A genetic signature of the evolution of loss of flight in the Galapagos cormorant

55Citations
Citations of this article
235Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Your institution provides access to this article.

Abstract

We have a limited understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of evolutionary changes in the size and proportion of limbs. We studied wing and pectoral skeleton reduction leading to flightlessness in the Galapagos cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi). We sequenced and de novo assembled the genomes of four cormorant species and applied a predictive and comparative genomics approach to find candidate variants that may have contributed to the evolution of flightlessness. These analyses and cross-species experiments in Caenorhabditis elegans and in chondrogenic cell lines implicated variants in genes necessary for transcriptional regulation and function of the primary cilium. Cilia are essential for Hedgehog signaling, and humans affected by skeletal ciliopathies suffer from premature bone growth arrest, mirroring skeletal features associated with loss of flight.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Burga, A., Wang, W., Ben-David, E., Wolf, P. C., Ramey, A. M., Verdugo, C., … Kruglyak, L. (2017). A genetic signature of the evolution of loss of flight in the Galapagos cormorant. Science, 356(6341). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aal3345

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free