Dataset Information

Genetics of white color and iridophoroma in "Lemon Frost" leopard geckos.

ABSTRACT: The squamates (lizards and snakes) are close relatives of birds and mammals, with more than 10,000 described species that display extensive variation in a number of important biological traits, including coloration, venom production, and regeneration. Due to a lack of genomic tools, few genetic studies in squamates have been carried out. The leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, is a popular companion animal, and displays a variety of coloration patterns. We took advantage of a large breeding colony and used linkage analysis, synteny, and homozygosity mapping to investigate a spontaneous semi-dominant mutation, "Lemon Frost", that produces white coloration and causes skin tumors (iridophoroma). We localized the mutation to a single locus which contains a strong candidate gene, SPINT1, a tumor suppressor implicated in human skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) and over-proliferation of epithelial cells in mice and zebrafish. Our work establishes the leopard gecko as a tractable genetic system and suggests that a tumor suppressor in melanocytes in humans can also suppress tumor development in iridophores in lizards.

SUBMITTER: Guo L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8224956 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genetics of white color and iridophoroma in "Lemon Frost" leopard geckos.

Guo Longhua L Bloom Joshua J Sykes Steve S Huang Elaine E Kashif Zain Z Pham Elise E Ho Katarina K Alcaraz Ana A Xiao Xinshu Grace XG Duarte-Vogel Sandra S Kruglyak Leonid L

PLoS genetics 20210624 6

The squamates (lizards and snakes) are close relatives of birds and mammals, with more than 10,000 described species that display extensive variation in a number of important biological traits, including coloration, venom production, and regeneration. Due to a lack of genomic tools, few genetic studies in squamates have been carried out. The leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, is a popular companion animal, and displays a variety of coloration patterns. We took advantage of a large breeding c ...[more]

PMID: 34166378

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Project description:Simple Summary Three adult female leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) belonging to three different owners were referred to for coelomic distention, anorexia, and weight loss. X-rays showed the presence of a macrosomic egg set in the third caudal of the coelomic cavity, and the diagnosis of dystocia was made in all three geckos. A cloacal endoscopic examination was performed on all three animals. A voluminous egg protruding through the urogenital papilla to the cloaca was visible. All the eggs were removed easily using endoscopic forceps. In two geckos, the eggshell was torn, and the content was aspirated to reduce the egg volume. After the procedure, a subcutaneous deslorelin implant was implanted. All geckos recovered rapidly after surgery. Two of the three geckos were healthy at the follow-up visit (respectively one and two years after the surgery) and did not show any signs of dystocia. Only in the third gecko, the dystocia recurred again 6 months later, and bilateral ovariosalpingectomy was performed. After surgery, the gecko recovered rapidly, resumed eating, and was discharged after one week of hospitalization in good condition. Abstract Dystocia is a multifactorial, life-threatening condition commonly affecting pet reptiles. Treatment for dystocia can be either medical or surgical. Medical treatment usually involves the administration of oxytocin, but in some species or, in some cases, this treatment does not work as expected. Surgical treatments such as ovariectomy or ovariosalpingectomy are resolutive, but invasive in small-sized reptiles. In this paper, we describe three cases of post ovulatory egg retention in three leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) successfully treated through a cloacoscopic removal of the retained eggs, after a non resolutive medical treatment. The intervention was fast, non-invasive, and no procedure-related adverse effects were noted. The problem relapsed six months later in one animal, and a successful bilateral ovariosalpingectomy was performed. Cloacoscopy should be considered a valuable, non-invasive tool for egg removal in dystocic leopard geckos when the egg is accessible to manipulation. Recrudescence or complications such as adhesions, oviductal rupture, or the presence of ectopic eggs should recommend surgical intervention.

Project description:Animal color patterns are widely studied in ecology, evolution, and through mathematical modeling. Patterns may vary among distinct body parts such as the head, trunk or tail. As large amounts of photographic data is becoming more easily available, there is a growing need for general quantitative methods for capturing and analyzing the full complexity and details of pattern variation. Detailed information on variation in color pattern elements is necessary to understand how patterns are produced and established during development, and which evolutionary forces may constrain such a variation. Here, we develop an approach to capture and analyze variation in melanistic color pattern elements in leopard geckos. We use this data to study the variation among different body parts of leopard geckos and to draw inferences about their development. We compare patterns using 14 different indices such as the ratio of melanistic versus total area, the ellipticity of spots, and the size of spots and use these to define a composite distance between two patterns. Pattern presence/absence among the different body parts indicates a clear pathway of pattern establishment from the head to the back legs. Together with weak within-individual correlation between leg patterns and main body patterns, this suggests that pattern establishment in the head and tail may be independent from the rest of the body. We found that patterns vary greatest in size and density of the spots among body parts and individuals, but little in their average shapes. We also found a correlation between the melanistic patterns of the two front legs, as well as the two back legs, and also between the head, tail and trunk, especially for the density and size of the spots, but not their shape or inter-spot distance. Our data collection and analysis approach can be applied to other organisms to study variation in color patterns between body parts and to address questions on pattern formation and establishment in animals.

Dataset Information

Genetics of white color and iridophoroma in "Lemon Frost" leopard geckos.

Publications

Genetics of white color and iridophoroma in "Lemon Frost" leopard geckos.

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