17/11/2021
Few have evolved elevated body temperatures compared to ambient temperatures and only in (Lampris spp) is the entire body affected. To understand the molecular basis of , we analyzed the opah genome and identified 23 genes with convergent amino acid substitutions across fish, birds, and mammals, including , which encodes the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and is essential for heart function and metabolic heat production. Among endothermic fishes, 44 genes with suggestive metabolic functions were identified, such as , encoding a crucial protein for hemoglobin maturation. Numerous genes involved in the production and retention of metabolic heat were also found to be under positive selection. Analyses of opah’s unique inner -producing pectoral muscle layer, an evolutionary key-innovation, revealed that many proteins were co-opted from dorsal swimming muscles for and oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, the opah provides valuable resources and opportunities to uncover the genetic basis of thermal adaptations in fish.
Read the full story in The Innovation Journal at https://www.cell.com/the-innovation/fulltext/S2666-6758(21)00110-7
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