LARGE-SCALE GENOME SAMPLING REVEALS UNIQUE IMMUNITY AND METABOLIC
ADAPTATIONS IN BATS
- Diana Moreno Santillan,
- Tanya Lama,
- Yocelyn Gutiérrez Guerrero,
- Alexis Brown,
- Paul Donat,
- Huabin Zhao,
- Stephen Rossiter,
- Laurel Yohe,
- Joshua Potter,
- Emma Teeling,
- Sonja Vernes,
- Kalina Davies,
- Eugene Myers,
- Graham Hughes,
- Zixia Huang,
- Federico G. Hoffmann,
- Angelique Corthals,
- David Ray,
- Liliana Davalos
Diana Moreno Santillan
Texas Tech University
Corresponding Author:dianad.mosa@gmail.com
Author ProfileYocelyn Gutiérrez Guerrero
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Author ProfileEugene Myers
Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Author ProfileAbstract
Comprising more than 1400 species, bats possess adaptations unique among
mammals including powered flight, unexpected longevity given small body
size, and extraordinary immunity. Some of the molecular mechanisms
underlying these unique adaptations includes DNA repair, metabolism and
immunity. However, analyses have been limited to a few divergent
lineages, reducing the scope of inferences on gene family evolution
across the Order Chiroptera. We conducted an exhaustive comparative
genomic study of 37 bat species encompassing a large number of lineages,
with a particular emphasis on multi-gene family evolution across immune
system and metabolic genes. In agreement with previous analyses, we
found lineage-specific expansions of the APOBEC3 and MHC-I gene
families, and loss of the proinflammatory PYHIN gene family. We inferred
more than 1,000 gene losses unique to bats, including genes involved in
the regulation of inflammasome pathways such as epithelial defense
receptors, the natural killer gene complex and the interferon-gamma
induced pathway. Gene set enrichment analyses revealed genes lost in
bats are involved in defense response against pathogen-associated
molecular patterns and damage-associated molecular patterns. Gene family
evolution and selection analyses indicate bats have evolved fundamental
functional differences compared to other mammals in both innate and
adaptive immune system, with the potential to enhance anti-viral immune
response while dampening inflammatory signaling. In addition, metabolic
genes have experienced repeated expansions related to convergent shifts
to plant-based diets. Our analyses support the hypothesis that, in
tandem with flight, ancestral bats had evolved a unique set of immune
adaptations whose functional implications remain to be explored.30 Dec 2020Submitted to Molecular Ecology 04 Jan 2021Submission Checks Completed
04 Jan 2021Assigned to Editor
04 Jan 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
28 Apr 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 May 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 May 20211st Revision Received
03 Jun 2021Editorial Decision: Accept