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Nishida Y, Berg PC, Shakersain B, Hecht K, Takikawa A, Tao R, Kakuta Y, Uragami C, Hashimoto H, Misawa N, Maoka T. Astaxanthin: Past, Present, and Future. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:514. [PMID: 37888449 PMCID: PMC10608541 DOI: 10.3390/md21100514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Astaxanthin (AX), a lipid-soluble pigment belonging to the xanthophyll carotenoids family, has recently garnered significant attention due to its unique physical properties, biochemical attributes, and physiological effects. Originally recognized primarily for its role in imparting the characteristic red-pink color to various organisms, AX is currently experiencing a surge in interest and research. The growing body of literature in this field predominantly focuses on AXs distinctive bioactivities and properties. However, the potential of algae-derived AX as a solution to various global environmental and societal challenges that threaten life on our planet has not received extensive attention. Furthermore, the historical context and the role of AX in nature, as well as its significance in diverse cultures and traditional health practices, have not been comprehensively explored in previous works. This review article embarks on a comprehensive journey through the history leading up to the present, offering insights into the discovery of AX, its chemical and physical attributes, distribution in organisms, and biosynthesis. Additionally, it delves into the intricate realm of health benefits, biofunctional characteristics, and the current market status of AX. By encompassing these multifaceted aspects, this review aims to provide readers with a more profound understanding and a robust foundation for future scientific endeavors directed at addressing societal needs for sustainable nutritional and medicinal solutions. An updated summary of AXs health benefits, its present market status, and potential future applications are also included for a well-rounded perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Nishida
- Fuji Chemical Industries, Co., Ltd., 55 Yokohoonji, Kamiich-machi, Nakaniikawa-gun, Toyama 930-0405, Japan
| | | | - Behnaz Shakersain
- AstaReal AB, Signum, Forumvägen 14, Level 16, 131 53 Nacka, Sweden; (P.C.B.); (B.S.)
| | - Karen Hecht
- AstaReal, Inc., 3 Terri Lane, Unit 12, Burlington, NJ 08016, USA;
| | - Akiko Takikawa
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan;
| | - Ruohan Tao
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Yumeka Kakuta
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Chiasa Uragami
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Hideki Hashimoto
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Norihiko Misawa
- Research Institute for Bioresources and Biotechnology, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Suematsu, Nonoichi-shi 921-8836, Japan;
| | - Takashi Maoka
- Research Institute for Production Development, 15 Shimogamo-morimoto-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0805, Japan
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2
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Goldstone JV, Lamb DC, Kelly SL, Lepesheva GI, Stegeman JJ. Structural modeling of cytochrome P450 51 from a deep-sea fish points to a novel structural feature in other CYP51s. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 245:112241. [PMID: 37209461 PMCID: PMC10330650 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112241] [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: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Cytochromes P450 (CYP), enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous and xenobiotic substrates, provide an excellent model system to study how membrane proteins with unique functions have catalytically adapted through evolution. Molecular adaptation of deep-sea proteins to high hydrostatic pressure remains poorly understood. Herein, we have characterized recombinant cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51), an essential enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis, from an abyssal fish species, Coryphaenoides armatus. C. armatus CYP51 was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli following N-terminal truncation and purified to homogeneity. Recombinant C. armatus CYP51 bound its sterol substrate lanosterol giving a Type I binding spectra (KD 15 μM) and catalyzed lanosterol 14α-demethylation turnover at 5.8 nmol/min/nmol P450. C. armatus CYP51 also bound the azole antifungals ketoconazole (KD 0.12 μM) and propiconazole (KD 0.54 μM) as determined by Type II absorbance spectra. Comparison of C. armatus CYP51 primary sequence and modeled structures with other CYP51s identified amino acid substitutions that may confer an ability to function under pressures of the deep sea and revealed heretofore undescribed internal cavities in human and other non-deep sea CYP51s. The functional significance of these cavities is not known. PROLOGUE: This paper is dedicated in memory of Michael Waterman and Tsuneo Omura, who as good friends and colleagues enriched our lives. They continue to inspire us.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared V Goldstone
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - David C Lamb
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Steven L Kelly
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Galina I Lepesheva
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - John J Stegeman
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
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3
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Powers MJ, Baty JA, Dinga AM, Mao JH, Hill GE. Chemical manipulation of mitochondrial function affects metabolism of red carotenoids in a marine copepod (Tigriopus californicus). J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275691. [PMID: 35695335 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The shared-pathway hypothesis offers a cellular explanation for the connection between ketocarotenoid pigmentation and individual quality. Under this hypothesis, ketocarotenoid metabolism shares cellular pathways with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation such that red carotenoid-based coloration is inextricably linked mitochondrial function. To test this hypothesis, we exposed Tigriopus californicus copepods to a mitochondrially targeted protonophore, 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), to induce proton leak in the inner mitochondrial membranes. We then measured whole-animal metabolic rate and ketocarotenoid accumulation. As observed in prior studies of vertebrates, we observed that DNP treatment of copepods significantly increased respiration and that DNP-treated copepods accumulated more ketocarotenoid than control animals. Moreover, we observed a relationship between ketocarotenoid concentration and metabolic rate, and this association was strongest in DNP-treated copepods. These data support the hypothesis that ketocarotenoid and mitochondrial metabolism are biochemically intertwined. Moreover, these results corroborate observations in vertebrates, perhaps suggesting a fundamental connection between ketocarotenoid pigmentation and mitochondrial function that should be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Powers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - James A Baty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Alexis M Dinga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - James H Mao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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4
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Powers MJ, Martz LD, Burton RS, Hill GE, Weaver RJ. Evidence for hybrid breakdown in production of red carotenoids in the marine invertebrate Tigriopus californicus. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259371. [PMID: 34748608 PMCID: PMC8575244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The marine copepod, Tigriopus californicus, produces the red carotenoid pigment astaxanthin from yellow dietary precursors. This ‘bioconversion’ of yellow carotenoids to red is hypothesized to be linked to individual condition, possibly through shared metabolic pathways with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Experimental inter-population crosses of lab-reared T. californicus typically produces low-fitness hybrids is due in large part to the disruption of coadapted sets nuclear and mitochondrial genes within the parental populations. These hybrid incompatibilities can increase variability in life history traits and energy production among hybrid lines. Here, we tested if production of astaxanthin was compromised in hybrid copepods and if it was linked to mitochondrial metabolism and offspring development. We observed no clear mitonuclear dysfunction in hybrids fed a limited, carotenoid-deficient diet of nutritional yeast. However, when yellow carotenoids were restored to their diet, hybrid lines produced less astaxanthin than parental lines. We observed that lines fed a yeast diet produced less ATP and had slower offspring development compared to lines fed a more complete diet of algae, suggesting the yeast-only diet may have obscured effects of mitonuclear dysfunction. Astaxanthin production was not significantly associated with development among lines fed a yeast diet but was negatively related to development in early generation hybrids fed an algal diet. In lines fed yeast, astaxanthin was negatively related to ATP synthesis, but in lines fed algae, the relationship was reversed. Although the effects of the yeast diet may have obscured evidence of hybrid dysfunction, these results suggest that astaxanthin bioconversion may still be related to mitochondrial performance and reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Powers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MJP); (LDM)
| | - Lucas D. Martz
- University of California, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MJP); (LDM)
| | - Ronald S. Burton
- University of California, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Geoffrey E. Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Ryan J. Weaver
- Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Department, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States of America
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Enbody ED, Sprehn CG, Abzhanov A, Bi H, Dobreva MP, Osborne OG, Rubin CJ, Grant PR, Grant BR, Andersson L. A multispecies BCO2 beak color polymorphism in the Darwin's finch radiation. Curr Biol 2021; 31:5597-5604.e7. [PMID: 34687609 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.09.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoid-based polymorphisms are widespread in populations of birds, fish, and reptiles,1 but generally little is known about the factors affecting their maintenance in populations.2 We report a combined field and molecular-genetic investigation of a nestling beak color polymorphism in Darwin's finches. Beaks are pink or yellow, and yellow is recessive.3 Here we show that the polymorphism arose in the Galápagos half a million years ago through a mutation associated with regulatory change in the BCO2 gene and is shared by 14 descendant species. The polymorphism is probably a balanced polymorphism, maintained by ecological selection associated with survival and diet. In cactus finches, the frequency of the yellow genotype is correlated with cactus fruit abundance and greater hatching success and may be altered by introgressive hybridization. Polymorphisms that are hidden as adults, as here, may be far more common than is currently recognized, and contribute to diversification in ways that are yet to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik D Enbody
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - C Grace Sprehn
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Arhat Abzhanov
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, SL5 7PY Ascot, UK
| | - Huijuan Bi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mariya P Dobreva
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, SL5 7PY Ascot, UK
| | - Owen G Osborne
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Carl-Johan Rubin
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter R Grant
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - B Rosemary Grant
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Leif Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4458, USA.
