| Functional |
"Adaptive nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) of placental mammals is predominantly mediated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), which resides at high levels in the mitochondrial inner membrane of brown adipose tissue (BAT) (1)." |
10.1126/sciadv.1602878 |
| Methodology & Validation |
"We thus verified this deletion in both African and Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) DNA samples via PCR and Sanger sequencing techniques. PCR was also used to obtain ucp1 sequences from the three-toed brown-throated sloth (B. variegatus), silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus), bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), Grant’s zebra (Equus quagga boehmi), black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), and Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). Specimen information is provided in table S7 (64, 69–71)." |
10.1126/sciadv.1602878 |
| Timing of Loss |
"The earliest disruptions of ucp1 function (likely Cretaceous; Fig. 3and table S3) occur in the ancestors of xenarthrans and pangolins,two groups that exhibit marked convergence in many ecological,morphological, and physiological traits and which are generallycharacterized by mediocre temperature-regulating mechanismsand low, labile body temperatures (29–32)" |
10.1126/sciadv.1602878 |