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BMC Evol Biol

Title:		Convergent reduction of V1R genes in subterranean rodents
Author(s):		Jiao H; Hong W; Nevo E; Li K; Zhao H;
Address:		"Department of Ecology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China. Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel. Department of Ecology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China. huabinzhao@whu.edu.cn"
Journal Title:		BMC Evol Biol
Year:		2019
Volume:		20190830
Issue:		1
Page Number:		176 -
DOI:		10.1186/s12862-019-1502-4
ISSN/ISBN:		1471-2148 (Electronic) 1471-2148 (Linking)
Abstract:		"BACKGROUND: Vomeronasal type 1 receptor genes (V1Rs) are expected to detect intraspecific pheromones. It is believed that rodents rely heavily on pheromonal communication mediated by V1Rs, but pheromonal signals are thought to be confined in subterranean rodents that live in underground burrows. Thus, subterranean rodents may show a contrasting mode of V1R evolution compared with their superterranean relatives. RESULTS: We examined the V1R evolution in subterranean rodents by analyzing currently available genomes of 24 rodents, including 19 superterranean and 5 subterranean species from three independent lineages. We identified a lower number of putatively functional V1R genes in each subterranean rodent (a range of 22-40) compared with superterranean species (a range of 63-221). After correcting phylogenetic inertia, the positive correlation remains significant between the small V1R repertoire size and the subterranean lifestyle. To test whether V1Rs have been relaxed from functional constraints in subterranean rodents, we sequenced 22 intact V1Rs in 29 individuals of one subterranean rodent (Spalax galili) from two soil populations, which have been proposed to undergo incipient speciation. We found 12 of the 22 V1Rs to show significant genetic differentiations between the two natural populations, indicative of diversifying selection. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates convergent reduction of V1Rs in subterranean rodents from three independent lineages. Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that most V1Rs in the two Spalax populations are under diversifying selection rather than relaxed selection, suggesting that functional constraints on these genes may have retained in some subterranean species"
Keywords:		"Animals *Evolution, Molecular Pheromones/metabolism Phylogeny Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics/*metabolism Receptors, Odorant/genetics/*metabolism Selection, Genetic Spalax/classification/*genetics/physiology Vomeronasal Organ/metabolism Gene family;"
Notes:		"MedlineJiao, Hengwu Hong, Wei Nevo, Eviatar Li, Kexin Zhao, Huabin eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2019/09/01 BMC Evol Biol. 2019 Aug 30; 19(1):176. doi: 10.1186/s12862-019-1502-4"