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6
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Huang D, Lewis VM, Foster TN, Toomey MB, Corbo JC, Parichy DM. Development and genetics of red coloration in the zebrafish relative Danio albolineatus. eLife 2021; 10:70253. [PMID: 34435950 PMCID: PMC8416024 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal pigment patterns play important roles in behavior and, in many species, red coloration serves as an honest signal of individual quality in mate choice. Among Danio fishes, some species develop erythrophores, pigment cells that contain red ketocarotenoids, whereas other species, like zebrafish (D. rerio) only have yellow xanthophores. Here, we use pearl danio (D. albolineatus) to assess the developmental origin of erythrophores and their mechanisms of differentiation. We show that erythrophores in the fin of D. albolineatus share a common progenitor with xanthophores and maintain plasticity in cell fate even after differentiation. We further identify the predominant ketocarotenoids that confer red coloration to erythrophores and use reverse genetics to pinpoint genes required for the differentiation and maintenance of these cells. Our analyses are a first step toward defining the mechanisms underlying the development of erythrophore-mediated red coloration in Danio and reveal striking parallels with the mechanism of red coloration in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delai Huang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
| | - Victor M Lewis
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
| | - Tarah N Foster
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, United States
| | - Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, United States.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - David M Parichy
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
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7
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Price-Waldman R, Stoddard MC. Avian Coloration Genetics: Recent Advances and Emerging Questions. J Hered 2021; 112:395-416. [PMID: 34002228 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The colorful phenotypes of birds have long provided rich source material for evolutionary biologists. Avian plumage, beaks, skin, and eggs-which exhibit a stunning range of cryptic and conspicuous forms-inspired early work on adaptive coloration. More recently, avian color has fueled discoveries on the physiological, developmental, and-increasingly-genetic mechanisms responsible for phenotypic variation. The relative ease with which avian color traits can be quantified has made birds an attractive system for uncovering links between phenotype and genotype. Accordingly, the field of avian coloration genetics is burgeoning. In this review, we highlight recent advances and emerging questions associated with the genetic underpinnings of bird color. We start by describing breakthroughs related to 2 pigment classes: carotenoids that produce red, yellow, and orange in most birds and psittacofulvins that produce similar colors in parrots. We then discuss structural colors, which are produced by the interaction of light with nanoscale materials and greatly extend the plumage palette. Structural color genetics remain understudied-but this paradigm is changing. We next explore how colors that arise from interactions among pigmentary and structural mechanisms may be controlled by genes that are co-expressed or co-regulated. We also identify opportunities to investigate genes mediating within-feather micropatterning and the coloration of bare parts and eggs. We conclude by spotlighting 2 research areas-mechanistic links between color vision and color production, and speciation-that have been invigorated by genetic insights, a trend likely to continue as new genomic approaches are applied to non-model species.
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8
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Zhao F, Morandin C, Jiang K, Su T, He B, Lin G, Huang Z. Molecular evolution of bumble bee vitellogenin and vitellogenin-like genes. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:8983-8992. [PMID: 34257940 PMCID: PMC8258195 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitellogenin (Vg), a storage protein, has been significantly studied for its egg yolk precursor role in oviparous animals. Recent studies found that vitellogenin and its Vg-like homologs were fundamentally involved in many other biological processes in social insects such as female caste differences and oxidative stress resilience. In this study, we conducted the first large-scale molecular evolutionary analyses of vitellogenin coding genes (Vg) and Vg-like genes of bumble bees, a primitively eusocial insect belonging to the genus Bombus. We obtained sequences for each of the four genes (Vg, Vg-like-A, Vg-like-B, and Vg-like-C) from 27 bumble bee genomes (nine were newly sequenced in this study), and sequences from the two closest clades of Bombus, including five Apis species and five Tetragonula species. Our molecular evolutionary analyses show that in bumble bee, the conventional Vg experienced strong positive selection, while the Vg-like genes showed overall relaxation of purifying selection. In Apis and Tetragonula; however, all four genes were found under purifying selection. Furthermore, the conventional Vg showed signs of strong positive selection in most subgenera in Bombus, apart from the obligate parasitic subgenus Psithyrus which has no caste differentiation. Together, these results indicate that the conventional Vg, a key pleiotropic gene in social insects, is the most rapidly evolving copy, potentially due to its multiple known social functions for both worker and queen castes. This study shows that concerted evolution and purifying selection shaped the evolution of the Vg gene family following their ancient gene duplication and may be the leading forces behind the evolution of new potential protein function enabling functional social pleiotropy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Zhao
- School of Life SciencesJinggangshan UniversityJi’anChina
| | - Claire Morandin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, BiophoreUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Kai Jiang
- School of Life SciencesJinggangshan UniversityJi’anChina
| | - Tianjuan Su
- School of Life SciencesJinggangshan UniversityJi’anChina
| | - Bo He
- School of Life SciencesJinggangshan UniversityJi’anChina
| | - Gonghua Lin
- School of Life SciencesJinggangshan UniversityJi’anChina
| | - Zuhao Huang
- School of Life SciencesJinggangshan UniversityJi’anChina
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9
