1
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Lesch R, Fitch WT. The domestication of the larynx: The neural crest connection. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2024; 342:342-349. [PMID: 38591232 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Wolves howl and dogs bark, both are able to produce variants of either vocalization, but we see a distinct difference in usage between wild and domesticate. Other domesticates also show distinct changes to their vocal output: domestic cats retain meows, a distinctly subadult trait in wildcats. Such differences in acoustic output are well-known, but the causal mechanisms remain little-studied. Potential links between domestication and vocal output are intriguing for multiple reasons, and offer a unique opportunity to explore a prominent hypothesis in domestication research: the neural crest/domestication syndrome hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that in the early stages of domestication, selection for tame individuals decreased neural crest cell (NCCs) proliferation and migration, which led to a downregulation of the sympathetic arousal system, and hence reduced fear and reactive aggression. NCCs are a transitory stem cell population crucial during embryonic development that tie to diverse tissue types and organ systems. One of these neural-crest derived systems is the larynx, the main vocal source in mammals. We argue that this connection between NCCs and the larynx provides a powerful test of the predictions of the neural crest/domestication syndrome hypothesis, discriminating its predictions from those of other current hypotheses concerning domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaela Lesch
- Department of Biology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - W Tecumseh Fitch
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Venkatachalam B, Biswa BB, Nagayama H, Koide T. Association of tameness and sociability but no sign of domestication syndrome in mice selectively bred for active tameness. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 23:e12887. [PMID: 38373143 PMCID: PMC10876149 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Domesticated animals have been developed by selecting desirable traits following the initial unconscious selection stage, and now exhibit phenotypes desired by humans. Tameness is a common behavioural trait found in all domesticated animals. At the same time, these domesticated animals exhibit a variety of morphological, behavioural, and physiological traits that differ from their wild counterparts of their ancestral species. These traits are collectively referred to as domestication syndrome. However, whether this phenomenon exists is debatable. Previously, selective breeding has been used to enhance active tameness, a motivation to interact with humans, in wild heterogeneous stock mice derived from eight wild inbred strains. In the current study, we used tame mice to study how selective breeding for active tameness affects behavioural and morphological traits. A series of behavioural and morphological analyses on mice showed an increased preference for social stimuli and a longer duration of engagement in non-aggressive behaviour. However, no differences were observed in exploratory or anxiety-related behaviours. Similarly, selection for tameness did not affect ultrasonic vocalisations in mice, and no changes were observed in known morphological traits associated with domestication syndrome. These results suggest that there may be a link between active tameness and sociability and provide insights into the relationship between tameness and other behaviours in the context of domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharathi Venkatachalam
- Mouse Genomics Resource LaboratoryNational Institute of GeneticsMishimaShizuokaJapan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced StudiesSOKENDAIMishimaShizuokaJapan
| | - Bhim B. Biswa
- Mouse Genomics Resource LaboratoryNational Institute of GeneticsMishimaShizuokaJapan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced StudiesSOKENDAIMishimaShizuokaJapan
| | - Hiromichi Nagayama
- Mouse Genomics Resource LaboratoryNational Institute of GeneticsMishimaShizuokaJapan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced StudiesSOKENDAIMishimaShizuokaJapan
| | - Tsuyoshi Koide
- Mouse Genomics Resource LaboratoryNational Institute of GeneticsMishimaShizuokaJapan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced StudiesSOKENDAIMishimaShizuokaJapan
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3
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Balcarcel AM, Geiger M, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Cranial form differences in goats by breed and domestic status. Sci Rep 2024; 14:917. [PMID: 38195639 PMCID: PMC10776561 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50357-0] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Domestic goats (Capra hircus) are globally represented by over 300 breeds, making them a useful model for investigating patterns of morphological change related to domestication. However, they have been little studied, likely due to their poor representation in museum collections and the difficulty in obtaining truly wild goat (Capra aegagrus, the bezoar) samples. Similar studies on other species reveal that domestication correlates with craniofacial alterations in domestics, which are non-uniform and often species-specific. Here, we use three-dimensional geometric morphometric methods (3DGMM) to describe and quantify cranial shape variation in wild (n = 21) versus domestic (n = 54) goats. We find that mean cranial shapes differ significantly between wild and domestic goats as well as between certain breeds. The detected differences are lower in magnitude than those reported for other domestic groups, possibly explained by the fewer directions of artificial selection in goat breeding, and their low global genetic diversity compared to other livestock. We also find tooth-row length reduction in the domestics, suggestive of rostral shortening-a prediction of the "domestication syndrome" (DS). The goat model thus expands the array-and combinations of-morphological changes observed under domestication, notably detecting alterations to the calvarium form which could be related to the ~ 15% brain size reduction previously reported for domestic compared to wild goats. The global success of domestic goats is due more to their ability to survive in a variety of harsh environments than to systematized human management. Nonetheless, their domestication has resulted in a clear disruption from the wild cranial form, suggesting that even low-intensity selection can lead to significant morphological changes under domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Balcarcel
- Department of Paleontology, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Str. 4, 8006, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - M Geiger
- Naturmuseum St.Gallen, Rorschacher Strasse 263, 9016, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - M R Sánchez-Villagra
- Department of Paleontology, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Str. 4, 8006, Zurich, Switzerland
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4
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Leonetti S, Cimarelli G, Hersh TA, Ravignani A. Why do dogs wag their tails? Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230407. [PMID: 38229554 PMCID: PMC10792393 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0407] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Tail wagging is a conspicuous behaviour in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Despite how much meaning humans attribute to this display, its quantitative description and evolutionary history are rarely studied. We summarize what is known about the mechanism, ontogeny, function and evolution of this behaviour. We suggest two hypotheses to explain its increased occurrence and frequency in dogs compared to other canids. During the domestication process, enhanced rhythmic tail wagging behaviour could have (i) arisen as a by-product of selection for other traits, such as docility and tameness, or (ii) been directly selected by humans, due to our proclivity for rhythmic stimuli. We invite testing of these hypotheses through neurobiological and ethological experiments, which will shed light on one of the most readily observed yet understudied animal behaviours. Targeted tail wagging research can be a window into both canine ethology and the evolutionary history of characteristic human traits, such as our ability to perceive and produce rhythmic behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Leonetti
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Cimarelli
- Domestication Lab, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Taylor A. Hersh
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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5
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Benítez-Burraco A, Uriagereka J, Nataf S. The genomic landscape of mammal domestication might be orchestrated by selected transcription factors regulating brain and craniofacial development. Dev Genes Evol 2023; 233:123-135. [PMID: 37552321 PMCID: PMC10746608 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-023-00709-7] [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: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Domestication transforms once wild animals into tamed animals that can be then exploited by humans. The process entails modifications in the body, cognition, and behavior that are essentially driven by differences in gene expression patterns. Although genetic and epigenetic mechanisms were shown to underlie such differences, less is known about the role exerted by trans-regulatory molecules, notably transcription factors (TFs) in domestication. In this paper, we conducted extensive in silico analyses aimed to clarify the TF landscape of mammal domestication. We first searched the literature, so as to establish a large list of genes selected with domestication in mammals. From this list, we selected genes experimentally demonstrated to exhibit TF functions. We also considered TFs displaying a statistically significant number of targets among the entire list of (domestication) selected genes. This workflow allowed us to identify 5 candidate TFs (SOX2, KLF4, MITF, NR3C1, NR3C2) that were further assessed in terms of biochemical and functional properties. We found that such TFs-of-interest related to mammal domestication are all significantly involved in the development of the brain and the craniofacial region, as well as the immune response and lipid metabolism. A ranking strategy, essentially based on a survey of protein-protein interactions datasets, allowed us to identify SOX2 as the main candidate TF involved in domestication-associated evolutionary changes. These findings should help to clarify the molecular mechanics of domestication and are of interest for future studies aimed to understand the behavioral and cognitive changes associated to domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
- Área de Lingüística General, Departamento de Lengua Española, Lingüística y Teoría de la Literatura, Facultad de Filología, Universidad de Sevilla, C/ Palos de la Frontera s/n., 41007-, Sevilla, España.
