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_PDIN8Q	Nannospalax galili	BEST1	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_PH4HK5	Pteropus alecto	FABP6	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_Q9UMMT	Physeter catodon	KRT82	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_QNJRI0	Nannospalax galili	BFSP2	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_QNKWVK	Oryctolagus cuniculus	CCL8	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_QTRBNX	Nannospalax galili	RBP3	Other	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_S1EZUJ	Trichechus manatus	MMP12	LOF (frameshift, premature stop, ss)	Full	Sirenia	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_SFERHV	Orcinus orca	DSG4	Exon(s) deletion	Full	Cetacea	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_SHJIQN	Pteropus alecto	RHBG	Exon(s) deletion	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1
GL_SHUQ1D	Pteropus alecto	SLC22A6	Exon(s) deletion	Full	No	10.1038/s41467-018-03667-1