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Toomey MB, Ronald KL. Avian color expression and perception: is there a carotenoid link? J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269205. [PMID: 34142139 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.203844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids color many of the red, orange and yellow ornaments of birds and also shape avian vision. The carotenoid-pigmented oil droplets in cone photoreceptors filter incoming light and are predicted to aid in color discrimination. Carotenoid use in both avian coloration and color vision raises an intriguing question: is the evolution of visual signals and signal perception linked through these pigments? Here, we explore the genetic, physiological and functional connections between these traits. Carotenoid color and droplet pigmentation share common mechanisms of metabolic conversion and are both affected by diet and immune system challenges. Yet, the time scale and magnitude of these effects differ greatly between plumage and the visual system. Recent observations suggest a link between retinal carotenoid levels and color discrimination performance, but the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. Therefore, we performed a modeling exercise to ask whether and how changes in droplet carotenoid content could alter the perception of carotenoid-based plumage. This exercise revealed that changing oil droplet carotenoid concentration does not substantially affect the discrimination of carotenoid-based colors, but might change how reliably a receiver can predict the carotenoid content of an ornament. These findings suggest that, if present, a carotenoid link between signal and perception is subtle. Deconstructing this relationship will require a deeper understanding of avian visual perception and the mechanisms of color production. We highlight several areas where we see opportunities to gain new insights, including comparative genomic studies of shared mechanisms of carotenoid processing and alternative approaches to investigating color vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, 800 S Tucker Dr., Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Kelly L Ronald
- Department of Biology, Hope College, 35 East 12th Street, Holland, MI 49422, USA
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10
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Lopez KA, McDiarmid CS, Griffith SC, Lovette IJ, Hooper DM. Evaluating evidence of mitonuclear incompatibilities with the sex chromosomes in an avian hybrid zone. Evolution 2021; 75:1395-1414. [PMID: 33908624 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The exploration of hybrid zones and the intergenomic conflicts exposed through hybridization provide windows into the processes of divergence and speciation. Sex chromosomes and mitonuclear incompatibilities have strong associations with the genetics of hybrid dysfunction. In ZW sex-determining systems, maternal co-inheritance of the mitochondrial and W chromosomes immediately exposes incompatibilities between these maternal contributions of one species and the Z chromosome of another. We analyze mitochondrial and Z chromosome admixture in the long-tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda) of Australia, where hybridizing subspecies differ prominently in Z chromosome genotype and in bill color, yet the respective centers of geographic admixture for these two traits are offset by 350 km. We report two well-defined mitochondrial clades that diverged ∼0.5 million years ago. Mitochondrial contact is geographically co-located within a hybrid zone of Z chromosome admixture and is displaced from bill color admixture by nearly 400 km. Consistent with Haldane's rule expectations, hybrid zone females are significantly less likely than males to carry an admixed Z chromosome or have mismatched Z-mitochondrial genotypes. Furthermore, there are significantly fewer than expected mitonuclear mismatches in hybrid zone females and paternal backcross males. Results suggest a potential for mitonuclear/sex chromosome incompatibilities in the emergence of reproductive isolation in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsie A Lopez
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Callum S McDiarmid
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Irby J Lovette
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Daniel M Hooper
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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11
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Powers MJ, Hill GE. A review and assessment of the Shared-Pathway Hypothesis for the maintenance of signal honesty in red ketocarotenoid-based coloration. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1811-1826. [PMID: 33940618 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, scientists have noted connections between individual condition and carotenoid-based coloration in terrestrial and aquatic animals. Organisms that produce more vibrant carotenoid-based coloration tend to have better physiological performance and behavioral displays compared to less colorful members of the same species. Traditional explanations for this association between ornamental coloration and performance invoked the need for color displays to be costly, but evidence for such hypothesized costs is equivocal. An alternative explanation for the condition-dependence of carotenoid-based coloration, the Shared-Pathway Hypothesis, was developed in response. This hypothesis proposes that red ketocarotenoid-based coloration is tied to core cellular processes involving a shared pathway with mitochondrial energy metabolism, making the concentration of carotenoids an index of mitochondrial function. Since the presentation of this hypothesis, empirical tests of the mechanisms proposed therein have been conducted in many species. In this manuscript, we review the Shared-Pathway Hypothesis and the growing number of studies that have investigated a connection between carotenoid-based coloration and mitochondrial function. We also discuss future strategies for assessing the Shared-Pathway Hypothesis to more effectively disentangle evidence that may simultaneously support evidence of carotenoid-resource tradeoffs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Powers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 USA
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 USA
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12
