1
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Machii N, Hatashima R, Niwa T, Taguchi H, Kimirei IA, Mrosso HDJ, Aibara M, Nagasawa T, Nikaido M. Pronounced expression of extracellular matrix proteoglycans regulated by Wnt pathway underlies the parallel evolution of lip hypertrophy in East African cichlids. eLife 2025; 13:RP99160. [PMID: 40259743 PMCID: PMC12014132 DOI: 10.7554/elife.99160] [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] [Indexed: 04/23/2025] Open
Abstract
Cichlid fishes inhabiting the East African Great Lakes, Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika, are textbook examples of parallel evolution, as they have acquired similar traits independently in each of the three lakes during the process of adaptive radiation. In particular, 'hypertrophied lip' has been highlighted as a prominent example of parallel evolution. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted an integrated comparative analysis between the hypertrophied and normal lips of cichlids across three lakes based on histology, proteomics, and transcriptomics. Histological and proteomic analyses revealed that the hypertrophied lips were characterized by enlargement of the proteoglycan-rich layer, in which versican and periostin proteins were abundant. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression of extracellular matrix-related genes, including collagens, glycoproteins, and proteoglycans, was higher in hypertrophied lips, regardless of their phylogenetic relationships. In addition, the genes in Wnt signaling pathway, which is involved in promoting proteoglycan expression, was highly expressed in both the juvenile and adult stages of hypertrophied lips. Our comprehensive analyses showed that hypertrophied lips of the three different phylogenetic origins can be explained by similar proteomic and transcriptomic profiles, which may provide important clues into the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic parallelisms in East African cichlids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagatoshi Machii
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Ryo Hatashima
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Tatsuya Niwa
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
- Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan
| | - Hideki Taguchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
- Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan
| | - Ismael A Kimirei
- Tanzania Fisheries Research InstituteDar es SalaamUnited Republic of Tanzania
| | - Hillary DJ Mrosso
- Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), Mwanza Fisheries Research CenterMwanzaUnited Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mitsuto Aibara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Tatsuki Nagasawa
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Masato Nikaido
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
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2
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Park J, Ke W, Kaage A, Feigin CY, Griffing AH, Pritykin Y, Donia MS, Mallarino R. Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides mediate immune protection in marsupial neonates. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2025; 11:eads6359. [PMID: 40238884 PMCID: PMC12002115 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads6359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2025] [Indexed: 04/18/2025]
Abstract
Marsupial neonates are born with immature immune systems, making them vulnerable to pathogens. While neonates receive maternal protection, they can also independently combat pathogens, although the mechanisms remain unknown. Using the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) as a model, we investigated immunological defense strategies of marsupial neonates. Cathelicidins-a family of antimicrobial peptides expanded in the genomes of marsupials-are highly expressed in developing neutrophils. Sugar glider cathelicidins reside in two genomic clusters, and their coordinated expression is achieved by enhancer sharing within clusters and long-range physical interactions between clusters. Functionally, cathelicidins modulate immune responses and have potent antibacterial effects, sufficient to provide protection in a mouse model of sepsis. Evolutionarily, cathelicidins have a complex history, with marsupials and monotremes uniquely retaining both clusters among tetrapods. Thus, cathelicidins are critical mediators of marsupial immunity, and their evolution may reflect the life history-specific immunological needs of these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongbeom Park
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Wenfan Ke
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Aellah Kaage
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Charles Y. Feigin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Aaron H. Griffing
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Yuri Pritykin
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Mohamed S. Donia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Ricardo Mallarino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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3
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Park J, Ke W, Kaage A, Feigin CY, Pritykin Y, Donia MS, Mallarino R. Marsupial immune protection is shaped by enhancer sharing and gene cluster duplication of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.29.605640. [PMID: 39211247 PMCID: PMC11361154 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.29.605640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Marsupial neonates are born with immature immune systems, making them vulnerable to pathogens. While neonates receive maternal protection, they can also independently combat pathogens, though the mechanisms remain unknown. Using the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) as a model, we investigated immunological defense strategies of marsupial neonates. Cathelicidins, a family of antimicrobial peptides expanded in the genomes of marsupials, are highly expressed in developing neutrophils. Sugar glider cathelicidins reside in two genomic clusters and their coordinated expression is achieved by enhancer sharing within clusters and long-range physical interactions between clusters. These cathelicidins modulate immune responses and have potent antimicrobial effects, sufficient to provide protection in a mouse model of sepsis. Lastly, cathelicidins have a complex evolutionary history, where marsupials and monotremes are the only tetrapods that retained two cathelicidin clusters. Thus, cathelicidins are critical mediators of marsupial immunity, and their evolution reflects the life history-specific immunological needs of these animals.
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4
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Gonçalves C, Harrison MC, Steenwyk JL, Opulente DA, LaBella AL, Wolters JF, Zhou X, Shen XX, Groenewald M, Hittinger CT, Rokas A. Diverse signatures of convergent evolution in cactus-associated yeasts. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002832. [PMID: 39312572 PMCID: PMC11449361 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2024] [Revised: 10/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Many distantly related organisms have convergently evolved traits and lifestyles that enable them to live in similar ecological environments. However, the extent of phenotypic convergence evolving through the same or distinct genetic trajectories remains an open question. Here, we leverage a comprehensive dataset of genomic and phenotypic data from 1,049 yeast species in the subphylum Saccharomycotina (Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota) to explore signatures of convergent evolution in cactophilic yeasts, ecological specialists associated with cacti. We inferred that the ecological association of yeasts with cacti arose independently approximately 17 times. Using a machine learning-based approach, we further found that cactophily can be predicted with 76% accuracy from both functional genomic and phenotypic data. The most informative feature for predicting cactophily was thermotolerance, which we found to be likely associated with altered evolutionary rates of genes impacting the cell envelope in several cactophilic lineages. We also identified horizontal gene transfer and duplication events of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes in distantly related cactophilic clades, suggesting that putatively adaptive traits evolved independently through disparate molecular mechanisms. Notably, we found that multiple cactophilic species and their close relatives have been reported as emerging human opportunistic pathogens, suggesting that the cactophilic lifestyle-and perhaps more generally lifestyles favoring thermotolerance-might preadapt yeasts to cause human disease. This work underscores the potential of a multifaceted approach involving high-throughput genomic and phenotypic data to shed light onto ecological adaptation and highlights how convergent evolution to wild environments could facilitate the transition to human pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Gonçalves
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy and UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO-i4HB, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Marie-Claire Harrison
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Howards Hughes Medical Institute and the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Dana A. Opulente
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Abigail L. LaBella
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - John F. Wolters
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xing-Xing Shen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Chris Todd Hittinger
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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5
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Burtner AE, M. Grossnickle D, Santana SE, Law CJ. Gliding toward an understanding of the origin of flight in bats. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17824. [PMID: 39071138 PMCID: PMC11283779 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight and have correspondingly specialized body plans, particularly in their limb morphology. The origin of bat flight is still not fully understood due to an uninformative fossil record but, from the perspective of a functional transition, it is widely hypothesized that bats evolved from gliding ancestors. Here, we test predictions of the gliding-to-flying hypothesis of the origin of bat flight by using phylogenetic comparative methods to model the evolution of forelimb and hindlimb traits on a dataset spanning four extinct bats and 231 extant mammals with diverse locomotor modes. Our results reveal that gliders exhibit adaptive trait optima (1) toward relatively elongate forelimbs that are intermediate between those of bats and non-gliding arborealists, and (2) toward relatively narrower but not longer hindlimbs that are intermediate between those of non-gliders and bats. We propose an adaptive landscape based on limb length and width optimal trends derived from our modeling analyses. Our results support a hypothetical evolutionary pathway wherein glider-like postcranial morphology precedes a bat-like morphology adapted to powered-flight, setting a foundation for future developmental, biomechanical, and evolutionary research to test this idea.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David M. Grossnickle
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR, United States
| | | | - Chris J. Law
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
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6
