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_STTWVQ	Tursiops truncatus	HERC6	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_SUAC7C	Tursiops truncatus	ASIC5	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_SUNPDO	Physeter catodon	MGST2	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_SV4D8Q	Balaenoptera acutorostrata	ANXA9	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_SWJS85	Tursiops truncatus	CTBS	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_SXZ5FR	Tursiops truncatus	SERPINB7	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_T2ZBYJ	Orcinus orca	CTBS	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_TANJFO	Physeter catodon	FMO1	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_TKQCBF	Physeter catodon	MS4A5	Other	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671
GL_TKT5PS	Tursiops truncatus	PGLYRP1	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1126/sciadv.aaw6671