Vocal learning-associated convergent evolution in mammalian proteins and regulatory elements.
Science
; 383(6690): eabn3263, 2024 Mar 29.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38422184
ABSTRACT
Vocal production learning ("vocal learning") is a convergently evolved trait in vertebrates. To identify brain genomic elements associated with mammalian vocal learning, we integrated genomic, anatomical, and neurophysiological data from the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) with analyses of the genomes of 215 placental mammals. First, we identified a set of proteins evolving more slowly in vocal learners. Then, we discovered a vocal motor cortical region in the Egyptian fruit bat, an emergent vocal learner, and leveraged that knowledge to identify active cis-regulatory elements in the motor cortex of vocal learners. Machine learning methods applied to motor cortex open chromatin revealed 50 enhancers robustly associated with vocal learning whose activity tended to be lower in vocal learners. Our research implicates convergent losses of motor cortex regulatory elements in mammalian vocal learning evolution.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Vocalization, Animal
/
Proteins
/
Gene Expression Regulation
/
Enhancer Elements, Genetic
/
Evolution, Molecular
/
Eutheria
/
Motor Cortex
/
Motor Neurons
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Science
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Estados Unidos