Evolution of ion channels in cetaceans: a natural experiment in the tree of life.

ABSTRACT: Cetaceans represent a natural experiment within the tree of life in which a lineage changed from terrestrial to aquatic habitats. This shift involved phenotypic modifications, representing an opportunity to explore the genetic bases of phenotypic diversity. Among the different molecular systems that maintain cellular homeostasis, ion channels are crucial for the proper physiological functioning of all living species. This study aims to explore the evolution of ion channels during the evolutionary history of cetaceans. To do so, we created a bioinformatic pipeline to annotate the repertoire of ion channels in the genome of the species included in our sampling. Our main results show that cetaceans have, on average, fewer protein-coding genes and a higher percentage of annotated ion channels

SUBMITTER: Uribe C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11266680 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature