Gene Loss

Publication Details

Identifier: JB_UNTSYT

Curator: Gonçalo Themudo

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1

PMID: 29572503

Title:

A genomics approach reveals insights into the importance of gene losses for mammalian adaptations.

Abstract:

Identifying the genomic changes that underlie phenotypic adaptations is a key challenge in evolutionary biology and genomics. Loss of protein-coding genes is one type of genomic change with the potential to affect phenotypic evolution. Here, we develop a genomics approach to accurately detect gene losses and investigate their importance for adaptive evolution in mammals. We discover a number of gene losses that likely contributed to morphological, physiological, and metabolic adaptations in aquatic and flying mammals. These gene losses shed light on possible molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie these adaptive phenotypes. In addition, we show that gene loss events that occur as a consequence of relaxed selection following adaptation provide novel insights into species' biology. Our results suggest that gene loss is an evolutionary mechanism for adaptation that may be more widespread than previously anticipated. Hence, investigating gene losses has great potential to reveal the genomic basis underlying macroevolutionary changes.

Last update:

13-01-2025

Associated Glosses (111 results)

GlossID	Species	Symbol	Gene Loss Mechanism	Loss Type	Lineage Specific	Citation
GL_9UUW9W	Physeter catodon	MMP12	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_9ZZXTA	Orcinus orca	ALOXE3	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_ASKSUT	Physeter catodon	GSDMA	Exon(s) deletion	Full	Cetacea	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_ATHJPK	Mus musculus	BEX5	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_BXAQLA	Physeter catodon	TGM5	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Cetacea	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_CEUYBX	Orcinus orca	MX1	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_CJQM9R	Orcinus orca	KRT82	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_CMQXUK	Orcinus orca	MX2	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_CQ848G	Macaca mulatta	SNTN	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_D87JY1	Pteropus alecto	MOGAT2	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1