Project description:Using comparative genomics, we discovered that a previously uncharacterized gene (1700011H14RIK/C14ORF105/CCDC198) hereby named FAME (Factor Associated with Metabolism and Energy) shows an unusually high rate of evolutionary divergence in birds and mammals. By comparing SNVs, we identified gene-flow of FAME from Neandertals into modern humans. FAME knockout animals demonstrated increased body weight and decreased energy expenditure, corresponding to GWAS linking FAME with higher BMI, diabetes-related pathologies, and macular degeneration in humans. The analysis of gene expression and subcellular localization revealed that FAME is a membrane-bound protein enriched in kidneys. Although a gene knockout resulted in structurally normal kidneys, we detected higher Albumin in urine and lowered ferritin in the blood. The experiment confirmed interactions between FAME and ferritin and showed co-localization in vesicular and plasma membranes. Overall, our results show that FAME plays a role in tuning metabolite excretion and energy expenditure, partly explaining why it evolves at a high rate in birds and mammals. Here, we provide data related to identification of FAME interactome using the co-immunoprecipitation method.
Project description:Genomes of closely-related species or populations often display localized regions of enhanced relative sequence divergence, termed genomic islands. It has been proposed that these islands arise through selective sweeps and/or barriers to gene flow. Here, we genetically dissect a genomic island that controls flower color pattern differences between two subspecies of Antirrhinum, A.m.striatum and A.m.pseudomajus, and relate it to clinal variation across a natural hybrid zone. We show that selective sweeps likely raised relative divergence at two tightly-linked MYB-like transcription factors, leading to distinct flower patterns in the two subspecies. The two patterns provide alternate floral guides and create a strong barrier to gene flow where populations come into contact. This barrier affects the selected flower color genes and tightly linked loci, but does not extend outside of this domain, allowing gene flow to lower relative divergence for the rest of the chromosome. Thus, both selective sweeps and barriers to gene flow play a role in shaping genomic islands: sweeps cause elevation in relative divergence while heterogeneous gene flow flattens the surrounding “sea”, making the island of divergence stand out. By showing how selective sweeps establish alternative adaptive phenotypes that lead to barriers to gene flow, our study sheds light on possible mechanisms leading to reproductive isolation and speciation.
Project description:The interplay between phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution has long been an important topic of evolutionary biology. This process is critical to our understanding of a species evolutionary potential in light of rapid climate changes. Despite recent theoretical work, empirical studies of natural populations, especially in marine invertebrates, are scarce. In this study, we investigated the relationship between adaptive divergence and plasticity by integrating genetic and phenotypic variation in Pacific oysters from its natural range in China. Genome resequencing of 371 oysters revealed unexpected fine-scale genetic structure that is largely consistent with phenotypic divergence in growth, physiology, thermal tolerance and gene expression across environmental gradient. These findings suggest that selection and local adaptation are pervasive and together with limited gene flow shape adaptive divergence. Plasticity in gene expression is positively correlated with evolved divergence, indicating that plasticity is adaptive and likely favored by selection in organisms facing dynamic environments such as oysters. Divergence in heat response and tolerance implies that the evolutionary potential to a warming climate differs among oyster populations. We suggest that trade-offs in energy allocation are important to adaptive divergence with acetylation playing a role in energy depression under thermal stress.
Project description:This dataset represents woody plants recorded in 16 1-ha forest plots in an elevational gradient in Madidi National Park, Bolivia, ranging from lowland Amazonian moist forest and lowland dry forest to the treeline of the Andean Altiplano. This work was carried out by David Henderson and Jonathan Myers (Washington University in St. Louis), Sebastian Tello (Missouri Botanical Garden and University of Missouri, St. Louis), and Brian Sedio (University of Texas at Austin and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute).
Project description:Animal germ cells produce PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), small silencing RNAs that suppress transposons and enable gamete maturation. Mammalian transposon-silencing piRNAs accumulate early in spermatogenesis, whereas pachytene piRNAs are produced later during post-natal spermatogenesis and account for >95% of all piRNAs in the adult mouse testis. Mutants defective for pachytene piRNA pathway proteins fail to produce mature sperm, but neither the piRNA precursor transcripts nor the trigger for pachytene piRNA production is known. Here, we show that the transcription factor A-MYB initiates pachytene piRNA production. A-MYB drives transcription of both pachytene piRNA precursor RNAs and the mRNAs for core piRNA biogenesis factors, including MIWI, the protein through which pachytene piRNAs function. A-MYB regulation of piRNA pathway proteins and piRNA genes creates a coherent feed-forward loop that ensures the robust accumulation of pachytene piRNAs. This regulatory circuit, which can be detected in rooster testes, likely predates the divergence of birds and mammals. ChIP sequencing in mouse and rooster testes.