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Giannini NP, Cannell A, Amador LI, Simmons NB. Palaeoatmosphere facilitates a gliding transition to powered flight in the Eocene bat, Onychonycteris finneyi. Commun Biol 2024; 7:365. [PMID: 38532113 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06032-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary transition to powered flight remains controversial in bats, the only flying mammals. We applied aerodynamic modeling to reconstruct flight in the oldest complete fossil bat, the archaic Onychonycteris finneyi from the early Eocene of North America. Results indicate that Onychonycteris was capable of both gliding and powered flight either in a standard normodense aerial medium or in the hyperdense atmosphere that we estimate for the Eocene from two independent palaeogeochemical proxies. Aerodynamic continuity across a morphological gradient is further demonstrated by modeled intermediate forms with increasing aspect ratio (AR) produced by digital elongation based on chiropteran developmental data. Here a gliding performance gradient emerged of decreasing sink rate with increasing AR that eventually allowed applying available muscle power to achieve level flight using flapping, which is greatly facilitated in hyperdense air. This gradient strongly supports a gliding (trees-down) transition to powered flight in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norberto P Giannini
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, NY, USA.
| | - Alan Cannell
- ISIPU - Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana, Rome, Italy
- Instituto de Estudos Avançados, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Lucila I Amador
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, NY, USA
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Newton AH, Smith CA. Resolving the mechanisms underlying epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of the lateral plate mesoderm. Genesis 2024; 62:e23531. [PMID: 37443419 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23531] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Formation of the vertebrate limb buds begins with a localized epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the somatic lateral plate mesoderm (LPM). While the processes that drive proliferation and outgrowth of the limb mesenchyme are well established, the fundamental mechanisms that precede this process and initiate EMT are less understood. In this review, we outline putative drivers of EMT of the LPM, drawing from analyses across a range of vertebrates and developmental models. We detail the expression patterns of key EMT transcriptional regulators in the somatic LPM of the presumptive limb fields, and their potential role in producing a mesenchymal cell fate. These include a putative cooperative role between the EMT inducers PRRX1 and TWIST1, supported by evidence in zebrafish and chicken models but unconfirmed data from mice. As such, additional functional data are required to definitively determine the mechanisms that initiate and drive EMT of the somatic LPM, a critical transition preceding formation of the limb bud mesenchyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel H Newton
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Gayford JH. The genetics-morphology-behavior trifecta: Unraveling the single greatest limitation affecting our understanding of chondrichthyan evolution. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10204. [PMID: 37332516 PMCID: PMC10276327 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10204] [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: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sharks, rays, and chimaera form the clade Chondrichthyes, an ancient group of morphologically and ecologically diverse vertebrates that has played an important role in our understanding of gnathostome evolution. Increasingly, studies seek to investigate evolutionary processes operating within the chondrichthyan crown group, with the broad aim of understanding the driving forces behind the vast phenotypic diversity observed among its constituent taxa. Genetic, morphological, and behavioral studies have all contributed to our understanding of phenotypic evolution yet are typically considered in isolation in the context of Chondrichthyes. In this viewpoint, I discuss why such isolation is prevalent in the literature, how it constrains our understanding of evolution, and how it might be overcome. I argue that integrating these core fields of organismal biology is vital if we are to understand the evolutionary processes operating in contemporary chondrichthyan taxa and how such processes have contributed to past phenotypic evolution. Despite this, the necessary tools to overcome this major limitation already exist and have been applied to other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel H. Gayford
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College LondonLondonUK
- Shark MeasurementsLondonUK
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Anthwal N, Urban DJ, Sadier A, Takenaka R, Spiro S, Simmons N, Behringer RR, Cretekos CJ, Rasweiler JJ, Sears KE. Insights into the formation and diversification of a novel chiropteran wing membrane from embryonic development. BMC Biol 2023; 21:101. [PMID: 37143038 PMCID: PMC10161559 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01598-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Through the evolution of novel wing structures, bats (Order Chiroptera) became the only mammalian group to achieve powered flight. This achievement preceded the massive adaptive radiation of bats into diverse ecological niches. We investigate some of the developmental processes that underlie the origin and subsequent diversification of one of the novel membranes of the bat wing: the plagiopatagium, which connects the fore- and hind limb in all bat species. RESULTS Our results suggest that the plagiopatagium initially arises through novel outgrowths from the body flank that subsequently merge with the limbs to generate the wing airfoil. Our findings further suggest that this merging process, which is highly conserved across bats, occurs through modulation of the programs controlling the development of the periderm of the epidermal epithelium. Finally, our results suggest that the shape of the plagiopatagium begins to diversify in bats only after this merging has occurred. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates how focusing on the evolution of cellular processes can inform an understanding of the developmental factors shaping the evolution of novel, highly adaptive structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal Anthwal
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel J Urban
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, USA
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Biology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA
| | - Alexa Sadier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Risa Takenaka
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | | | - Nancy Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Biology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
| | | | - John J Rasweiler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Karen E Sears
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA.
