scholarly journals Comparative genomics sheds light on the convergent evolution of miniaturized wasps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongxing Xu ◽  
Xinhai Ye ◽  
Yajun Yang ◽  
Yi Yang ◽  
Yu H Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Convergent Evolution ◽  
Size Control ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Evolutionary Rates ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Animal Evolution ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Genomic Basis ◽  
Telenomus Remus

Abstract Miniaturization has occurred in many animal lineages, including insects and vertebrates, as a widespread trend during animal evolution. Among Hymenoptera, miniaturization has taken place in some parasitoid wasp lineages independently, and may have contributed to the diversity of species. However, the genomic basis of miniaturization is little understood. Diverged approximately 200 million years ago, Telenomus wasps (Platygastridae) and Trichogramma wasps (Chalcidoidea) have both evolved to a highly reduced body size independently, representing a paradigmatic example of convergent evolution. Here we report a high-quality chromosomal genome of Telenomus remus, a promising candidate for controlling Spodoptera frugiperda, a notorious pest that has recently caused severe crop damage. The T. remus genome (129 megabases) is characterized by a low density of repetitive sequence and a reduction of intron length, resulting in the shrinkage of genome size. We show that hundreds of genes evolved faster in two miniaturized parasitoids Trichogramma pretiosum and T. remus. Among them, 38 genes exhibit extremely accelerated evolutionary rates in these miniaturized wasps, possessing diverse functions in eye and wing development as well as cell size control. These genes also highlight potential roles in body size regulation. In sum, our analyses uncover a set of genes with accelerated evolutionary rates in T. pretiosum and T. remus, which might be responsible for their convergent adaptations to miniaturization, and thus expand our understanding on the evolutionary basis of miniaturization. Additionally, the genome of T. remus represents the first genome resource of superfamily Platygastroidea, and will facilitate future studies of Hymenoptera evolution and pest control.

Relationship between circadian period and body size in the tau-mutant golden hamster

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33
Author(s):  
Roberto Refinetti
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Pleiotropic Effect ◽  
Circadian Period ◽  
Golden Syrian Hamster ◽  
Casein Kinase 1 ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Casein Kinase 1 Epsilon ◽  
Tau Mutation

The tau mutation in the golden (Syrian) hamster is a single gene mutation that drastically affects the speed of the circadian clock, in such a way that homozygous mutants have an endogenous circadian period of 20 h (compared with 24 h for wild-type hamsters). While studying the circadian system of tau-mutant hamsters during the past 25 years, several authors have noted an apparent relationship between circadian period and body size in these animals. This study, based on 181 hamsters from 24 litters, confirmed previous observations that a shorter circadian period is associated with smaller body size, documented a sex difference in this association, and evaluated several mechanisms that might explain the phenomenon (such as different organ sizes, body composition, and metabolic rate). The obtained evidence suggests that the reduced body size of short-period hamsters is likely a pleiotropic effect of the tau allele (an allele of the casein kinase 1 epsilon gene) rather than a consequence of the shortened circadian period.

Ituglanis compactus, a new species of catfish (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the rio Jari drainage, lower Amazon, Brazil 

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4244 (2) ◽  
pp. 207 ◽  
Author(s):  
ÍTHALO DA SILVA CASTRO ◽  
WOLMAR BENJAMIN WOSIACKI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Head Length ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Pectoral Fin ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Weberian Apparatus ◽  
Fin Rays ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Pectoral Fin Rays

A new species of Ituglanis is described from rio Iratapuru, near the rio Jari, Amapá, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by the reduced number of post-Weberian apparatus vertebrae (36 or 37); the low number of paired ribs (2); the low number of interopercular odontodes (12–15); the number of branchiostegal rays (7 or 8); the presence of elongated fontanel in parieto-supraoccipital; the pectoral-fin rays (i,5); head length (18.9–25.0); and the presence of pores supraorbital s1, infraorbitals i1 and i3 of the laterosensory system. The new taxon has a reduced body size and fully ossified skeleton, but does not display a large number of paedomorphic traits compared to congeners. Comments about taxonomy and intrageneric comparisons are made, and paedomorphic in Ituglanis is discussed. Thoughts about conservation of the new species are presented. 

scholarly journals Cell proliferation controls body size growth, tentacle morphogenesis, and regeneration in hydrozoan jellyfish Cladonema pacificum

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sosuke Fujita ◽  
Erina Kuranaga ◽  
Yu-ichiro Nakajima
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Size Control ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Proliferating Cells ◽  
Size Growth ◽  
Local Cell ◽  
Proliferating Cell