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Kirschel ANG, Nwankwo EC, Pierce DK, Lukhele SM, Moysi M, Ogolowa BO, Hayes SC, Monadjem A, Brelsford A. CYP2J19 mediates carotenoid colour introgression across a natural avian hybrid zone. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:4970-4984. [PMID: 33058329 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It has long been of interest to identify the phenotypic traits that mediate reproductive isolation between related species, and more recently, the genes that underpin them. Much work has focused on identifying genes associated with animal colour, with the candidate gene CYP2J19 identified in laboratory studies as the ketolase converting yellow dietary carotenoids to red ketocarotenoids in birds with red pigments. However, evidence that CYP2J19 explains variation between red and yellow feather coloration in wild populations of birds is lacking. Hybrid zones provide the opportunity to identify genes associated with specific traits. Here we investigate genomic regions associated with colour in red-fronted and yellow-fronted tinkerbirds across a hybrid zone in southern Africa. We sampled 85 individuals, measuring spectral reflectance of forecrown feathers and scoring colours from photographs, while testing for carotenoid presence with Raman spectroscopy. We performed a genome-wide association study to identify associations with carotenoid-based coloration, using double-digest RAD sequencing aligned to a short-read whole genome of a Pogoniulus tinkerbird. Admixture mapping using 104,933 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified a region of chromosome 8 that includes CYP2J19 as the only locus with more than two SNPs significantly associated with both crown hue and crown score, while Raman spectra provided evidence of ketocarotenoids in red feathers. Asymmetric backcrossing in the hybrid zone suggests that yellow-fronted females mate more often with red-fronted males than vice versa. Female red-fronted tinkerbirds mating assortatively with red-crowned males is consistent with the hypothesis that converted carotenoids are an honest signal of quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanuel C Nwankwo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Daniel K Pierce
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Sifiso M Lukhele
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Michaella Moysi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Bridget O Ogolowa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sophia C Hayes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ara Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini.,Department of Zoology & Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Alan Brelsford
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
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13
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Sin SYW, Lu L, Edwards SV. De Novo Assembly of the Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis) Genome Reveals Candidate Regulatory Regions for Sexually Dichromatic Red Plumage Coloration. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2020; 10:3541-3548. [PMID: 32792344 PMCID: PMC7534441 DOI: 10.1534/g3.120.401373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are common, mid-sized passerines widely distributed in North America. As an iconic species with strong sexual dichromatism, it has been the focus of extensive ecological and evolutionary research, yet genomic studies investigating the evolution of genotype-phenotype association of plumage coloration and dichromatism are lacking. Here we present a new, highly-contiguous assembly for C. cardinalis We generated a 1.1 Gb assembly comprised of 4,762 scaffolds, with a scaffold N50 of 3.6 Mb, a contig N50 of 114.4 kb and a longest scaffold of 19.7 Mb. We identified 93.5% complete and single-copy orthologs from an Aves dataset using BUSCO, demonstrating high completeness of the genome assembly. We annotated the genomic region comprising the CYP2J19 gene, which plays a pivotal role in the red coloration in birds. Comparative analyses demonstrated non-exonic regions unique to the CYP2J19 gene in passerines and a long insertion upstream of the gene in C. cardinalis Transcription factor binding motifs discovered in the unique insertion region in C. cardinalis suggest potential androgen-regulated mechanisms underlying sexual dichromatism. Pairwise Sequential Markovian Coalescent (PSMC) analysis of the genome reveals fluctuations in historic effective population size between 100,000-250,000 in the last 2 millions years, with declines concordant with the beginning of the Pleistocene epoch and Last Glacial Period. This draft genome of C. cardinalis provides an important resource for future studies of ecological, evolutionary, and functional genomics in cardinals and other birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Yung Wa Sin
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong
| | - Lily Lu
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
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14
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Hudon J, Wiebe KL, Stradi R. Disruptions of feather carotenoid pigmentation in a subset of hybrid northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) may be linked to genetic incompatibilities. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 251:110510. [PMID: 33010421 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Hybridization can bring in single individuals alleles that were never designed to work together, which can result in unexpected or transgressive phenotypes. The Yellow-shafted (auratus group) and Red-shafted (cafer group) subspecies groups of the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) differ conspicuously in the coloration of their flight feathers, but hybridize freely where their ranges overlap in western North America. The difference in color is largely the result of the Red-shafted form harboring ketolated products at C4(4') of the carotenoids found in the Yellow-shafted form. Characterizing the carotenoid pigments in a series of birds of intermediate color (presumed hybrids) revealed that most accumulated a product of β-cryptoxanthin with a keto group on its hydroxylated ring (3-hydroxy-echinenone), while a few accumulated the product with a keto group on the unhydroxylated ring (3'-hydroxy-echinenone). Surprisingly, the latter group also had feather barbs that were noticeably yellower than the associated rachis, corresponding to a lower level of ketolation at C4(4'). We assessed possible biochemical explanations for the differences by probing the relative carotenoid concentration data in individuals of varying color. The difference between the hybrids could not be explained by the general level of ketolation of carotenoids or a particular selectivity of the 4-ketolase involved. We present a testable genetic explanation that invokes incompatibilities between divergent alleles of the two parental forms at interacting loci. Because the idiosyncrasies affect oxidation, they may be the product of mitonuclear incompatibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Hudon
- Royal Alberta Museum, 9810 103A Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0G2, Canada.
| | - Karen L Wiebe
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada.
| | - Riccardo Stradi
- DISFARM, Sezione di Chimica Generale e Organica "A. Marchesini", Facoltà di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Venezian, 21, 20133 Milano, Italy
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15
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Khalil S, Welklin JF, McGraw KJ, Boersma J, Schwabl H, Webster MS, Karubian J. Testosterone regulates CYP2J19-linked carotenoid signal expression in male red-backed fairywrens ( Malurus melanocephalus). Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201687. [PMID: 32933448 PMCID: PMC7542802 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoid pigments produce most red, orange and yellow colours in vertebrates. This coloration can serve as an honest signal of quality that mediates social and mating interactions, but our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that control carotenoid signal production, including how different physiological pathways interact to shape and maintain these signals, remains incomplete. We investigated the role of testosterone in mediating gene expression associated with a red plumage sexual signal in red-backed fairywrens (Malurus melanocephalus). In this species, males within a single population can flexibly produce either red/black nuptial plumage or female-like brown plumage. Combining correlational analyses with a field-based testosterone implant experiment and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we show that testosterone mediates expression of carotenoid-based plumage in part by regulating expression of CYP2J19, a ketolase gene associated with ketocarotenoid metabolism and pigmentation in birds. This is, to our knowledge, the first time that hormonal regulation of a specific genetic locus has been linked to carotenoid production in a natural context, revealing how endocrine mechanisms produce sexual signals that shape reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Khalil
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Joseph F. Welklin
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Kevin J. McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Jordan Boersma
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Hubert Schwabl
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Michael S. Webster
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
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16
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Madaro A, Torrissen O, Whatmore P, Lall SP, Schmeisser J, Verlhac Trichet V, Olsen RE. Red and White Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Differences in the Transcriptome Profile of Muscle, Liver, and Pylorus. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 22:581-593. [PMID: 32588252 PMCID: PMC7366597 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-020-09980-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Astaxanthin (Ax), the main carotenoid responsible for the distinct red flesh color in salmonids (Oncorhynchus, Salvelinus, Salmo, and Parahucho), is added to the diet of farmed fish at a substantial cost. Despite the great economical value for the salmon industry, the key molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of muscle coloration are poorly understood. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) represent an ideal model to study flesh coloration because they exhibit a distinct color polymorphism responsible for two color morphs, white and red flesh pigmented fish. This study was designed to identify the molecular basis for the development of red and white coloration of fish reared under the same experimental conditions and to better understand the absorption mechanism of Ax in salmonids. Pyloric caeca, liver, and muscle of both groups (n = 6 each) were selected as the most likely critical target organs to be involved respectively in the intestinal uptake, metabolism, and retention of Ax. Difference in the transcriptome profile of each tissue using next-generation sequencing technology was conducted. Ten KEGG pathways were significantly enriched for differentially expressed genes between red and white salmon pylorus tissue, while none for the transcriptome profile in the other two tissues. Differential expressed gene (DE) analyses showed that there were relatively few differences in muscle (31 DE genes, p < 0.05) and liver (43 DE genes, p < 0.05) of white and red Chinook salmon compared approximately 1125 DE genes characterized in the pylorus tissue, with several linked to Ax binding ability, absorption, and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelico Madaro
- Institute of Marine Research, Animal Welfare Science Group, 5984, Matredal, Norway.