| | - Juan Uriagereka
- Department of Linguistics and School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Serge Nataf
- Stem-cell and Brain Research Institute, 18 avenue de Doyen Lépine, F-69500, Bron, France
- University of Lyon 1, 43 Bd du 11 Novembre 1918, F-69100, Villeurbanne, France
- Bank of Tissues and Cells, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Place d'Arsonval, F-69003, Lyon, France
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6
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Koungoulos LG, Balme J, O’Connor S. Dingoes, companions in life and death: The significance of archaeological canid burial practices in Australia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286576. [PMID: 37862353 PMCID: PMC10588905 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The dingo, also known as the Australian native dog, was introduced in the late Holocene. Dingoes were primarily wild animals but a number resided in Aboriginal people's camps. Traditionally, these individuals were taken from wild litters before weaning and raised by Aboriginal people. It is generally believed that these dingoes were not directly provided for, and upon sexual maturity, returned to reproduce in the wild. However, some died while in the company of people and, were buried in occupation sites. This Australian practice parallels the burial of domestic dogs in many regions of the Asia-Pacific and beyond but has attracted very little research. We explore the historical and archaeological evidence for dingo burial, examining its different forms, chronological and geographic distribution, and cultural significance. Dingoes were usually buried in the same manner as Aboriginal community members and often in areas used for human burial, sometimes alongside people. This practice probably occurred from the time of their introduction until soon after European colonisation. We present a case study of dingo burials from Curracurrang Rockshelter (NSW) which provides insights into the lives of ancient tame dingoes, and suggests that domestication and genetic continuity between successive camp-dwelling generations may have occurred prior to European contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loukas George Koungoulos
- School of Culture, History and Language, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jane Balme
- School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Sue O’Connor
- School of Culture, History and Language, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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7
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Benítez-Burraco A. Toward an evolutionary account of the changes in the human pitch vocal system. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1249727. [PMID: 37928592 PMCID: PMC10621747 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1249727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
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Platzer JM, Gunter LM, Feuerbacher EN. Exploring the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in Dogs: Pigmentation Does Not Predict Cortisol Levels. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3095. [PMID: 37835701 PMCID: PMC10571964 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193095] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has found connections between pigmentation, behavior, and the physiological stress response in both wild and domestic animals; however, to date, no extensive research has been devoted to answering these questions in domestic dogs. Modern dogs are exposed to a variety of stressors; one well-studied stressor is residing in an animal shelter. To explore the possible relationships between dogs' responses to stress and their pigmentation, we conducted statistical analyses of the cortisol:creatinine ratios of 208 American shelter dogs as a function of their coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, or white spotting. These dogs had been enrolled in previous welfare studies investigating the effect of interventions during which they left the animal shelter and spent time with humans. In the current investigation, we visually phenotype dogs based on photographs in order to classify their pigmentation and then conduct post hoc analyses to examine whether they differentially experience stress as a function of pigmentation. We found that the dogs did not differ significantly in their urinary cortisol:creatinine ratios based on coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, or white spotting, either while they were residing in the animal shelter or during the human interaction intervention. These preliminary data suggest that pigmentation alone does not predict the stress responses of shelter dogs; however, due to the small sample size and retrospective nature of the study, more research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- JoAnna M. Platzer
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (L.M.G.); (E.N.F.)
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9
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Koller D, Benítez-Burraco A, Polimanti R. Enrichment of self-domestication and neural crest function loci in the heritability of neurodevelopmental disorders. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1271-1279. [PMID: 36930228 PMCID: PMC10472204 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02541-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Self-domestication could contribute to shaping the biology of human brain and consequently the predisposition to neurodevelopmental disorders. Leveraging genome-wide data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, we tested the enrichment of self-domestication and neural crest function loci with respect to the heritability of autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia (SCZ in East Asian and European ancestries, EAS and EUR, respectively), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette's syndrome (TS). Considering only self-domestication and neural-crest-function annotations in the linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) model, our partitioned heritability analysis revealed statistically significant enrichments across all disorders investigated. The estimates of the heritability enrichments for self-domestication loci were similar across neurodevelopmental disorders, ranging from 0.902 (EAS SCZ, p = 4.55 × 10-20) to 1.577 (TS, p = 5.85 × 10-5). Conversely, a wider spectrum of heritability enrichment estimates was present for neural crest function with the highest enrichment observed for TS (enrichment = 3.453, p = 2.88 × 10-3) and the lowest for EAS SCZ (enrichment = 1.971, p = 3.81 × 10-3). Although these estimates appear to be strong, the enrichments for self-domestication and neural crest function were null once we included additional annotations related to different genomic features. This indicates that the effect of self-domestication on the polygenic architecture of neurodevelopmental disorders is not independent of other functions of human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Koller
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, VA CT 116A2, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, 41004, Seville, Spain
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, VA CT 116A2, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
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Brandon AA, Almeida D, Powder KE. Neural crest cells as a source of microevolutionary variation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 145:42-51. [PMID: 35718684 PMCID: PMC10482117 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrates have some of the most complex and diverse features in animals, from varied craniofacial morphologies to colorful pigmentation patterns and elaborate social behaviors. All of these traits have their developmental origins in a multipotent embryonic lineage of neural crest cells. This "fourth germ layer" is a vertebrate innovation and the source of a wide range of adult cell types. While others have discussed the role of neural crest cells in human disease and animal domestication, less is known about their role in contributing to adaptive changes in wild populations. Here, we review how variation in the development of neural crest cells and their derivatives generates considerable phenotypic diversity in nature. We focus on the broad span of traits under natural and sexual selection whose variation may originate in the neural crest, with emphasis on behavioral factors such as intraspecies communication that are often overlooked. In all, we encourage the integration of evolutionary ecology with developmental biology and molecular genetics to gain a more complete understanding of the role of this single cell type in trait covariation, evolutionary trajectories, and vertebrate diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Allyson Brandon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Daniela Almeida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Kara E Powder
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
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Goswami A, Noirault E, Coombs EJ, Clavel J, Fabre AC, Halliday TJD, Churchill M, Curtis A, Watanabe A, Simmons NB, Beatty BL, Geisler JH, Fox DL, Felice RN. Developmental origin underlies evolutionary rate variation across the placental skull. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220083. [PMID: 37183904 PMCID: PMC10184245 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0083] [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: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The placental skull has evolved into myriad forms, from longirostrine whales to globular primates, and with a diverse array of appendages from antlers to tusks. This disparity has recently been studied from the perspective of the whole skull, but the skull is composed of numerous elements that have distinct developmental origins and varied functions. Here, we assess the evolution of the skull's major skeletal elements, decomposed into 17 individual regions. Using a high-dimensional morphometric approach for a dataset of 322 living and extinct eutherians (placental mammals and their stem relatives), we quantify patterns of variation and estimate phylogenetic, allometric and ecological signal across the skull. We further compare rates of evolution across ecological categories and ordinal-level clades and reconstruct rates of evolution along lineages and through time to assess whether developmental origin or function discriminate the evolutionary trajectories of individual cranial elements. Our results demonstrate distinct macroevolutionary patterns across cranial elements that reflect the ecological adaptations of major clades. Elements derived from neural crest show the fastest rates of evolution, but ecological signal is equally pronounced in bones derived from neural crest and paraxial mesoderm, suggesting that developmental origin may influence evolutionary tempo, but not capacity for specialisation. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Eve Noirault
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Ellen J Coombs
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Julien Clavel
- Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas J D Halliday
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Morgan Churchill
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901, USA
| | - Abigail Curtis
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Akinobu Watanabe
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Anatomy, College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Brian L Beatty
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA
- Department of Anatomy, College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Jonathan H Geisler
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA
