Dataset Information

Gene losses in the common vampire bat illuminate molecular adaptations to blood feeding.

ABSTRACT: Vampire bats are the only mammals that feed exclusively on blood. To uncover genomic changes associated with this dietary adaptation, we generated a haplotype-resolved genome of the common vampire bat and screened 27 bat species for genes that were specifically lost in the vampire bat lineage. We found previously unknown gene losses that relate to reduced insulin secretion (FFAR1 and SLC30A8), limited glycogen stores (PPP1R3E), and a unique gastric physiology (CTSE). Other gene losses likely reflect the biased nutrient composition (ERN2 and CTRL) and distinct pathogen diversity of blood (RNASE7) and predict the complete lack of cone-based vision in these strictly nocturnal bats (PDE6H and PDE6C). Notably, REP15 loss likely helped vampire bats adapt to high dietary iron levels by enhancing iron excretion, and the loss of CYP39A1 could have contributed to their exceptional cognitive abilities. These findings enhance our understanding of vampire bat biology and the genomic underpinnings of adaptations to blood feeding.

SUBMITTER: Blumer M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8956264 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Gene losses in the common vampire bat illuminate molecular adaptations to blood feeding.

Blumer Moritz M Brown Tom T Freitas Mariella Bontempo MB Destro Ana Luiza AL Oliveira Juraci A JA Morales Ariadna E AE Schell Tilman T Greve Carola C Pippel Martin M Jebb David D Hecker Nikolai N Ahmed Alexis-Walid AW Kirilenko Bogdan M BM Foote Maddy M Janke Axel A Lim Burton K BK Hiller Michael M

Science advances 20220325 12

Vampire bats are the only mammals that feed exclusively on blood. To uncover genomic changes associated with this dietary adaptation, we generated a haplotype-resolved genome of the common vampire bat and screened 27 bat species for genes that were specifically lost in the vampire bat lineage. We found previously unknown gene losses that relate to reduced insulin secretion (FFAR1 and SLC30A8), limited glycogen stores (PPP1R3E), and a unique gastric physiology (CTSE). ...[more]

PMID: 35333583

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundIn Latin America, there is a high incidence of vampire bat-transmitted rabies in cattle causing increased mortality of livestock, which heavily impacts the agricultural sector. Anticoagulants-based control methods for the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) have been employed continuously since the 1970s with various methods of application, presentations, doses and active ingredients. Studies from half a century ago still serve as a reference for the current use of anticoagulants for bat-borne rabies control in Latin America. The objective of this study was to structurally and bibliometrically review literature on the use of anticoagulants for the control of D. rotundus as a means of rabies control.Materials & methodsScientific literature on the use of anticoagulant products for D. rotundus control was obtained, reviewed and analysed. Articles were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science databases. Research articles from 1971 to 2021 in Spanish, English and Portuguese were included in the review. Results were visualised using RStudio, Bibliometrix and VOSviewer.ResultsThe body of literature indicates effectiveness of up to 100% in the use of anticoagulants to induce bat mortality. The effectiveness of anticoagulants for rabies control, however, remains uncertain. No evidence was found to support or refute the use of anticoagulants for rabies control.DiscussionInstead, literature suggests that disturbing bat colonies increases rabies prevalence. This finding suggests that anticoagulants may have the opposite intended effect on rabies control and highlights the importance of further research on the practical methods for bat-borne rabies prevention.ConclusionField experimental studies that include control groups over areas and periods that account for D. rotundus ecology are needed to determine the effectiveness of anticoagulants for rabies control in livestock. In conclusion, the use of anticoagulants for rabies control is questionable.

Dataset Information

Gene losses in the common vampire bat illuminate molecular adaptations to blood feeding.

Publications

Gene losses in the common vampire bat illuminate molecular adaptations to blood feeding.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets