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Wirthlin ME, Schmid TA, Elie JE, Zhang X, Kowalczyk A, Redlich R, Shvareva VA, Rakuljic A, Ji MB, Bhat NS, Kaplow IM, Schäffer DE, Lawler AJ, Wang AZ, Phan BN, Annaldasula S, Brown AR, Lu T, Lim BK, Azim E, Clark NL, Meyer WK, Pond SLK, Chikina M, Yartsev MM, Pfenning AR, Andrews G, Armstrong JC, Bianchi M, Birren BW, Bredemeyer KR, Breit AM, Christmas MJ, Clawson H, Damas J, Di Palma F, Diekhans M, Dong MX, Eizirik E, Fan K, Fanter C, Foley NM, Forsberg-Nilsson K, Garcia CJ, Gatesy J, Gazal S, Genereux DP, Goodman L, Grimshaw J, Halsey MK, Harris AJ, Hickey G, Hiller M, Hindle AG, Hubley RM, Hughes GM, Johnson J, Juan D, Kaplow IM, Karlsson EK, Keough KC, Kirilenko B, Koepfli KP, Korstian JM, Kowalczyk A, Kozyrev SV, Lawler AJ, Lawless C, Lehmann T, Levesque DL, Lewin HA, Li X, Lind A, Lindblad-Toh K, Mackay-Smith A, Marinescu VD, Marques-Bonet T, Mason VC, Meadows JRS, Meyer WK, Moore JE, Moreira LR, Moreno-Santillan DD, Morrill KM, Muntané G, Murphy WJ, Navarro A, Nweeia M, Ortmann S, Osmanski A, Paten B, Paulat NS, Pfenning AR, Phan BN, Pollard KS, Pratt HE, Ray DA, Reilly SK, Rosen JR, Ruf I, Ryan L, Ryder OA, Sabeti PC, Schäffer DE, Serres A, Shapiro B, Smit AFA, Springer M, Srinivasan C, Steiner C, Storer JM, Sullivan KAM, Sullivan PF, Sundström E, Supple MA, Swofford R, Talbot JE, Teeling E, Turner-Maier J, Valenzuela A, Wagner F, Wallerman O, Wang C, Wang J, Weng Z, Wilder AP, Wirthlin ME, Xue JR, Zhang X. Vocal learning-associated convergent evolution in mammalian proteins and regulatory elements. Science 2024; 383:eabn3263. [PMID: 38422184 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn3263] [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: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Vocal production learning ("vocal learning") is a convergently evolved trait in vertebrates. To identify brain genomic elements associated with mammalian vocal learning, we integrated genomic, anatomical, and neurophysiological data from the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) with analyses of the genomes of 215 placental mammals. First, we identified a set of proteins evolving more slowly in vocal learners. Then, we discovered a vocal motor cortical region in the Egyptian fruit bat, an emergent vocal learner, and leveraged that knowledge to identify active cis-regulatory elements in the motor cortex of vocal learners. Machine learning methods applied to motor cortex open chromatin revealed 50 enhancers robustly associated with vocal learning whose activity tended to be lower in vocal learners. Our research implicates convergent losses of motor cortex regulatory elements in mammalian vocal learning evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Wirthlin
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Tobias A Schmid
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Julie E Elie
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Xiaomeng Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Amanda Kowalczyk
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ruby Redlich
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Varvara A Shvareva
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Ashley Rakuljic
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Maria B Ji
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Ninad S Bhat
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Irene M Kaplow
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Daniel E Schäffer
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Alyssa J Lawler
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Andrew Z Wang
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - BaDoi N Phan
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Siddharth Annaldasula
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ashley R Brown
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Tianyu Lu
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Byung Kook Lim
- Neurobiology section, Division of Biological Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Eiman Azim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nathan L Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Wynn K Meyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
| | | | - Maria Chikina
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Michael M Yartsev
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA
| | - Andreas R Pfenning
- Department of Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Audet JN, Couture M, Jarvis ED. Songbird species that display more-complex vocal learning are better problem-solvers and have larger brains. Science 2023; 381:1170-1175. [PMID: 37708288 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh3428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Complex vocal learning, a critical component of human spoken language, has been assumed to be associated with more-advanced cognitive abilities. Tests of this hypothesis between individuals within a species have been inconclusive and have not been done across species. In this work, we measured an array of cognitive skills-namely, problem-solving, associative and reversal learning, and self-control-across 214 individuals of 23 bird species, including 19 wild-caught songbird species, two domesticated songbird species, and two wild-caught vocal nonlearning species. We found that the greater the vocal learning abilities of a species, the better their problem-solving skills and the relatively larger their brains. These conclusions held when controlling for noncognitive variables and phylogeny. Our results support a hypothesis of shared genetic and cognitive mechanisms between vocal learning, problem-solving, and bigger brains in songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Nicolas Audet
- The Rockefeller University Field Research Center, Millbrook, NY, USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mélanie Couture
- The Rockefeller University Field Research Center, Millbrook, NY, USA
- The Vertebrate Genome Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erich D Jarvis
- The Rockefeller University Field Research Center, Millbrook, NY, USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- The Vertebrate Genome Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
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Griffiths CS, Aaronson NL. Analysis of vocal communication in the genus Falco. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1846. [PMID: 36726013 PMCID: PMC9892567 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27716-y] [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: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal learning occurs in three clades of birds: hummingbirds, parrots, and songbirds. Examining vocal communication within the Falconiformes (sister taxon to the parrot/songbird clade) may offer information in understanding the evolution of vocal learning. Falcons are considered non-vocal learners and variation in vocalization may only be the result of variation in anatomical structure, with size as the major factor. We measured syringes in seven Falco species in the collection at the American Museum of Natural History and compiled data on weight, wing length, and tail length. Audio recordings were downloaded from several libraries and the peak frequency and frequency slope per harmonic number, number of notes in each syllable, number of notes per second, duration of each note, and inter-note duration was measured. Mass, wing length, and syringeal measurements were strongly, positively correlated, and maximum frequency is strongly, negatively correlated with the size. Frequency slope also correlates with size, although not as strongly. Both note and inter-note length vary significantly among the seven species, and this variation is not correlated with size. Maximum frequency and frequency slope can be used to identify species, with the possibility that bird sounds could be used to identify species in the field in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole S Griffiths
- LIU Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA. .,Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
| | - Neil L Aaronson
- Physics Program, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, 08205, USA
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