Jellyfish have existed on the earth for around 600 million years and have evolved in response to environmental changes. Hydrozoan jellyfish, members of phylum Cnidaria, exist in multiple life stages, including planula larvae, vegetatively-propagating polyps, and sexually-reproducing medusae. Although free-swimming medusae display complex morphology and exhibit increase in body size and regenerative ability, their underlying cellular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the roles of cell proliferation in body-size growth, appendage morphogenesis, and regeneration using Cladonema pacificum as a hydrozoan jellyfish model. By examining the distribution of S phase cells and mitotic cells, we revealed spatially distinct proliferating cell populations in medusae, uniform cell proliferation in the umbrella, and clustered cell proliferation in tentacles. Blocking cell proliferation by hydroxyurea caused inhibition of body size growth and defects in tentacle branching, nematocyte differentiation, and regeneration. Local cell proliferation in tentacle bulbs is observed in medusae of two other hydrozoan species, Cytaeis uchidae and Rathkea octopunctata, indicating that it may be a conserved feature among hydrozoan jellyfish. Altogether, our results suggest that hydrozoan medusae possess actively proliferating cells and provide experimental evidence regarding the role of cell proliferation in body-size control, tentacle morphogenesis, and regeneration.

scholarly journals Convergence in reduced body size, head size, and blood glucose in three island reptiles

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 6169-6182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Sparkman ◽  
Amanda D. Clark ◽  
Lilly J. Brummett ◽  
Kenneth R. Chism ◽  
Lucia L. Combrink ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Head Size ◽  
Reduced Body

scholarly journals Genomic basis for the convergent evolution of electric organs

Science ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 344 (6191) ◽  
pp. 1522-1525 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Gallant ◽  
L. L. Traeger ◽  
J. D. Volkening ◽  
H. Moffett ◽  
P.-H. Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Convergent Evolution ◽  
Electric Organs ◽  
Genomic Basis

scholarly journals A Genome Scan for Genes Underlying Adult Body Size Differences between Central African Pygmies and their Non-Pygmy Neighbors

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor J. Pemberton ◽  
Paul Verdu ◽  
Noémie S. Becker ◽  
Cristen J. Willer ◽  
Barry S. Hewlett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Genomic Region ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Genetic Admixture ◽  
Leg Length ◽  
Standing Height ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Sitting Height ◽  
A Genome ◽  
African Pygmies

AbstractBackgroundCentral African hunter-gatherer Pygmy populations have reduced body size compared with their often much larger agricultural non-Pygmy neighbors, potentially reflecting adaptation to the anatomical and physiological constraints of their lifestyle in tropical rainforests. Earlier studies investigating the genetics of the pygmy phenotype have focused on standing height, one aspect of this complex phenotype that is itself a composite of skeletal components with different growth patterns. Here, we extend the investigations of standing height to the variability and genetic architecture of sitting height and subischial leg length as well as body mass index (BMI) in a sample of 406 unrelated West Central African Pygmies and non-Pygmies.ResultsIn addition to their significantly reduced standing height compared with non-Pygmies, we find Pygmies to have significantly shorter sitting heights and subischial leg lengths as well as higher sitting/standing height ratios than non-Pygmies. However, while male Pygmies had significantly lower BMI compared with male non-Pygmies, the BMI of females were instead similar. Consistent with prior observations with standing height, sitting height and subischial leg length were strongly correlated with inferred levels of non-Pygmy genetic admixture while BMI was instead weakly correlated, likely reflecting the greater contribution of non-genetic factors to the determination of body weight compared with height. Using 196,725 SNPs on the Illumina Cardio-MetaboChip with genotypes on 358 Pygmy and 169 non-Pygmy individuals together with single-and multi-marker association approaches, we identified a single genomic region and seven genes associated with Pygmy/non-Pygmy categorization as well as 9, 10, 9, and 10 genes associated with standing and sitting height, sitting/standing height ratio, and subischial leg length, respectively. Many of the genes identified have putative functions consistent with a role in determining their associated trait as well as the complex Central African pygmy phenotype.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the potential of modestly sized datasets of Pygmies and non-Pygmies to detect biologically meaningful associations with traits contributing to the Central African pygmy phenotype. Moreover, they provide new insights into the phenotypic and genetic bases of the complex pygmy phenotype and offer new opportunities to facilitate our understanding of its complex evolutionary origins.

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