| | - Ole Torrissen
- Institute of Marine Research, Animal Welfare Science Group, 5984, Matredal, Norway
| | - Paul Whatmore
- Institute of Marine Research, Animal Welfare Science Group, 5984, Matredal, Norway
| | - Santosh P Lall
- National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Marine Biosciences, Halifax, NS, B3H 3Z1, Canada
| | - Jerome Schmeisser
- Research Centre of Animal Nutrition and Health-DSM Nutritional Products France, BP 170, 68305, Saint-Louis CEDEX, France
| | - Viviane Verlhac Trichet
- Research Centre of Animal Nutrition and Health-DSM Nutritional Products France, BP 170, 68305, Saint-Louis CEDEX, France
| | - Rolf Erik Olsen
- Institute of Marine Research, Animal Welfare Science Group, 5984, Matredal, Norway
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
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17
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Weaver RJ, Gonzalez BK, Santos SR, Havird JC. Red Coloration in an Anchialine Shrimp: Carotenoids, Genetic Variation, and Candidate Genes. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2020; 238:119-130. [PMID: 32412843 DOI: 10.1086/708625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Red coloration is a widely distributed phenotype among animals, yet the pigmentary and genetic bases for this phenotype have been described in relatively few taxa. Here we show that the Hawaiian endemic anchialine shrimp Halocaridina rubra is red because of the accumulation of astaxanthin. Laboratory colonies of phylogenetically distinct lineages of H. rubra have colony-specific amounts of astaxanthin that are developmentally, and likely genetically, fixed. Carotenoid supplementation and restriction experiments failed to change astaxanthin content from the within-colony baseline levels, suggesting that dietary limitation is not a major factor driving coloration differences. A possible candidate gene product predicted to be responsible for the production of astaxanthin in H. rubra and other crustaceans is closely related to the bifunctional cytochrome P450 family 3 enzyme CrtS found in fungi. However, homologs to the enzyme thought to catalyze ketolation reactions in birds and turtles, CYP2J19, were not found. This work is one of the first steps in linking phenotypic variation in red coloration of H. rubra to genotypic variation. Future work should focus on (1) pinpointing the genes that function in the bioconversion of dietary carotenoids to astaxanthin, (2) examining what genomic variants might drive variation in coloration among discrete lineages, and (3) testing more explicitly for condition-dependent carotenoid coloration in crustaceans.
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18
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Liu C, Jiang X, Liu G, Wassie T, Girmay S. An Ancient Mutation in the TPH1 Gene is Consistent with the Changes in Mammalian Reproductive Rhythm. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20236065. [PMID: 31810154 PMCID: PMC6928614 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20236065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive rhythm undergoes several changes during the evolution of mammals to adapt to local environmental changes. Although the critical roles of melatonin (MLT) in the formation of reproductive rhythm have been well established, the genetic basis for the changes of reproductive rhythm remains uncertain. Here, we constructed the phylogenetic trees of 13 melatonin synthesis, metabolism and receptor genes, estimated their divergence times, and calculated their selection pressures. Then, we evaluated the effect of positively selected and functionally related mutations on protein activity. Our results showed that there were significant positive selection sites in the three major genes, including tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) that are involved in melatonin synthesis, metabolism and function. At the protein level, amino acids at the 442nd site of TPH1 protein and the 194th, 286th, 315th and 404th sites of IDO1 protein were under positive selection, and the variants of the amino acid in these sites might lead to the changes in protein function. Remarkably, the 442nd site of these positive selection sites is in the tetramerization domain of TPH1 protein, and it is proline or leucine. At this site, 89.5% of the amino acid of non-seasonal reproducing mammals was proline, while that of 88.9% of seasonal reproducing mammals was leucine. This variation of the amino acid was derived from the T/C polymorphism at the 1325th site of the TPH1 gene coding sequence, which significantly altered the TPH1 activity (p < 0.01). Interestingly, the predicted age of the allele C in the mammalian genome appeared about 126.6 million years ago, and allele T appeared about 212.6 million years ago, indicating that the evolution of the TPH1 gene was affected by the two mammalian split events and the K-T extinction event. In conclusion, the T/C polymorphism at the 1325th site in the TPH1 gene coding sequence altered TPH1 activity, suggesting that this polymorphism is consistent with the reproductive rhythm of mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenhui Liu
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.L.); (X.J.); (T.W.); (S.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xunping Jiang
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.L.); (X.J.); (T.W.); (S.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Guiqiong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-27-87585120
| | - Teketay Wassie
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.L.); (X.J.); (T.W.); (S.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shishay Girmay
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.L.); (X.J.); (T.W.); (S.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
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19