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Hartley GA, Frankenberg SR, Robinson NM, MacDonald AJ, Hamede RK, Burridge CP, Jones ME, Faulkner T, Shute H, Rose K, Brewster R, O'Neill RJ, Renfree MB, Pask AJ, Feigin CY. Genome of the endangered eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) reveals signatures of historical decline and pelage color evolution. Commun Biol 2024; 7:636. [PMID: 38796620 PMCID: PMC11128018 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06251-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) is an endangered marsupial native to Australia. Since the extirpation of its mainland populations in the 20th century, wild eastern quolls have been restricted to two islands at the southern end of their historical range. Eastern quolls are the subject of captive breeding programs and attempts have been made to re-establish a population in mainland Australia. However, few resources currently exist to guide the genetic management of this species. Here, we generated a reference genome for the eastern quoll with gene annotations supported by multi-tissue transcriptomes. Our assembly is among the most complete marsupial genomes currently available. Using this assembly, we infer the species' demographic history, identifying potential evidence of a long-term decline beginning in the late Pleistocene. Finally, we identify a deletion at the ASIP locus that likely underpins pelage color differences between the eastern quoll and the closely related Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Hartley
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | | | - Natasha M Robinson
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Anna J MacDonald
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Kingston, TAS, 7050, Australia
| | - Rodrigo K Hamede
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7005, Australia
| | | | - Menna E Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7005, Australia
| | - Tim Faulkner
- Australian Reptile Park & Aussie Ark, Somersby, NSW, 2250, Australia
| | - Hayley Shute
- Australian Reptile Park & Aussie Ark, Somersby, NSW, 2250, Australia
| | - Karrie Rose
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
| | - Rob Brewster
- WWF-Australia, PO Box 528, Sydney, NSW, 2001, Australia
| | - Rachel J O'Neill
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Marilyn B Renfree
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pask
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia
| | - Charles Y Feigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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7
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Shao H, Huang J, Wang H, Wang G, Yang X, Cheng M, Sun C, Zou L, Yang Q, Zhang D, Liu Z, Jiang X, Shi L, Shi P, Han B, Jiao B. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) inhibits milk production efficiency in mammals. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3953. [PMID: 38729967 PMCID: PMC11087553 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48428-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient milk production in mammals confers evolutionary advantages by facilitating the transmission of energy from mother to offspring. However, the regulatory mechanism responsible for the gradual establishment of milk production efficiency in mammals, from marsupials to eutherians, remains elusive. Here, we find that mammary gland of the marsupial sugar glider contained milk components during adolescence, and that mammary gland development is less dynamically cyclic compared to that in placental mammals. Furthermore, fused in sarcoma (FUS) is found to be partially responsible for this establishment of low efficiency. In mouse model, FUS inhibit mammary epithelial cell differentiation through the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57Kip2, leading to lactation failure and pup starvation. Clinically, FUS levels are negatively correlated with milk production in lactating women. Overall, our results shed light on FUS as a negative regulator of milk production, providing a potential mechanism for the establishment of milk production from marsupial to eutherian mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haili Shao
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Jipeng Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Guolei Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong, 261042, China
| | - Xu Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Mei Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Changjie Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Li Zou
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Qin Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Luoyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Luoyang, Henan, 471000, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Xuelong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Lei Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Peng Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650203, China
| | - Baowei Han
- Luoyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Luoyang, Henan, 471000, China.
| | - Baowei Jiao
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China.
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650203, China.