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Rothier PS, Fabre AC, Clavel J, Benson RBJ, Herrel A. Mammalian forelimb evolution is driven by uneven proximal-to-distal morphological diversity. eLife 2023; 12:81492. [PMID: 36700542 PMCID: PMC9908075 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate limb morphology often reflects the environment due to variation in locomotor requirements. However, proximal and distal limb segments may evolve differently from one another, reflecting an anatomical gradient of functional specialization that has been suggested to be impacted by the timing of development. Here, we explore whether the temporal sequence of bone condensation predicts variation in the capacity of evolution to generate morphological diversity in proximal and distal forelimb segments across more than 600 species of mammals. Distal elements not only exhibit greater shape diversity, but also show stronger within-element integration and, on average, faster evolutionary responses than intermediate and upper limb segments. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that late developing distal bones display greater morphological variation than more proximal limb elements. However, the higher integration observed within the autopod deviates from such developmental predictions, suggesting that functional specialization plays an important role in driving within-element covariation. Proximal and distal limb segments also show different macroevolutionary patterns, albeit not showing a perfect proximo-distal gradient. The high disparity of the mammalian autopod, reported here, is consistent with the higher potential of development to generate variation in more distal limb structures, as well as functional specialization of the distal elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila S Rothier
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Naturhistorisches Museum BernBernSwitzerland
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Life Sciences Department, Vertebrates Division, Natural History MuseumLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Julien Clavel
- Life Sciences Department, Vertebrates Division, Natural History MuseumLondonUnited Kingdom
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023VilleurbanneFrance
| | - Roger BJ Benson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
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Anthwal N, Tucker AS. Evolution and development of the mammalian jaw joint: Making a novel structure. Evol Dev 2023; 25:3-14. [PMID: 36504442 PMCID: PMC10078425 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A jaw joint between the squamosal and dentary is a defining feature of mammals and is referred to as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in humans. Driven by changes in dentition and jaw musculature, this new joint evolved early in the mammalian ancestral lineage and permitted the transference of the ancestral jaw joint into the middle ear. The fossil record demonstrates the steps in the cynodont lineage that led to the acquisition of the TMJ, including the expansion of the dentary bone, formation of the coronoid process, and initial contact between the dentary and squamosal. From a developmental perspective, the components of the TMJ form through tissue interactions of muscle and skeletal elements, as well as through interaction between the jaw and the cranial base, with the signals involved in these interactions being both biomechanical and biochemical. In this review, we discuss the development of the TMJ in an evolutionary context. We describe the evolution of the TMJ in the fossil record and the development of the TMJ in embryonic development. We address the formation of key elements of the TMJ and how knowledge from developmental biology can inform our understanding of TMJ evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal Anthwal
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentisry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, London, UK
| | - Abigail S Tucker
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentisry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, London, UK
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Gene expression changes during the evolution of the tetrapod limb. Biol Futur 2022; 73:411-426. [PMID: 36355308 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-022-00136-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Major changes in the vertebrate anatomy have preceded the conquest of land by the members of this taxon, and continuous changes in limb shape and use have occurred during the later radiation of tetrapods. While the main, conserved mechanisms of limb development have been discerned over the past century using a combination of classical embryological and molecular methods, only recent advances made it possible to identify and study the regulatory changes that have contributed to the evolution of the tetrapod appendage. These advances include the expansion of the model repertoire from traditional genetic model species to non-conventional ones, a proliferation of predictive mathematical models that describe gene interactions, an explosion in genomic data and the development of high-throughput methodologies. These revolutionary innovations make it possible to identify specific mutations that are behind specific transitions in limb evolution. Also, as we continue to apply them to more and more extant species, we can expect to gain a fine-grained view of this evolutionary transition that has been so consequential for our species as well.
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