- Department of Anatomy, College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - David L Fox
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ryan N Felice
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Centre for Integrative Anatomy, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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12
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Kyomen S, Murillo-Rincón AP, Kaucká M. Evolutionary mechanisms modulating the mammalian skull development. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220080. [PMID: 37183900 PMCID: PMC10184257 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammals possess impressive craniofacial variation that mirrors their adaptation to diverse ecological niches, feeding behaviour, physiology and overall lifestyle. The spectrum of craniofacial geometries is established mainly during embryonic development. The formation of the head represents a sequence of events regulated on genomic, molecular, cellular and tissue level, with each step taking place under tight spatio-temporal control. Even minor variations in timing, position or concentration of the molecular drivers and the resulting events can affect the final shape, size and position of the skeletal elements and the geometry of the head. Our knowledge of craniofacial development increased substantially in the last decades, mainly due to research using conventional vertebrate model organisms. However, how developmental differences in head formation arise specifically within mammals remains largely unexplored. This review highlights three evolutionary mechanisms acknowledged to modify ontogenesis: heterochrony, heterotopy and heterometry. We present recent research that links changes in developmental timing, spatial organization or gene expression levels to the acquisition of species-specific skull morphologies. We highlight how these evolutionary modifications occur on the level of the genes, molecules and cellular processes, and alter conserved developmental programmes to generate a broad spectrum of skull shapes characteristic of the class Mammalia. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Kyomen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Andrea P Murillo-Rincón
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Markéta Kaucká
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, Plön 24306, Germany
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13
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Smits M, Joosten H, Faye B, Burger P. Domestication of the Dromedary Revisited and Its Consequences for Legislation as to Keeping Livestock or Pet Animals. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2050. [PMID: 37443848 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132050] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Being in an advanced stage of domestication is a newly proposed requirement to decide which animals can be safely kept by humans. Dutch legislators were the first to apply it and other European countries may be tempted to adopt a similar approach. Unexpectedly, the Dutch assessors considered the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) as being insufficiently domesticated and this species will therefore no longer be able to be kept as a production animal from 2024 onwards. In a recent publication on this topic, we showed that the domestication of the dromedary is actually very advanced. In this paper, we apply the same criteria that were used by the Dutch assessors to determine the degree of domestication, taking into account the most recent scientific developments in this area, even though it should be noted that these criteria have neither been peer-reviewed, nor published in an international scientific journal. For the sake of comparison, and in order to validate the procedure, we also applied these criteria to the house cat. The results confirm that the dromedary is highly domesticated, but also that the house cat (Felis silvestris catus) is at most semi-domesticated. Obviously, we agree with the decision of the Dutch legislators to place the house cat on the positive list, but our analysis demonstrates that this was decided on false grounds. Our analysis makes it clear that the requirement of being in an advanced stage of domestication is not suitable. Instead of maintaining this requirement, we recommend implementing evidence-based, peer-reviewed methods to decide which animals can be kept by humans, and to include species specific-guidelines in the legislation on how this can be achieved safely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Smits
- European Camel Research Society, Johanniterlaan 7, 6721 XX Bennekom, The Netherlands
| | - Han Joosten
- Microbiologist, Chemin de Crocus 1, 1073 Mollie Margot, Switzerland
| | - Bernard Faye
- UMR SELMET, CIRAD-ES, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Pamela Burger
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
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14
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Benítez-Burraco A, Nikolsky A. The (Co)Evolution of Language and Music Under Human Self-Domestication. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2023; 34:229-275. [PMID: 37097428 PMCID: PMC10354115 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-023-09447-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Together with language, music is perhaps the most distinctive behavioral trait of the human species. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain why only humans perform music and how this ability might have evolved in our species. In this paper, we advance a new model of music evolution that builds on the self-domestication view of human evolution, according to which the human phenotype is, at least in part, the outcome of a process similar to domestication in other mammals, triggered by the reduction in reactive aggression responses to environmental changes. We specifically argue that self-domestication can account for some of the cognitive changes, and particularly for the behaviors conducive to the complexification of music through a cultural mechanism. We hypothesize four stages in the evolution of music under self-domestication forces: (1) collective protomusic; (2) private, timbre-oriented music; (3) small-group, pitch-oriented music; and (4) collective, tonally organized music. This line of development encompasses the worldwide diversity of music types and genres and parallels what has been hypothesized for languages. Overall, music diversity might have emerged in a gradual fashion under the effects of the enhanced cultural niche construction as shaped by the progressive decrease in reactive (i.e., impulsive, triggered by fear or anger) aggression and the increase in proactive (i.e., premeditated, goal-directed) aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish Language, Linguistics and Literary Theory (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
- Departamento de Lengua Española, Facultad de Filología, Área de Lingüística General, Lingüística y Teoría de la Literatura, Universidad de Sevilla, C/ Palos de la Frontera s/n, Sevilla, 41007, España.
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15
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Tancredi D, Cardinali I. Being a Dog: A Review of the Domestication Process. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14050992. [PMID: 37239352 DOI: 10.3390/genes14050992] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of canine domestication represents certainly one of the most interesting questions that evolutionary biology aims to address. A "multiphase" view of this process is now accepted, with a first phase during which different groups of wolves were attracted by the anthropogenic niche and a second phase characterized by the gradual establishment of mutual relationships between wolves and humans. Here, we provide a review of dog (Canis familiaris) domestication, highlighting the ecological differences between dogs and wolves, analyzing the molecular mechanisms which seem to have influenced the affiliative behaviors first observed in Belyaev's foxes, and describing the genetics of ancient European dogs. Then, we focus on three Mediterranean peninsulas (Balkan, Iberian and Italian), which together represent the main geographic area for studying canine domestication dynamics, as it has shaped the current genetic variability of dog populations, and where a well-defined European genetic structure was pinpointed through the analysis of uniparental genetic markers and their phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Tancredi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Irene Cardinali
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
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16
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Gleeson BT, Wilson LAB. Shared reproductive disruption, not neural crest or tameness, explains the domestication syndrome. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222464. [PMID: 36946116 PMCID: PMC10031412 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2464] [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: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered neural crest cell (NCC) behaviour is an increasingly cited explanation for the domestication syndrome in animals. However, recent authors have questioned this explanation, while others cast doubt on whether domestication syndrome even exists. Here, we review published literature concerning this syndrome and the NCC hypothesis, together with recent critiques of both. We synthesize these contributions and propose a novel interpretation, arguing shared trait changes under ancient domestication resulted primarily from shared disruption of wild reproductive regimes. We detail four primary selective pathways for 'reproductive disruption' under domestication and contrast these succinct and demonstrable mechanisms with cryptic genetic associations posited by the NCC hypothesis. In support of our perspective, we illustrate numerous important ways in which NCCs contribute to vertebrate reproductive phenotypes, and argue it is not surprising that features derived from these cells would be coincidentally altered under major selective regime changes, as occur in domestication. We then illustrate several pertinent examples of Darwin's 'unconscious selection' in action, and compare applied selection and phenotypic responses in each case. Lastly, we explore the ramifications of reproductive disruption for wider evolutionary discourse, including links to wild 'self-domestication' and 'island effect', and discuss outstanding questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Thomas Gleeson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Laura A B Wilson
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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17