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Hill GE, Hood WR, Ge Z, Grinter R, Greening C, Johnson JD, Park NR, Taylor HA, Andreasen VA, Powers MJ, Justyn NM, Parry HA, Kavazis AN, Zhang Y. Plumage redness signals mitochondrial function in the house finch. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191354. [PMID: 31551059 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoid coloration is widely recognized as a signal of individual condition in various animals, but despite decades of study, the mechanisms that link carotenoid coloration to condition remain unresolved. Most birds with red feathers convert yellow dietary carotenoids to red carotenoids in an oxidation process requiring the gene encoding the putative cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2J19. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the process of carotenoid oxidation and feather pigmentation is functionally linked to mitochondrial performance. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed high levels of red ketolated carotenoids associated with the hepatic mitochondria of moulting wild house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), and upon fractionation, we found the highest concentration of ketolated carotenoids in the inner mitochondrial membrane. We further found that the redness of growing feathers was positively related to the performance of liver mitochondria. Structural modelling of CYP2J19 supports a direct role of this protein in carotenoid ketolation that may be functionally linked to cellular respiration. These observations suggest that feather coloration serves as a signal of core functionality through inexorable links to cellular respiration in the mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Wendy R Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Zhiyuan Ge
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Rhys Grinter
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Chris Greening
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - James D Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Noel R Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Halie A Taylor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | | | - Matthew J Powers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Nicholas M Justyn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Hailey A Parry
- School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | | | - Yufeng Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.,School of Health Studies, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
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20
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Hooper DM, Griffith SC, Price TD. Sex chromosome inversions enforce reproductive isolation across an avian hybrid zone. Mol Ecol 2018; 28:1246-1262. [PMID: 30230092 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Across hybrid zones, the sex chromosomes are often more strongly differentiated than the autosomes. This is regularly attributed to the greater frequency of reproductive incompatibilities accumulating on sex chromosomes and their exposure in the heterogametic sex. Working within an avian hybrid zone, we explore the possibility that chromosome inversions differentially accumulate on the Z chromosome compared to the autosomes and thereby contribute to Z chromosome differentiation. We analyse the northern Australian hybrid zone between two subspecies of the long-tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda), first described based on differences in bill colour, using reduced-representation genomic sequencing for 293 individuals over a 1,530-km transect. Autosomal differentiation between subspecies is minimal. In contrast, 75% of the Z chromosome is highly differentiated and shows a steep genomic cline, which is displaced 350 km to the west of the cline in bill colour. Differentiation is associated with two or more putative chromosomal inversions, each predominating in one subspecies. If inversions reduce recombination between hybrid incompatibilities, they are selectively favoured and should therefore accumulate in hybrid zones. We argue that this predisposes inversions to differentially accumulate on the Z chromosome. One genomic region affecting bill colour is on the Z, but the main candidates are on chromosome 8. This and the displacement of the bill colour and Z chromosome cline centres suggest that bill colour has not strongly contributed to inversion accumulation. Based on cline width, however, the Z chromosome and bill colour both contribute to reproductive isolation established between this pair of subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Hooper
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Committe on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Trevor D Price
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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21
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Twyman H, Prager M, Mundy NI, Andersson S. Expression of a carotenoid-modifying gene and evolution of red coloration in weaverbirds (Ploceidae). Mol Ecol 2018; 27:449-458. [PMID: 29230900 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Red carotenoid colours in birds are widely assumed to be sexually selected quality indicators, but this rests on a very incomplete understanding of genetic mechanisms and honesty-mediating costs. Recent progress was made by the implication of the gene CYP2J19 as an avian carotenoid ketolase, catalysing the synthesis of red C4-ketocarotenoids from yellow dietary precursors, and potentially a major mechanism behind red coloration in birds. Here, we investigate the role of CYP2J19 in the spectacular colour diversification of African weaverbirds (Ploceidae), represented by five genera and 16 species: eight red, seven yellow and one without carotenoid coloration. All species had a single copy of CYP2J19, unlike the duplication found in the zebra finch, with high expression in the retina, confirming its function in colouring red oil droplets. Expression was weak or undetected in skin and follicles of pigment-depositing feather buds, as well as in beaks and tarsi, including those of the red-billed quelea. In contrast, the hepatic (liver) expression of CYP2J19 was consistently higher (>14-fold) in seven species with C4-ketocarotenoid coloration than in species without (including one red species), an association strongly supported by a phylogenetic comparative analysis. The results suggest a critical role of the candidate ketolase, CYP2J19, in the evolution of red C4-ketocarotenoid colour variation in ploceids. As ancestral state reconstruction suggests that ketocarotenoid coloration has evolved twice in this group (once in Euplectes and once in the Quelea/Foudia clade), we argue that while CYP2J19 has retained its ancestral role in the retina, it has likely been co-opted for red coloration independently in the two lineages, via increased hepatic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlu Twyman
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maria Prager
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Staffan Andersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
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