Molecular phylogenetics of the rhinoceros clade and evolution of UCP1 transcriptional regulatory elements across the mammalian phylogeny
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Date
2017
Authors
Gaudry, Michael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers in Physiology
Abstract
Aiming to resolve contentious phylogenetic relationships among rhinoceros subfamilies (Dicerorhininae, Rhinocerotinae, and Dicerotinae), I constructed a ~131 kilobase nuclear DNA dataset for the Malayan tapir and six rhinoceros species, including the extinct woolly rhinoceros. Phylogenetic analyses, possibly confounded by incomplete lineage sorting associated with quick ancestral speciation events, yielded opposing trees: ((Dicerorhininae, Rhinocerotinae) Dicerotinae) or (Rhinocerotinae (Dicerorhininae, Dicerotinae)), though five of six informative indels independently supported the latter relationship. Additionally, eye genes revealed no inactivating mutations that may underlie reputedly poor vision among rhinoceroses. Furthermore, I investigated thermogenic UCP1 transcriptional regulators among 139 mammal species, expecting deleterious mutations in eutherians possessing UCP1 pseudogenes and possibly even large-bodied species (e.g. rhinoceroses) that retain intact UCP1. Promoters and enhancers were conserved in all species with intact UCP1, suggesting that it remains functionally expressed in these species. However, these elements have been lost in some UCP1-less species, indicating the enhancer is non-pleotropic.
Description
Keywords
uncoupling protein 1, Transcriptional regulation, Rhinoceros phylogenetics, Comparative analysis
Citation
Gaudry, M.J. and Campbell, K.L. 2017. Evolution of UCP1 transcriptional regulatory elements across the mammalian phylogeny. Frontiers in Physiology. (in press)