Genomic adaptations for arboreal locomotion in Asian flying treefrogs

2022/03/14 by Wei Wu, Yue‐Dong Gao, Dechun Jiang +8 · 1 voice · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Cellular Mechanics and Interactions

paper · doi:10.1073/pnas.2116342119

Abstract

Significance To adapt to arboreal lifestyles, treefrogs have evolved a suite of complex traits that support vertical movement and gliding, thus presenting a unique case for studying the genetic basis for traits causally linked to vertical niche expansion. Here, based on two de novo-assembled Asian treefrog genomes, we determined that genes involved in limb development and keratin cytoskeleton likely played a role in the evolution of their climbing systems. Behavioral and morphological evaluation and time-ordered gene coexpression network analysis revealed the developmental patterns and regulatory pathways of the webbed feet used for gliding in Rhacophorus kio .

Citations

• Basic local alignment search tool
• Phylogenomics reveals rapid, simultaneous diversification of three major clades of Gondwanan frogs at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary

Cited by

• Genomic adaptations for tail-length evolution in arboreal snakes
• A life-history perspective on exercise

Discussions

• How does Flying Frog fly? Genomes from a gliding & non-gliding Rhacophorus showed accelerated evolution linked to limb development in both but expression differences in the WNT signaling pathway => we [bsky, 33 points, 0 comments]

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