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Emken S, Witzel C, Kierdorf U, Frölich K, Kierdorf H. Wild boar versus domestic pig-Deciphering of crown growth in porcine second molars. J Anat 2023; 242:1078-1095. [PMID: 36774334 PMCID: PMC10184542 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on the previously established periodicity of enamel growth marks, we reconstructed crown growth parameters of mandibular second molars from two wild boar and two domestic pigs of the Linderöd breed. Body weight gain and progression of dental development were markedly faster in the domestic pigs than the wild boar. While the final crown dimensions of the M2 did not differ between domestic pigs and wild boar, mean crown formation time (CFT) of this tooth was considerably shorter in the domestic pigs (162 days) than in the wild boar (205 days). The difference in CFT was mainly attributable to a higher enamel extension rate (EER) in the domestic pig. Generally, EER was highest in the cuspalmost deciles of the length of the enamel-dentine-junction and markedly dropped in cervical direction, with lowest values occurring in the cervicalmost decile. In consequence, the cuspal half of the M2 crown was formed about three times faster than the cervical half. In contrast to the EER, no marked difference in daily enamel secretion rate (DSR) was recorded between domestic pigs and wild boar. The duration of enamel matrix apposition as well as linear enamel thickness in corresponding crown portions was only slightly lower in the domestic pigs than the wild boar. Thus, the earlier completion of M2 crown growth in the domestic pig was mainly achieved by a higher EER and not by an increased DSR. The more rapid recruitment of secretory ameloblasts in the course of molar crown formation of domestic pigs compared to wild boar is considered a side-effect of the selection for rapid body growth during pig domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Emken
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Carsten Witzel
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Uwe Kierdorf
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Kai Frölich
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany.,Tierpark Arche Warder e.V, Warder, Germany
| | - Horst Kierdorf
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
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18
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Conith AJ, Hope SA, Albertson RC. Covariation of brain and skull shapes as a model to understand the role of crosstalk in development and evolution. Evol Dev 2023; 25:85-102. [PMID: 36377237 PMCID: PMC9839637 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Covariation among discrete phenotypes can arise due to selection for shared functions, and/or shared genetic and developmental underpinnings. The consequences of such phenotypic integration are far-reaching and can act to either facilitate or limit morphological variation. The vertebrate brain is known to act as an "organizer" of craniofacial development, secreting morphogens that can affect the shape of the growing neurocranium, consistent with roles for pleiotropy in brain-neurocranium covariation. Here, we test this hypothesis in cichlid fishes by first examining the degree of shape integration between the brain and the neurocranium using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics in an F5 hybrid population, and then genetically mapping trait covariation using quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. We observe shape associations between the brain and the neurocranium, a pattern that holds even when we assess associations between the brain and constituent parts of the neurocranium: the rostrum and braincase. We also recover robust genetic signals for both hard- and soft-tissue traits and identify a genomic region where QTL for the brain and braincase overlap, implicating a role for pleiotropy in patterning trait covariation. Fine mapping of the overlapping genomic region identifies a candidate gene, notch1a, which is known to be involved in patterning skeletal and neural tissues during development. Taken together, these data offer a genetic hypothesis for brain-neurocranium covariation, as well as a potential mechanism by which behavioral shifts may simultaneously drive rapid change in neuroanatomy and craniofacial morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Conith
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002,Corresponding authors: AJC: , RCA:
| | - Sylvie A. Hope
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002
| | - R. Craig Albertson
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002,Corresponding authors: AJC: , RCA:
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19
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The Flourishing Camel Milk Market and Concerns about Animal Welfare and Legislation. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010047. [PMID: 36611656 PMCID: PMC9817819 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide dromedary milk production has increased sharply since the beginning of this century due to prolonged shelf life, improved food-safety and perceived health benefits. Scientific confirmation of health claims will expand the market of dromedary milk further. As a result, more and more dromedaries will be bred for one purpose only: the highest possible milk production. However, intensive dromedary farming systems have consequences for animal welfare and may lead to genetic changes. Tighter regulations will be implemented to restrict commercialization of raw milk. Protocols controlling welfare of dromedaries and gene databases of milk-dromedaries will prevent negative consequences of intensive farming. In countries where dromedaries have only recently been introduced as production animal, legislators have limited expertise on this species. This is exemplified by an assessment on behalf of the Dutch government, recommending prohibiting keeping this species from 2024 onwards because the dromedary was deemed to be insufficiently domesticated. Implementation of this recommendation in Dutch law would have devastating effects on existing dromedary farms and could also pave the way for adopting similar measures in other European countries. In this paper it is shown that the Dutch assessment lacks scientific rigor. Awareness of breeders and legislators for the increasing knowledge about dromedaries and their products would strengthen the position of dromedaries as one of the most adapted and sustainable animals.
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20
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Dutrow EV, Serpell JA, Ostrander EA. Domestic dog lineages reveal genetic drivers of behavioral diversification. Cell 2022; 185:4737-4755.e18. [PMID: 36493753 PMCID: PMC10478034 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Selective breeding of domestic dogs has generated diverse breeds often optimized for performing specialized tasks. Despite the heritability of breed-typical behavioral traits, identification of causal loci has proven challenging due to the complexity of canine population structure. We overcome longstanding difficulties in identifying genetic drivers of canine behavior by developing a framework for understanding relationships between breeds and the behaviors that define them, utilizing genetic data for over 4,000 domestic, semi-feral, and wild canids and behavioral survey data for over 46,000 dogs. We identify ten major canine genetic lineages and their behavioral correlates and show that breed diversification is predominantly driven by non-coding regulatory variation. We determine that lineage-associated genes converge in neurodevelopmental co-expression networks, identifying a sheepdog-associated enrichment for interrelated axon guidance functions. This work presents a scaffold for canine diversification that positions the domestic dog as an unparalleled system for revealing the genetic origins of behavioral diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V Dutrow
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - James A Serpell
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elaine A Ostrander
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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21
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Evin A, David L, Souron A, Mennecart B, Orliac M, Lebrun R. Size and shape of the semicircular canal of the inner ear: A new marker of pig domestication? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:552-560. [PMID: 35226406 PMCID: PMC9790707 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Domestication has led to many changes in domestic animal biology, including their anatomy. The shape of the inner ear, part of the mammalian ear, has been found particularly relevant for discriminating domesticated species, their hybrids or differentiating the wild and domestic populations of a single species. Here we assessed the use of the size and shape of the semicircular canals (SCC) of the inner ear as a marker of pig domestication. We studied a total of 63 petrosal bones belonging to wild boar (Sus scrofa, two populations) and domestic pigs (extensively and intensively reared specimens) that were µCT-scanned and from which the size and the shape of the inner ear were quantified through geometric morphometrics, analyzing the 3D coordinates of 6 landmarks and 60 sliding semilandmarks localized on the SCC and the common crus. The domestic pigs have larger SCC than the wild boar from which they also strongly differ in shape (correct cross validation of 95.5%, confidence interval: 92.3%-98.1%). Strong shape differences were detected between the two populations of wild boar, as well as a sexual size dimorphism. All together the results highlight the taxonomic discriminant power of the SCC of the inner ear shape, and its relevance for domestication studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allowen Evin
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Loïc David
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Antoine Souron
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199BordeauxFrance
| | | | - Maeva Orliac
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Renaud Lebrun
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
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22
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Balcarcel AM, Geiger M, Clauss M, Sánchez‐Villagra MR. The mammalian brain under domestication: Discovering patterns after a century of old and new analyses. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:460-483. [PMID: 34813150 PMCID: PMC9787656 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Comparisons of wild and domestic populations have established brain reduction as one of the most consistent patterns correlated with domestication. Over a century of scholarly work has been devoted to this subject, and yet, new data continue to foster its debate. Current arguments, both for and against the validity of brain reduction occurring in domestic taxa, have repeatedly cited a small set of reviews on this subject. The original works, their sampling, methodological details, and nuances of results that would be key to establishing validity, particularly in light of new data, have not been investigated. To facilitate and encourage a more informed discussion, we present a comprehensive review of original brain reduction literature for four mammalian clades: Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, and Glires. Among these are studies that generated the most cited brain reduction values in modern domestication literature. In doing so, we provide a fairer stage for the critique of traits associated with domestication. We conclude that while brain reduction magnitudes may contain error, empirical data collectively support the reduction in brain size and cranial capacity for domestic forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Balcarcel
- Palaeontological Institute and MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - M. Geiger
- Palaeontological Institute and MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - M. Clauss
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and WildlifeUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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23
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Torres-Pérez JV, Anagianni S, Mech AM, Havelange W, García-González J, Fraser SE, Vallortigara G, Brennan CH. baz1b loss-of-function in zebrafish produces phenotypic alterations consistent with the domestication syndrome. iScience 2022; 26:105704. [PMID: 36582821 PMCID: PMC9793288 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BAZ1B is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein with roles in chromatin remodeling, DNA replication and repair, and transcription. Reduced BAZ1B expression disrupts neuronal and neural crest development. Variation in the activity of BAZ1B has been proposed to underly morphological and behavioral aspects of domestication through disruption of neural crest development. Knockdown of baz1b in Xenopus embryos and Baz1b loss-of-function (LoF) in mice leads to craniofacial defects consistent with this hypothesis. We generated baz1b LoF zebrafish using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to test the hypothesis that baz1b regulates behavioral phenotypes associated with domestication in addition to craniofacial features. Zebrafish with baz1b LoF show mild underdevelopment at larval stages and distinctive craniofacial features later in life. Mutant zebrafish show reduced anxiety-associated phenotypes and an altered ontogeny of social behaviors. Thus, in zebrafish, developmental deficits in baz1b recapitulate both morphological and behavioral phenotypes associated with the domestication syndrome in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose V. Torres-Pérez
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Biologia Funcional i Antropologia física, Fac. de CC. Biològiques, Universitat de València, C/ Dr. Moliner 50, Burjassot, València 46100, Spain
- Corresponding author
| | - Sofia Anagianni
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Aleksandra M. Mech
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - William Havelange
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Judit García-González
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Caroline H. Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Corresponding author
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24
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Schlindwein X, Werneburg I. Comparative embryogenesis in ungulate domesticated species. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:495-504. [PMID: 35915572 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We compared embryogenesis of five species of domesticated even-toed and one odd-toed ungulate and used a phylogenetic framework to contextualize such comparison. Organ systems that occur relatively earlier in embryogenesis generally have more time to develop and therefore are found to be more mature at birth when compared to structures that appear later in development. We hypothesized that the less mature the animals' organs are at birth, the more they are susceptible to artificial selection. The horse had the most mature organs at birth, followed by cattle, reindeer, sheep/goat, and pig. This pattern of maturity could be observed almost during the entire development. Heterochronic shifts among species were observed only after fur starts to develop. Changes in the fur coloration are one of the first observable signs of domestication and the heterochrony of this trait may be related to the effects on neural crest-derived pigment cells by artificial selection. The six ungulate species also differ in the relative duration of their weaning period and the potential extent of its artificial shortening. We put all these traits in the context of their inherited evolutionary characteristics and artificial domestication process. Related to their altriciality, carnivoran domesticates, which also belong to Scrotifera, are less mature at birth than all domesticated ungulates. Although we detected clear character correlations to life history traits, it is impossible based on the present data, to trace specific exaptations to the domestication process. We hypothesize a deep time developmental penetration of adult characters into embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xenia Schlindwein
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften an der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment an der Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften an der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment an der Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
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25
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Wilson LAB. Developmental instability in domesticated mammals. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:484-494. [PMID: 34813170 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Measures of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) have been adopted widely as an estimate of developmental instability. Arising from various sources of stress, developmental instability is associated with an organism's capacity to maintain fitness. The process of domestication has been framed as an environmental stress with human-specified parameters, suggesting that FA may manifest to a larger degree among domesticates compared to their wild relatives. This study used three-dimensional geometric morphometric landmark data to (a) quantify the amount of FA in the cranium of six domestic mammal species and their wild relatives and, (b) provide novel assessment of the commonalities and differences across domestic/wild pairs concerning the extent to which random variation arising from the developmental system assimilates into within-population variation. The majority of domestic mammals showed greater disparity for asymmetric shape, however, only two forms (Pig, Dog) showed significantly higher disparity as well as a higher degree of asymmetry compared to their wild counterparts (Wild Boar, Wolf). Contra to predictions, most domestic and wild forms did not show a statistically significant correspondence between symmetric shape variation and FA, however, a moderate correlation value was recorded for most pairs (r-partial least squares >0.5). Within pairs, domestic and wild forms showed similar correlation magnitudes for the relationship between the asymmetric and symmetric components. In domesticates, new variation may therefore retain a general, conserved pattern in the gross structuring of the cranium, whilst also being a source for response to selection on specific features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A B Wilson
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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26
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Neaux D, Harbers H, Blanc B, Ortiz K, Locatelli Y, Herrel A, Debat V, Cucchi T. The effect of captivity on craniomandibular and calcaneal ontogenetic trajectories in wild boar. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:575-585. [PMID: 35286754 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Deciphering the plastic (i.e., nonheritable) changes induced by human control over wild animals in the archeological record is challenging. Previous studies detected morphological markers associated with captivity in the cranium, mandible, and calcaneus of adult wild boar (Sus scrofa) but the developmental trajectories leading up to these changes during ontogeny remain unknown. To assess the impact of growth in a captive environment on morphological structures during postnatal ontogeny, we used an experimental approach focusing on the same three structures and taxon. We investigated the form and size differences of captive-reared and wild-caught wild boar during growth using three-dimensional landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Our results provide evidence of an influence of captivity on the morphology of craniomandibular structures, as wild specimens are smaller than captive individuals at similar ages. The food resources inherent to anthropogenic environments may explain some of the observed differences between captive-reared and wild specimens. The calcaneus presents a different contrasted pattern of plasticity as captive and wild individuals differ in terms of form but not in terms of size. The physically more constrained nature of the calcaneus and the direct influence of mobility reduction on this bone may explain these discrepancies. These results provide new methodological perspectives for bioarchaeological approaches as they imply that the plastic mark of captivity can be observed in juvenile specimens in the same way it has been previously described in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Neaux
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements, UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CNRS, Paris, France
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystèmes Paléoprimatologie, UMR 7262, Université de Poitiers CNRS, Poitiers, France
| | - Hugo Harbers
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements, UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Barbara Blanc
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute-Touche, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Obterre, France
| | - Katia Ortiz
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute-Touche, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Obterre, France
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CNRS UPMC EPHE, UA, Paris, France
| | - Yann Locatelli
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute-Touche, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Obterre, France
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 7247, INRAE CNRS Université de Tours IFCE, Nouzilly, France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Debat
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CNRS UPMC EPHE, UA, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Cucchi
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements, UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CNRS, Paris, France
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Serrano Nájera G, Kin K. Unusual occurrence of domestication syndrome amongst African mole-rats: Is the naked mole-rat a domestic animal? Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.987177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Naked mole-rat (NMR) is becoming a prominent model organism due to its peculiar traits, such as eusociality, extreme longevity, cancer resistance, and reduced pain sensitivity. It belongs to the African mole-rats (AMR), a family of subterranean rodents that includes solitary, cooperative breeding and eusocial species. We identified and quantified the domestication syndrome (DS) across AMR, a set of morphological and behavioural traits significantly more common and pronounced amongst domesticated animals than in their wild counterparts. Surprisingly, the NMR shows apparent DS traits when compared to the solitary AMR. Animals can self-domesticate when a reduction of the fear response is naturally selected, such as in islands with no predators, or to improve the group’s harmony in cooperative breeding species. The DS may be caused by alterations in the physiology of the neural crest cells (NCC), a transient population of cells that generate a full range of tissues during development. The NCC contribute to organs responsible for transmitting the fear response and various other tissues, including craniofacial bones. Therefore, mutations affecting the NCC can manifest as behavioural and morphological alterations in many structures across the body, as seen in neurocristopathies. We observed that all social AMRs are chisel-tooth diggers, an adaption to hard soils that requires the flattening of the skull. We hypothesise that chisel-tooth digging could impose a selective pressure on the NCC that triggered the DS’s appearance, possibly facilitating the evolution of sociality. Finally, we discuss how DS traits are neutral or beneficial for the subterranean niche, strategies to test this hypothesis and report well-studied mutations in the NMR that are associated with the NCC physiology or with the control of the fear response. In conclusion, we argue that many of the NMR’s unconventional traits are compatible with the DS and provide a hypothesis about its origins. Our model proposes a novel avenue to enhance the understanding of the extraordinary biology of the NMR.