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8
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Moreno JA, Dudchenko O, Feigin CY, Mereby SA, Chen Z, Ramos R, Almet AA, Sen H, Brack BJ, Johnson MR, Li S, Wang W, Gaska JM, Ploss A, Weisz D, Omer AD, Yao W, Colaric Z, Kaur P, Leger JS, Nie Q, Mena A, Flanagan JP, Keller G, Sanger T, Ostrow B, Plikus MV, Kvon EZ, Aiden EL, Mallarino R. Emx2 underlies the development and evolution of marsupial gliding membranes. Nature 2024; 629:127-135. [PMID: 38658750 PMCID: PMC11062917 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07305-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Phenotypic variation among species is a product of evolutionary changes to developmental programs1,2. However, how these changes generate novel morphological traits remains largely unclear. Here we studied the genomic and developmental basis of the mammalian gliding membrane, or patagium-an adaptative trait that has repeatedly evolved in different lineages, including in closely related marsupial species. Through comparative genomic analysis of 15 marsupial genomes, both from gliding and non-gliding species, we find that the Emx2 locus experienced lineage-specific patterns of accelerated cis-regulatory evolution in gliding species. By combining epigenomics, transcriptomics and in-pouch marsupial transgenics, we show that Emx2 is a critical upstream regulator of patagium development. Moreover, we identify different cis-regulatory elements that may be responsible for driving increased Emx2 expression levels in gliding species. Lastly, using mouse functional experiments, we find evidence that Emx2 expression patterns in gliders may have been modified from a pre-existing program found in all mammals. Together, our results suggest that patagia repeatedly originated through a process of convergent genomic evolution, whereby regulation of Emx2 was altered by distinct cis-regulatory elements in independently evolved species. Thus, different regulatory elements targeting the same key developmental gene may constitute an effective strategy by which natural selection has harnessed regulatory evolution in marsupial genomes to generate phenotypic novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Moreno
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- The Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Charles Y Feigin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah A Mereby
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Zhuoxin Chen
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Raul Ramos
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Axel A Almet
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Harsha Sen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin J Brack
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew R Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sha Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Lewis Sigler Center for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jenna M Gaska
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Alexander Ploss
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Arina D Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Weijie Yao
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zane Colaric
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Parwinder Kaur
- The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Judy St Leger
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Qing Nie
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Greta Keller
- Department of Biology, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Thomas Sanger
- Department of Biology, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bruce Ostrow
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USA
| | - Maksim V Plikus
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Evgeny Z Kvon
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- The Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Ricardo Mallarino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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9
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Gonçalves C, Harrison MC, Steenwyk JL, Opulente DA, LaBella AL, Wolters JF, Zhou X, Shen XX, Groenewald M, Hittinger CT, Rokas A. Diverse signatures of convergent evolution in cacti-associated yeasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.14.557833. [PMID: 37745407 PMCID: PMC10515907 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Many distantly related organisms have convergently evolved traits and lifestyles that enable them to live in similar ecological environments. However, the extent of phenotypic convergence evolving through the same or distinct genetic trajectories remains an open question. Here, we leverage a comprehensive dataset of genomic and phenotypic data from 1,049 yeast species in the subphylum Saccharomycotina (Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota) to explore signatures of convergent evolution in cactophilic yeasts, ecological specialists associated with cacti. We inferred that the ecological association of yeasts with cacti arose independently ~17 times. Using machine-learning, we further found that cactophily can be predicted with 76% accuracy from functional genomic and phenotypic data. The most informative feature for predicting cactophily was thermotolerance, which is likely associated with duplication and altered evolutionary rates of genes impacting the cell envelope in several cactophilic lineages. We also identified horizontal gene transfer and duplication events of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes in distantly related cactophilic clades, suggesting that putatively adaptive traits evolved through disparate molecular mechanisms. Remarkably, multiple cactophilic lineages and their close relatives are emerging human opportunistic pathogens, suggesting that the cactophilic lifestyle-and perhaps more generally lifestyles favoring thermotolerance-may preadapt yeasts to cause human disease. This work underscores the potential of a multifaceted approach involving high throughput genomic and phenotypic data to shed light onto ecological adaptation and highlights how convergent evolution to wild environments could facilitate the transition to human pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Gonçalves
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Present address: Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy and UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Present address: UCIBIO-i4HB, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Marie-Claire Harrison
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Howards Hughes Medical Institute and the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Dana A. Opulente
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institu te, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Abigail L. LaBella
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte NC 28223
| | - John F. Wolters
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institu te, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xing-Xing Shen
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | | | - Chris Todd Hittinger
- Laboratory of Genetics, DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, Wisconsin Energy Institu te, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, VU Station B #35-1634, Nashville, TN 37235, United States of America
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
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How gliding mammals developed the flaps for 'flight'. Nature 2023:10.1038/d41586-023-00877-6. [PMID: 36973459 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-00877-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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