Gene Loss

Publication Details

Identifier: JB_NQODVS

Curator: M. Lopes-Marques

Title:

Genes lost during the transition from land to water in cetaceans highlight genomic changes associated with aquatic adaptations.

Abstract:

The transition from land to water in whales and dolphins (cetaceans) was accompanied by remarkable adaptations. To reveal genomic changes that occurred during this transition, we screened for protein-coding genes that were inactivated in the ancestral cetacean lineage. We found 85 gene losses. Some of these were likely beneficial for cetaceans, for example, by reducing the risk of thrombus formation during diving (F12 and KLKB1), erroneous DNA damage repair (POLM), and oxidative stress-induced lung inflammation (MAP3K19). Additional gene losses may reflect other diving-related adaptations, such as enhanced vasoconstriction during the diving response (mediated by SLC6A18) and altered pulmonary surfactant composition (SEC14L3), while loss of SLC4A9 relates to a reduced need for saliva. Last, loss of melatonin synthesis and receptor genes (AANAT, ASMT, and MTNR1A/B) may have been a precondition for adopting unihemispheric sleep. Our findings suggest that some genes lost in ancestral cetaceans were likely involved in adapting to a fully aquatic lifestyle.

Last update:

23-07-2024

Associated Glosses (266 results)

GlossID	Species	Symbol	Gene Loss Mechanism	Loss Type	Lineage Specific	Citation
GL_GBAQYA	Tursiops truncatus	ADGRG7	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GBVOFP	Orcinus orca	MSS51	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GIGPK1	Physeter catodon	ANKZF1	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GO0YAH	Balaenoptera acutorostrata	TREM1	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GSWO1N	Balaenoptera acutorostrata	PGLYRP1	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GXHMTC	Orcinus orca	SLC6A18	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GXQP4T	Tursiops truncatus	WDR49	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_GXT9UQ	Balaenoptera acutorostrata	GARIN1A	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_H63MOE	Physeter catodon	WDR49	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_H8NOX2	Orcinus orca	PTGR1	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671