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28
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Spengler RN. Insularity and early domestication: anthropogenic ecosystems as habitat islands. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert N. Spengler
- Dept of Archaeology, Max Planck Inst. for the Science of Human History Jena Germany
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29
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Beckman AK, Richey BMS, Rosenthal GG. Behavioral responses of wild animals to anthropogenic change: insights from domestication. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03205-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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30
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Anastasiadi D, Piferrer F, Wellenreuther M, Benítez Burraco A. Fish as Model Systems to Study Epigenetic Drivers in Human Self-Domestication and Neurodevelopmental Cognitive Disorders. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13060987. [PMID: 35741749 PMCID: PMC9222608 DOI: 10.3390/genes13060987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern humans exhibit phenotypic traits and molecular events shared with other domesticates that are thought to be by-products of selection for reduced aggression. This is the human self-domestication hypothesis. As one of the first types of responses to a novel environment, epigenetic changes may have also facilitated early self-domestication in humans. Here, we argue that fish species, which have been recently domesticated, can provide model systems to study epigenetic drivers in human self-domestication. To test this, we used in silico approaches to compare genes with epigenetic changes in early domesticates of European sea bass with genes exhibiting methylation changes in anatomically modern humans (comparison 1), and neurodevelopmental cognitive disorders considered to exhibit abnormal self-domestication traits, i.e., schizophrenia, Williams syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders (comparison 2). Overlapping genes in comparison 1 were involved in processes like limb morphogenesis and phenotypes like abnormal jaw morphology and hypopigmentation. Overlapping genes in comparison 2 affected paralogue genes involved in processes such as neural crest differentiation and ectoderm differentiation. These findings pave the way for future studies using fish species as models to investigate epigenetic changes as drivers of human self-domestication and as triggers of cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- Seafood Technologies, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Nelson 7010, New Zealand;
- Correspondence:
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Maren Wellenreuther
- Seafood Technologies, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Nelson 7010, New Zealand;
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Antonio Benítez Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain;
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31
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Chen X, Bai X, Liu H, Zhao B, Yan Z, Hou Y, Chu Q. Population Genomic Sequencing Delineates Global Landscape of Copy Number Variations that Drive Domestication and Breed Formation of in Chicken. Front Genet 2022; 13:830393. [PMID: 35391799 PMCID: PMC8980806 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.830393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Copy number variation (CNV) is an important genetic mechanism that drives evolution and generates new phenotypic variations. To explore the impact of CNV on chicken domestication and breed shaping, the whole-genome CNVs were detected via multiple methods. Using the whole-genome sequencing data from 51 individuals, corresponding to six domestic breeds and wild red jungle fowl (RJF), we determined 19,329 duplications and 98,736 deletions, which covered 11,123 copy number variation regions (CNVRs) and 2,636 protein-coding genes. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that these individuals could be divided into four populations according to their domestication and selection purpose. Seventy-two highly duplicated CNVRs were detected across all individuals, revealing pivotal roles of nervous system (NRG3, NCAM2), sensory (OR), and follicle development (VTG2) in chicken genome. When contrasting the CNVs of domestic breeds to those of RJFs, 235 CNVRs harboring 255 protein-coding genes, which were predominantly involved in pathways of nervous, immunity, and reproductive system development, were discovered. In breed-specific CNVRs, some valuable genes were identified, including HOXB7 for beard trait in Beijing You chicken; EDN3, SLMO2, TUBB1, and GFPT1 for melanin deposition in Silkie chicken; and SORCS2 for aggressiveness in Luxi Game fowl. Moreover, CSMD1 and NTRK3 with high duplications found exclusively in White Leghorn chicken, and POLR3H, MCM9, DOCK3, and AKR1B1L found in Recessive White Rock chicken may contribute to high egg production and fast-growing traits, respectively. The candidate genes of breed characteristics are valuable resources for further studies on phenotypic variation and the artificial breeding of chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Chen
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Huagui Liu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixun Yan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yali Hou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Chu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
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32
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Comparing wolves and dogs: current status and implications for human ‘self-domestication’. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:337-349. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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33
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Niego A, Benítez-Burraco A. Are feralization and domestication truly mirror processes? ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1975314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Niego
- PhD Program, Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, C/Palos de la Frontera s/n, 41004 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, C/Palos de la Frontera s/n, 41004 Sevilla, Spain (E-mail: )
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34
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Boer EF, Maclary ET, Shapiro MD. Complex genetic architecture of three-dimensional craniofacial shape variation in domestic pigeons. Evol Dev 2021; 23:477-495. [PMID: 34914861 PMCID: PMC9119316 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12395] [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: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Deciphering the genetic basis of vertebrate craniofacial variation is a longstanding biological problem with broad implications in evolution, development, and human pathology. One of the most stunning examples of craniofacial diversification is the adaptive radiation of birds, in which the beak serves essential roles in virtually every aspect of their life histories. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia) provides an exceptional opportunity to study the genetic underpinnings of craniofacial variation because of its unique balance of experimental accessibility and extraordinary phenotypic diversity within a single species. We used traditional and geometric morphometrics to quantify craniofacial variation in an F2 laboratory cross derived from the straight-beaked Pomeranian Pouter and curved-beak Scandaroon pigeon breeds. Using a combination of genome-wide quantitative trait locus scans and multi-locus modeling, we identified a set of genetic loci associated with complex shape variation in the craniofacial skeleton, including beak shape, braincase shape, and mandible shape. Some of these loci control coordinated changes between different structures, while others explain variation in the size and shape of specific skull and jaw regions. We find that in domestic pigeons, a complex blend of both independent and coupled genetic effects underlie three-dimensional craniofacial morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena F Boer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Emily T Maclary
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Michael D Shapiro
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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35
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Puetz LC, Delmont TO, Aizpurua O, Guo C, Zhang G, Katajamaa R, Jensen P, Gilbert MTP. Gut Microbiota Linked with Reduced Fear of Humans in Red Junglefowl Has Implications for Early Domestication. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2021; 2:2100018. [PMID: 36619855 PMCID: PMC9744516 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202100018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Domestication of animals can lead to profound phenotypic modifications within short evolutionary time periods, and for many species behavioral selection is likely at the forefront of this process. Animal studies have strongly implicated that the gut microbiome plays a major role in host behavior and cognition through the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Consequently, herein, it is hypothesized that host gut microbiota may be one of the earliest phenotypes to change as wild animals were domesticated. Here, the gut microbiome community in two selected lines of red junglefowl that are selected for either high or low fear of humans up to eight generations is examined. Microbiota profiles reveal taxonomic differences in gut bacteria known to produce neuroactive compounds between the two selection lines. Gut-brain module analysis by means of genome-resolved metagenomics identifies enrichment in the microbial synthesis and degradation potential of metabolites associated with fear extinction and reduces anxiety-like behaviors in low fear fowls. In contrast, high fear fowls are enriched in gut-brain modules from the butyrate and glutamate pathways, metabolites associated with fear conditioning. Overall, the results identify differences in the composition and functional potential of the gut microbiota across selection lines that may provide insights into the mechanistic explanations of the domestication process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara C. Puetz
- Center for Evolutionary HologenomicsGLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen1353Denmark
| | - Tom O. Delmont
- Génomique MétaboliqueGenoscopeInstitut François JacobCEACNRSUniv EvryUniversité Paris‐SaclayEvry91057France
| | - Ostaizka Aizpurua
- Center for Evolutionary HologenomicsGLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen1353Denmark
| | - Chunxue Guo
- China National GeneBankBGI‐ShenzhenShenzhen518083China
| | - Guojie Zhang
- China National GeneBankBGI‐ShenzhenShenzhen518083China,Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen2100Denmark,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and EvolutionKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunming650223China,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and GeneticsChinese Academy of SciencesKunming650223China
| | - Rebecca Katajamaa
- IFM Biology, AVIAN Behaviour Genomics and Physiology GroupLinköping UniversityLinköping58330Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- IFM Biology, AVIAN Behaviour Genomics and Physiology GroupLinköping UniversityLinköping58330Sweden
| | - M. Thomas P. Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary HologenomicsGLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen1353Denmark,Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)Trondheim7491Norway
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36
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An etiology of human modernity. ANTHROPOLOGICAL REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.2478/anre-2021-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Following the refutation of the replacement hypothesis, which had proposed that a ‘superior’ hominin species arose in Africa and replaced all other humans existing at the time, the auto-domestication hypothesis remains the only viable explanation for the relatively abrupt change from robust to gracile humans in the Late Pleistocene. It invokes the incidental institution of the domestication syndrome in humans, most probably by newly introduced cultural practices. It also postulates that the induction of exograms compensated for the atrophy of the brain caused by domestication. This new explanation of the origins of modernity in humans elucidates practically all its many aspects, in stark contrast to the superseded replacement hypothesis, which explained virtually nothing. The first results of the domestication syndrome’s genetic exploration have become available in recent years, and they endorse the human self-domestication hypothesis.
