How to Make a Rodent Giant: Genomic Basis and Tradeoffs of Gigantism in the Capybara, the World's Largest Rodent.

ABSTRACT: Gigantism results when one lineage within a clade evolves extremely large body size relative to its small-bodied ancestors, a common phenomenon in animals. Theory predicts that the evolution of giants should be constrained by two tradeoffs. First, because body size is negatively correlated with population size, purifying selection is expected to be less efficient in species of large body size, leading to increased mutational load. Second, gigantism is achieved through generating a higher number of cells along with higher rates of cell proliferation, thus increasing the likelihood of cancer. To explore the genetic basis of gigantism in rodents and uncover genomic signatures of gigantism-related tradeoffs, we assembled a draft genome of the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), the world's l

SUBMITTER: Herrera-Alvarez S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8097284 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature