye Res 2020; 80:100864. [PMID: 32339666 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The photochemistry of vision employs opsins and geometric isomerization of their covalently bound retinylidine chromophores. In different animal classes, these light receptors associate with distinct G proteins that either hyperpolarize or depolarize photoreceptor membranes. Vertebrates also use the acidic form of chromophore, retinoic acid, as the ligand of nuclear hormone receptors that orchestrate eye development. To establish and sustain these processes, animals must acquire carotenoids from the diet, transport them, and metabolize them to chromophore and retinoic acid. The understanding of carotenoid metabolism, however, lagged behind our knowledge about the biology of their receptor molecules. In the past decades, much progress has been made in identifying the genes encoding proteins that mediate the transport and enzymatic transformations of carotenoids and their retinoid metabolites. Comparative analysis in different animal classes revealed how evolutionary tinkering with a limited number of genes evolved different biochemical strategies to supply photoreceptors with chromophore. Mutations in these genes impair carotenoid metabolism and induce various ocular pathologies. This review summarizes this advancement and introduces the involved proteins, including the homeostatic regulation of their activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Jean Moon
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Darwin Babino
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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