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37
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Benítez-Burraco A, Pörtl D, Jung C. Did Dog Domestication Contribute to Language Evolution? Front Psychol 2021; 12:695116. [PMID: 34589022 PMCID: PMC8473740 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.695116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Different factors seemingly account for the emergence of present-day languages in our species. Human self-domestication has been recently invoked as one important force favoring language complexity mostly via a cultural mechanism. Because our self-domestication ultimately resulted from selection for less aggressive behavior and increased prosocial behavior, any evolutionary or cultural change impacting on aggression levels is expected to have fostered this process. Here, we hypothesize about a parallel domestication of humans and dogs, and more specifically, about a positive effect of our interaction with dogs on human self-domestication, and ultimately, on aspects of language evolution, through the mechanisms involved in the control of aggression. We review evidence of diverse sort (ethological mostly, but also archeological, genetic, and physiological) supporting such an effect and propose some ways of testing our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Daniela Pörtl
- Psychiatric Department, Saale-Unstrut Klinikum, Teaching Hospital Leipzig and Jena Universities, Naumburg, Germany
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38
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Wilkins AS, Wrangham R, Fitch WT. The neural crest/domestication syndrome hypothesis, explained: reply to Johnsson, Henriksen, and Wright. Genetics 2021; 219:iyab098. [PMID: 34849912 PMCID: PMC8633094 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adam S Wilkins
- Institute of Theoretical Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - W Tecumseh Fitch
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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39
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Johnsson M, Henriksen R, Wright D. The neural crest cell hypothesis: no unified explanation for domestication. Genetics 2021; 219:6318714. [PMID: 34849908 PMCID: PMC8633120 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Johnsson
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Rie Henriksen
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Dominic Wright
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
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40
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Geiger M. Pattern and pace of morphological change due to variable human impact: the case of Japanese macaques. Primates 2021; 62:955-970. [PMID: 34403015 PMCID: PMC8526449 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00933-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Human impact influences morphological variation in animals, as documented in many captive and domestic animal populations. However, there are different levels of human impact, and their influence on the pattern and rate of morphological variation remains unclear. This study contributes to the ongoing debate via the examination of cranial and mandibular shape and size variation and pace of change in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). This species is ideal for tackling such questions because different wild, wild-provisioned, and captive populations have been monitored and collected over seven decades. Linear measurements were taken on 70 skulls from five populations, grouped into three 'human impact groups' (wild, wild-provisioned, and captive). This made it possible to investigate the pattern and pace of skull form changes among the human impact groups as well as over time within the populations. It was found that the overall skull shape tends to differ among the human impact groups, with captive macaques having relatively longer rostra than wild ones. Whether these differences are a result of geographic variation or variable human impact, related to nutritional supply and mechanical properties of the diet, is unclear. However, this pattern of directed changes did not seem to hold when the single captive populations were examined in detail. Although environmental conditions have probably been similar for the two examined captive populations (same captive locality), skull shape changes over the first generations in captivity were mostly different. This varying pattern, together with a consistent decrease in body size in the captive populations over generations, points to genetic drift playing a role in shaping skull shape and body size in captivity. In the captive groups investigated here, the rates of change were found to be high compared to literature records from settings featuring different degrees of human impact in different species, although they still lie in the range of field studies in a natural context. This adds to the view that human impact might not necessarily lead to particularly fast rates of change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Geiger
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, CH-8006, Zurich, Switzerland.
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41
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Geiger M, Schoenebeck JJ, Schneider RA, Schmidt MJ, Fischer MS, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Exceptional Changes in Skeletal Anatomy under Domestication: The Case of Brachycephaly. Integr Org Biol 2021; 3:obab023. [PMID: 34409262 PMCID: PMC8366567 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
"Brachycephaly" is generally considered a phenotype in which the facial part of the head is pronouncedly shortened. While brachycephaly is characteristic for some domestic varieties and breeds (e.g., Bulldog, Persian cat, Niata cattle, Anglo-Nubian goat, Middle White pig), this phenotype can also be considered pathological. Despite the superficially similar appearance of "brachycephaly" in such varieties and breeds, closer examination reveals that "brachycephaly" includes a variety of different cranial modifications with likely different genetic and developmental underpinnings and related with specific breed histories. We review the various definitions and characteristics associated with brachycephaly in different domesticated species. We discern different types of brachycephaly ("bulldog-type," "katantognathic," and "allometric" brachycephaly) and discuss morphological conditions related to brachycephaly, including diseases (e.g., brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome). Further, we examine the complex underlying genetic and developmental processes and the culturally and developmentally related reasons why brachycephalic varieties may or may not be prevalent in certain domesticated species. Knowledge on patterns and mechanisms associated with brachycephaly is relevant for domestication research, veterinary and human medicine, as well as evolutionary biology, and highlights the profound influence of artificial selection by humans on animal morphology, evolution, and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Geiger
- Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich,
Karl-Schmid-Str. 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - J J Schoenebeck
- Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University
of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25
9RG, UK
| | - R A Schneider
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at San
Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-1164, San Francisco, CA
94143-0514, USA
| | - M J Schmidt
- Clinic for Small Animals—Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology and Clinical
Neurology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str.
114, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - M S Fischer
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich-Schiller
University Jena, Erbertstr. 1, 07743 Jena,
Germany
| | - M R Sánchez-Villagra
- Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich,
Karl-Schmid-Str. 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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Samaha G, Wade CM, Mazrier H, Grueber CE, Haase B. Exploiting genomic synteny in Felidae: cross-species genome alignments and SNV discovery can aid conservation management. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:601. [PMID: 34362297 PMCID: PMC8348863 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07899-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While recent advances in genomics has enabled vast improvements in the quantification of genome-wide diversity and the identification of adaptive and deleterious alleles in model species, wildlife and non-model species have largely not reaped the same benefits. This has been attributed to the resources and infrastructure required to develop essential genomic datasets such as reference genomes. In the absence of a high-quality reference genome, cross-species alignments can provide reliable, cost-effective methods for single nucleotide variant (SNV) discovery. Here, we demonstrated the utility of cross-species genome alignment methods in gaining insights into population structure and functional genomic features in cheetah (Acinonyx jubatas), snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), relative to the domestic cat (Felis catus). Results Alignment of big cats to the domestic cat reference assembly yielded nearly complete sequence coverage of the reference genome. From this, 38,839,061 variants in cheetah, 15,504,143 in snow leopard and 13,414,953 in Sumatran tiger were discovered and annotated. This method was able to delineate population structure but limited in its ability to adequately detect rare variants. Enrichment analysis of fixed and species-specific SNVs revealed insights into adaptive traits, evolutionary history and the pathogenesis of heritable diseases. Conclusions The high degree of synteny among felid genomes enabled the successful application of the domestic cat reference in high-quality SNV detection. The datasets presented here provide a useful resource for future studies into population dynamics, evolutionary history and genetic and disease management of big cats. This cross-species method of variant discovery provides genomic context for identifying annotated gene regions essential to understanding adaptive and deleterious variants that can improve conservation outcomes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07899-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Samaha
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Claire M Wade
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hamutal Mazrier
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catherine E Grueber
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bianca Haase
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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43
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Wilson LAB, Balcarcel A, Geiger M, Heck L, Sánchez‐Villagra MR. Modularity patterns in mammalian domestication: Assessing developmental hypotheses for diversification. Evol Lett 2021; 5:385-396. [PMID: 34367663 PMCID: PMC8327948 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.231] [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: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest hypothesis posits that selection for tameness resulted in mild alterations to neural crest cells during embryonic development, which directly or indirectly caused the appearance of traits associated with the "domestication syndrome" (DS). Although representing an appealing unitary explanation for the generation of domestic phenotypes, support for this hypothesis from morphological data and for the validity of the DS remains a topic of debate. This study used the frameworks of morphological integration and modularity to assess patterns that concern the embryonic origin of the skull and issues around the neural crest hypothesis. Geometric morphometric landmarks were used to quantify cranial trait interactions between six pairs of wild and domestic mammals, comprising representatives that express between five and 17 of the traits included in the DS, and examples from each of the pathways by which animals entered into relationships with humans. We predicted the presence of neural crest vs mesoderm modular structure to the cranium, and that elements in the neural crest module would show lower magnitudes of integration and higher disparity in domestic forms compared to wild forms. Our findings support modular structuring based on tissue origin (neural crest, mesoderm) modules, along with low module integration magnitudes for neural crest cell derived cranial elements, suggesting differential capacity for evolutionary response among those elements. Covariation between the neural crest and mesoderm modules accounted for major components of shape variation for most domestic/wild pairs. Contra to our predictions, however, we find domesticates share similar integration magnitudes to their wild progenitors, indicating that higher disparity in domesticates is not associated with magnitude changes to integration among either neural crest or mesoderm derived elements. Differences in integration magnitude among neural crest and mesoderm elements across species suggest that developmental evolution preserves a framework that promotes flexibility under the selection regimes of domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. B. Wilson
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
- School of Archaeology and AnthropologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
| | - Ana Balcarcel
- Palaeontological Institute and MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Madeleine Geiger
- Palaeontological Institute and MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Laura Heck
- Palaeontological Institute and MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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44
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Trut LN, Kharlamova AV, Pilipenko AS, Herbeck YE. The Fox Domestication Experiment and Dog Evolution: A View Based on Modern Molecular, Genetic, and Archaeological Data. RUSS J GENET+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795421070140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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45
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Bayramov AV, Ermakova GV, Kuchryavyy AV, Zaraisky AG. Genome Duplications as the Basis of Vertebrates’ Evolutionary Success. Russ J Dev Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360421030024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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46
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Balcarcel AM, Veitschegger K, Clauss M, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Intensive human contact correlates with smaller brains: differential brain size reduction in cattle types. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210813. [PMID: 34102890 PMCID: PMC8188006 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle are one of the most intensively bred domestic animals, providing humans with a multitude of products and uses. Using data from the fossil record, we test if their domestication, as for other taxa, has resulted in a reduction of their brain size. We not only conclude that Bos taurus (domestic cattle) have smaller brains than their wild ancestor, Bos primigenius (aurochs), but that brain size varies significantly by breed, with some having much smaller brains than others. Differences in husbandry practices between several breed categories align with a range of human engagement, which also aligns with the degree of selection for docility. Sampling 317 domestics from 71 breeds, we investigate if differences in brain size correlate with the intensity of human contact. A clear pattern emerges whereby a brain reduction gradient parallels a gradient in behavioural selection. Bullfighting cattle, which are bred for fighting and aggressive temperament, have much larger brains than dairy breeds, which are intensively selected for docility. Our results add to a fundamental aspect of animal domestication theory: the interplay between basic features of the domestic environment-selection for docility, absence of predators and human provision of resources-seems to explain differences in brain size.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Balcarcel
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - K. Veitschegger
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M. Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M. R. Sánchez-Villagra
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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47
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López ME, Cádiz MI, Rondeau EB, Koop BF, Yáñez JM. Detection of selection signatures in farmed coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) using dense genome-wide information. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9685. [PMID: 33958603 PMCID: PMC8102513 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86154-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal domestication and artificial selection give rise to gradual changes at the genomic level in populations. Subsequent footprints of selection, known as selection signatures or selective sweeps, have been traced in the genomes of many animal livestock species by exploiting variation in linkage disequilibrium patterns and/or reduction of genetic diversity. Domestication of most aquatic species is recent in comparison with land animals, and salmonids are one of the most important fish species in aquaculture. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), cultivated primarily in Chile, has been subjected to breeding programs to improve growth, disease resistance traits, and flesh color. This study aimed to identify selection signatures that may be involved in adaptation to culture conditions and traits of productive interest. To do so, individuals of two domestic populations cultured in Chile were genotyped with 200 thousand SNPs, and analyses were conducted using iHS, XP-EHH and CLR. Several signatures of selection on different chromosomal regions were detected across both populations. Some of the identified regions under selection contained genes such anapc2, alad, chp2 and myn, which have been previously associated with body weight in Atlantic salmon, or sec24d and robo1, which have been associated with resistance to Piscirickettsia salmonis in coho salmon. Findings in our study can contribute to an integrated genome-wide map of selection signatures, to help identify the genetic mechanisms of phenotypic diversity in coho salmon.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E López
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - M I Cádiz
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - E B Rondeau
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - B F Koop
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - J M Yáñez
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. .,Núcleo Milenio INVASAL, Concepción, Chile.
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48
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Ballard JWO, Gardner C, Ellem L, Yadav S, Kemp RI. Eye contact and sociability data suggests that Australian dingoes were never domesticated. Curr Zool 2021; 68:423-432. [PMID: 36090142 PMCID: PMC9450177 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs were the first animal to become domesticated by humans, and they represent a classic model system for unraveling the processes of domestication. We compare Australian dingo eye contact and socialization with Basenji and German Shepherd dog (GSD) breeds. Australian dingoes arrived in Australia 5,000–8,000 BP, and there is debate whether they were domesticated before their arrival. The Basenji represents a primitive breed that diverged from the remaining breeds early in the domestication process, while GSDs are a breed dog selected from existing domestic dogs in the late 1800s. We conducted a 4-phase study with unfamiliar and familiar investigators either sitting passively or actively calling each canid. We found 75% of dingoes made eye contact in each phase. In contrast, 86% of Basenjis and 96% of GSDs made eye contact. Dingoes also exhibited shorter eye-gaze duration than breed dogs and did not respond to their name being called actively. Sociability, quantified as a canid coming within 1 m of the experimenter, was lowest for dingoes and highest for GSDs. For sociability duration, dingoes spent less time within 1 m of the experimenter than either breed dog. When compared with previous studies, these data show that the dingo is behaviorally intermediate between wild wolves and Basenji dogs and suggest that it was not domesticated before it arrived in Australia. However, it remains possible that the accumulation of mutations since colonization has obscured historical behaviors, and dingoes now exist in a feralized retamed cycle. Additional morphological and genetic data are required to resolve this conundrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- J William O Ballard
- Department of Ecology, Environment, and Evolution, Latrobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
- Department of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Chloe Gardner
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - Sonu Yadav
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Richard I Kemp
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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49
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Neaux D, Blanc B, Ortiz K, Locatelli Y, Schafberg R, Herrel A, Debat V, Cucchi T. Constraints associated with captivity alter craniomandibular integration in wild boar. J Anat 2021; 239:489-497. [PMID: 33713426 PMCID: PMC8273579 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The domestication process is associated with substantial phenotypic changes through time. However, although morphological integration between biological structures is purported to have a major influence on the evolution of new morphologies, little attention has been paid to the influence of domestication on the magnitude of integration. Here, we assessed the influence of constraints associated with captivity, considered as one of the crucial first steps in the domestication process, on the integration of cranial and mandibular structures. We investigated the craniomandibular integration in Western European Sus scrofa using three-dimensional (3D) landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Our results suggest that captivity is associated with a lower level of integration between the cranium and the mandible. Plastic responses to captivity can thus affect the magnitude of integration of key functional structures. These findings underline the critical need to develop integration studies in the context of animal domestication to better understand the processes accountable for the set-up of domestic phenotypes through time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Neaux
- Archéozoologie et Archéobotanique : Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements, UMR 7209, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS, Paris, France.,Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystèmes Paléoprimatologie, UMR 7262, Université de Poitiers CNRS, Poitiers, France
| | - Barbara Blanc
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute Touche, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Obterre, France
| | - Katia Ortiz
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute Touche, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Obterre, France.,Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS UPMC EPHE, Paris, France
| | - Yann Locatelli
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute Touche, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Obterre, France.,Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 7247, INRAE CNRS Université de Tours IFCE, Nouzilly, France
| | - Renate Schafberg
- Central Natural Science Collections, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Debat
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS UPMC EPHE, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Cucchi
- Archéozoologie et Archéobotanique : Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements, UMR 7209, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS, Paris, France
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50
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Farm Animals Are Long Away from Natural Behavior: Open Questions and Operative Consequences on Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030724. [PMID: 33800925 PMCID: PMC8001272 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030724] [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: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Animal welfare is a very important issue. One of the tasks of researchers is to provide explanations and possible solutions to questions arising from non-experts. This work analyzes part of the extensive literature on relationships between selection and domestic, mainly farm, animals’ behavior and deals with some very important themes, such as the role of regulations, domestication, and selection. Abstract The concept of welfare applied to farm animals has undergone a remarkable evolution. The growing awareness of citizens pushes farmers to guarantee the highest possible level of welfare to their animals. New perspectives could be opened for animal welfare reasoning around the concept of domestic, especially farm, animals as partial human artifacts. Therefore, it is important to understand how much a particular behavior of a farm animal is far from the natural one of its ancestors. This paper is a contribution to better understand the role of genetics of the farm animals on their behavior. This means that the naïve approach to animal welfare regarding returning animals to their natural state should be challenged and that welfare assessment should be considered.
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