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Gvoždík V, Dolinay M, Zassi-Boulou AG, Lemmon AR, Lemmon EM, Procházka M. Central African dwarf crocodiles found in syntopy are comparably divergent to South American dwarf caimans. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230448. [PMID: 38716586 PMCID: PMC11135362 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0448] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent molecular taxonomic advancements have expanded our understanding of crocodylian diversity, revealing the existence of previously overlooked species, including the Congo dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus osborni) in the central Congo Basin rainforests. This study explores the genomic divergence between O. osborni and its better-known relative, the true dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), shedding light on their evolutionary history. Field research conducted in the northwestern Republic of the Congo uncovered a locality where both species coexist in sympatry/syntopy. Genomic analysis of sympatric individuals reveals a level of divergence comparable to that between ecologically similar South American dwarf caimans (Paleosuchus palpebrosus and Paleosuchus trigonatus), suggesting parallel speciation in the Afrotropics and Neotropics during the Middle to Late Miocene, 10-12 Ma. Comparison of the sympatric and allopatric dwarf crocodiles indicates no gene flow between the analysed sympatric individuals of O. osborni and O. tetraspis. However, a larger sample will be required to answer the question of whether or to what extent these species hybridize. This study emphasizes the need for further research on the biology and conservation status of the Congo dwarf crocodile, highlighting its significance in the unique biodiversity of the Congolian rainforests and thus its potential as a flagship species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Václav Gvoždík
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, National Museum of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Matej Dolinay
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou
- Department of Biology, National Institute for Research in Exact and Natural Sciences (IRSEN), Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Alan R. Lemmon
- Department of Scientific Computing, Dirac Science Library, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Emily M. Lemmon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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Sales-Oliveira VC, Dos Santos RZ, Goes CAG, Calegari RM, Garrido-Ramos MA, Altmanová M, Ezaz T, Liehr T, Porto-Foresti F, Utsunomia R, Cioffi MB. Evolution of ancient satellite DNAs in extant alligators and caimans (Crocodylia, Reptilia). BMC Biol 2024; 22:47. [PMID: 38413947 PMCID: PMC10900743 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01847-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crocodilians are one of the oldest extant vertebrate lineages, exhibiting a combination of evolutionary success and morphological resilience that has persisted throughout the history of life on Earth. This ability to endure over such a long geological time span is of great evolutionary importance. Here, we have utilized the combination of genomic and chromosomal data to identify and compare the full catalogs of satellite DNA families (satDNAs, i.e., the satellitomes) of 5 out of the 8 extant Alligatoridae species. As crocodilian genomes reveal ancestral patterns of evolution, by employing this multispecies data collection, we can investigate and assess how satDNA families evolve over time. RESULTS Alligators and caimans displayed a small number of satDNA families, ranging from 3 to 13 satDNAs in A. sinensis and C. latirostris, respectively. Together with little variation both within and between species it highlighted long-term conservation of satDNA elements throughout evolution. Furthermore, we traced the origin of the ancestral forms of all satDNAs belonging to the common ancestor of Caimaninae and Alligatorinae. Fluorescence in situ experiments showed distinct hybridization patterns for identical orthologous satDNAs, indicating their dynamic genomic placement. CONCLUSIONS Alligators and caimans possess one of the smallest satDNA libraries ever reported, comprising only four sets of satDNAs that are shared by all species. Besides, our findings indicated limited intraspecific variation in satellite DNA, suggesting that the majority of new satellite sequences likely evolved from pre-existing ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa C Sales-Oliveira
- Departamento de Genética E Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Manuel A Garrido-Ramos
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Marie Altmanová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 27721, Liběchov, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Thomas Liehr
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
| | | | | | - Marcelo B Cioffi
- Departamento de Genética E Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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Sales-Oliveira V, Altmanová M, Gvoždík V, Kretschmer R, Ezaz T, Liehr T, Padutsch N, Badjedjea G, Utsunomia R, Tanomtong A, Cioffi M. Cross-species chromosome painting and repetitive DNA mapping illuminate the karyotype evolution in true crocodiles (Crocodylidae). Chromosoma 2023; 132:289-303. [PMID: 37493806 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00806-6] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Crocodilians have maintained very similar karyotype structures and diploid chromosome numbers for around 100 million years, with only minor variations in collinearity. Why this karyotype structure has largely stayed unaltered for so long is unclear. In this study, we analyzed the karyotypes of six species belonging to the genera Crocodylus and Osteolaemus (Crocodylidae, true crocodiles), among which the Congolian endemic O. osborni was included and investigated. We utilized various techniques (differential staining, fluorescence in situ hybridization with repetitive DNA and rDNA probes, whole chromosome painting, and comparative genomic hybridization) to better understand how crocodile chromosomes evolved. We studied representatives of three of the four main diploid chromosome numbers found in crocodiles (2n = 30/32/38). Our data provided new information about the species studied, including the identification of four major chromosomal rearrangements that occurred during the karyotype diversification process in crocodiles. These changes led to the current diploid chromosome numbers of 2n = 30 (fusion) and 2n = 38 (fissions), derived from the ancestral state of 2n = 32. The conserved cytogenetic tendency in crocodilians, where extant species keep near-ancestral state, contrasts with the more dynamic karyotype evolution seen in other major reptile groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Sales-Oliveira
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marie Altmanová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 27721, Liběchov, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Gvoždík
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, National Museum of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rafael Kretschmer
- Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Thomas Liehr
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Niklas Padutsch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Gabriel Badjedjea
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Biodiversity Monitoring Center, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Alongklod Tanomtong
- Department of Biology Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Muang, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Marcelo Cioffi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
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Romanenko SA, Prokopov DY, Proskuryakova AA, Davletshina GI, Tupikin AE, Kasai F, Ferguson-Smith MA, Trifonov VA. The Cytogenetic Map of the Nile Crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus, Crocodylidae, Reptilia) with Fluorescence In Situ Localization of Major Repetitive DNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13063. [PMID: 36361851 PMCID: PMC9656864 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Tandemly arranged and dispersed repetitive DNA sequences are important structural and functional elements that make up a significant portion of vertebrate genomes. Using high throughput, low coverage whole genome sequencing followed by bioinformatics analysis, we have identified seven major tandem repetitive DNAs and two fragments of LTR retrotransposons in the genome of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus, 2n = 32). The repeats showed great variability in structure, genomic organization, and chromosomal distribution as revealed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We found that centromeric and pericentromeric heterochromatin of C. niloticus is composed of previously described in Crocodylus siamensis CSI-HindIII and CSI-DraI repetitive sequence families, a satellite revealed in Crocodylus porosus, and additionally contains at least three previously unannotated tandem repeats. Both LTR sequences identified here belong to the ERV1 family of endogenous retroviruses. Each pericentromeric region was characterized by a diverse set of repeats, with the exception of chromosome pair 4, in which we found only one type of satellite. Only a few repeats showed non-centromeric signals in addition to their centromeric localization. Mapping of 18S-28S ribosomal RNA genes and telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n did not demonstrate any co-localization of these sequences with revealed centromeric and pericentromeric heterochromatic blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana A. Romanenko
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Dmitry Yu. Prokopov
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anastasia A. Proskuryakova
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Guzel I. Davletshina
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Alexey E. Tupikin
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Fumio Kasai
- Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources (JCRB) Cell Bank, Laboratory of Cell Cultures, The National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki 567-0085, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | | | - Vladimir A. Trifonov
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Department of Natural Science, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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Poignet M, Johnson Pokorná M, Altmanová M, Majtánová Z, Dedukh D, Albrecht T, Reif J, Osiejuk TS, Reifová R. Comparison of Karyotypes in Two Hybridizing Passerine Species: Conserved Chromosomal Structure but Divergence in Centromeric Repeats. Front Genet 2021; 12:768987. [PMID: 34938317 PMCID: PMC8687609 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.768987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in chromosomal structure involving chromosomal rearrangements or copy number variation of specific sequences can play an important role in speciation. Here, we explored the chromosomal structure of two hybridizing passerine species; the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia), using conventional cytogenetic approaches, immunostaining of meiotic chromosomes, fluorescence in situ hybridization as well as comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). We found that the two nightingale species show conserved karyotypes with the same diploid chromosome number of 2n = 84. In addition to standard chromosomes, both species possessed a small germline restricted chromosome of similar size as a microchromosome. Just a few subtle changes in chromosome morphology were observed between the species, suggesting that only a limited number of chromosomal rearrangements occurred after the species divergence. The interspecific CGH experiment suggested that the two nightingale species might have diverged in centromeric repetitive sequences in most macro- and microchromosomes. In addition, some chromosomes showed changes in copy number of centromeric repeats between the species. The observation of very similar karyotypes in the two nightingale species is consistent with a generally slow rate of karyotype evolution in birds. The divergence of centromeric sequences between the two species could theoretically cause meiotic drive or reduced fertility in interspecific hybrids. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to evaluate the potential role of chromosomal structural variations in nightingale speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Poignet
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Johnson Pokorná
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Altmanová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Majtánová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Dmitry Dedukh
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Reif
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Tomasz S. Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Radka Reifová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Waters PD, Patel HR, Ruiz-Herrera A, Álvarez-González L, Lister NC, Simakov O, Ezaz T, Kaur P, Frere C, Grützner F, Georges A, Graves JAM. Microchromosomes are building blocks of bird, reptile, and mammal chromosomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2112494118. [PMID: 34725164 PMCID: PMC8609325 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112494118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Microchromosomes, once considered unimportant shreds of the chicken genome, are gene-rich elements with a high GC content and few transposable elements. Their origin has been debated for decades. We used cytological and whole-genome sequence comparisons, and chromosome conformation capture, to trace their origin and fate in genomes of reptiles, birds, and mammals. We find that microchromosomes as well as macrochromosomes are highly conserved across birds and share synteny with single small chromosomes of the chordate amphioxus, attesting to their origin as elements of an ancient animal genome. Turtles and squamates (snakes and lizards) share different subsets of ancestral microchromosomes, having independently lost microchromosomes by fusion with other microchromosomes or macrochromosomes. Patterns of fusions were quite different in different lineages. Cytological observations show that microchromosomes in all lineages are spatially separated into a central compartment at interphase and during mitosis and meiosis. This reflects higher interaction between microchromosomes than with macrochromosomes, as observed by chromosome conformation capture, and suggests some functional coherence. In highly rearranged genomes fused microchromosomes retain most ancestral characteristics, but these may erode over evolutionary time; surprisingly, de novo microchromosomes have rapidly adopted high interaction. Some chromosomes of early-branching monotreme mammals align to several bird microchromosomes, suggesting multiple microchromosome fusions in a mammalian ancestor. Subsequently, multiple rearrangements fueled the extraordinary karyotypic diversity of therian mammals. Thus, microchromosomes, far from being aberrant genetic elements, represent fundamental building blocks of amniote chromosomes, and it is mammals, rather than reptiles and birds, that are atypical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Waters
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Hardip R Patel
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Aurora Ruiz-Herrera
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193, Spain
- Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193, Spain
| | - Lucía Álvarez-González
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193, Spain
- Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193, Spain
| | - Nicholas C Lister
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Parwinder Kaur
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Celine Frere
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Frank Grützner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Jennifer A Marshall Graves
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia;
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3068, Australia
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