Comparative Genomics of the World's Smallest Mammals Reveals Links to Echolocation, Metabolism, and Body Size Plasticity.

ABSTRACT: Originating 30 million years ago, shrews (Soricidae) have diversified into around 400 species worldwide. Shrews display a wide array of adaptations, with some species having developed distinctive traits such as echolocation, underwater diving, and venomous saliva. Accordingly, these tiny insectivores are ideal to study the genomic mechanisms of evolution and adaptation. We conducted a comparative genomic analysis of four shrew species and 16 other mammals to identify genomic variations unique to shrews. Using two existing shrew genomes and two de novo assemblies for the maritime (Sorex maritimensis) and smoky (Sorex fumeus) shrews, we identified mutations in conserved regions of the genomes, also known as accelerated regions, gene families that underwent significant expansion, and positive

SUBMITTER: Cossette ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11544316 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature