bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory),
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Sept. 27, 2023
Abstract
The
recent
establishment
of
CRISPR/Cas9
gene
editing
in
A.
sagrei
lizards
makes
it
a
powerful
model
system
for
studies
reptilian
function.
To
enhance
the
versatility
this
model,
we
developed
an
immortalized
lizard
fibroblast
cell
line
(ASEC-1)
exploration
function
cellular
processes.
We
demonstrate
use
vitro
by
scrutinizing
role
primary
cilia
Hedgehog
(Hh)
signaling.
Through
mutagenesis
disrupted
ift88
gene,
which
is
required
ciliogenesis
diverse
organisms.
find
that
loss
itf88
from
cells
results
absence
cilia,
partial
derepression
gli1
transcription,
and
inability
to
respond
Smoothened
agonist,
SAG.
cross-species
analysis
SAG-induced
transcriptional
responses
cultured
limb
bud
cells,
further
determined
∼46%
genes
induced
as
response
Hh
pathway
activation
sagrei,
are
also
SAG-responsive
M.
musculus
cells.
Our
highlight
conserved
diverged
aspects
signaling
anoles
establish
new
resource
investigations
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
120(3)
Published: Jan. 12, 2023
Urbanization
drastically
transforms
landscapes,
resulting
in
fragmentation,
degradation,
and
the
loss
of
local
biodiversity.
Yet,
urban
environments
also
offer
opportunities
to
observe
rapid
evolutionary
change
wild
populations
that
survive
even
thrive
these
novel
habitats.
In
many
ways,
cities
represent
replicated
“natural
experiments”
which
geographically
separated
adaptively
respond
similar
selection
pressures
over
timescales.
Little
is
known,
however,
about
genetic
basis
adaptive
phenotypic
differentiation
nor
extent
parallelism
reflected
at
genomic
level
with
signatures
parallel
selection.
Here,
we
analyzed
underpinnings
urban-associated
Anolis
cristatellus
,
a
small-bodied
neotropical
lizard
found
abundantly
both
urbanized
forested
environments.
We
show
response
environmental
underlain
by
identify
candidate
loci
across
genome
associated
this
morphological
divergence.
Our
findings
point
polygenic
on
standing
variation
as
key
process
effectuate
adaptation.
Identified
several
functions
skeletomuscular
development,
morphology,
human
disease.
Taken
together,
results
shed
light
complex
adaptations,
provide
insight
into
role
contingency
determinism
adaptation
environments,
underscore
value
address
fundamental
questions.
Biodiversity and Conservation,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
33(3), P. 905 - 927
Published: Feb. 14, 2024
Abstract
Understanding
how
natural
populations
will
respond
to
contemporary
changes
in
climate
is
becoming
increasingly
urgent
and
of
fundamental
importance
for
the
preservation
future
biodiversity.
Among
vertebrates,
amphibians
reptiles
are
more
sensitive
environmental
perturbations
than
endotherms
ectotherm
diversity
likely
be
disproportionally
impacted
by
change.
Notwithstanding
concerns
surrounding
change
resilience
populations,
accurately
predicting
population
trajectories
based
on
ecological
physiological
data
alone
remains
challenging
much
can
learnt
studying
have
responded
past.
Genomic
approaches
now
assay
genetic
at
an
unprecedented
scale
but
date
been
relatively
underutilised
when
demographic
history
reptiles.
In
this
review,
we
first
summarise
changing
climatic
conditions
may
influence
phenotype
translate
fitness
dynamics.
We
then
discuss
relative
role
past
shaping
has
traditionally
approached
a
phylogeographic
context
expanding
genomic
resources
species
leveraged
improve
study
demography
many
amphibian
reptilian
groups.
An
integrative
approach
that
links
known
proximate
effects
due
change,
with
ultimately
enable
us
generate
accurate
models
our
ability
assess
Animals,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
13(3), P. 471 - 471
Published: Jan. 29, 2023
Non-avian
reptiles
comprise
a
large
proportion
of
amniote
vertebrate
diversity,
with
squamate
reptiles—lizards
and
snakes—recently
overtaking
birds
as
the
most
species-rich
tetrapod
radiation.
Despite
displaying
an
extraordinary
diversity
phenotypic
genomic
traits,
resources
in
non-avian
have
accumulated
more
slowly
than
they
mammals
birds,
remaining
amniotes.
Here
we
review
remarkable
natural
history
reptiles,
focus
on
physical
characteristics,
sequence
compositional
patterns
that
key
axes
variation
across
We
argue
high
evolutionary
can
fuel
new
generation
whole-genome
phylogenomic
analyses.
A
survey
phylogenetic
investigations
shows
capture-based
approaches
are
commonly
used,
studies
markers
known
ultraconserved
elements
(UCEs)
especially
well
represented.
However,
many
other
types
exist
increasingly
being
mined
from
genome
assemblies
silico,
including
some
greater
information
potential
UCEs
for
certain
investigations.
discuss
importance
high-quality
methods
bioinformatically
extracting
range
marker
sets
assemblies.
Finally,
encourage
herpetologists
working
genomics,
genetics,
biology,
fields
to
work
collectively
towards
building
squamates,
rival
those
already
place
birds.
Overall,
development
this
cross-amniote
tree
life
will
contribute
illuminate
interesting
dimensions
biodiversity
broader
Molecular Ecology Resources,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
23(6), P. 1299 - 1318
Published: April 16, 2023
Library
preparation
protocols
for
most
sequencing
technologies
involve
PCR
amplification
of
the
template
DNA,
which
open
possibility
that
a
given
DNA
molecule
is
sequenced
multiple
times.
Reads
arising
from
this
phenomenon,
known
as
duplicates,
inflate
cost
and
can
jeopardize
reliability
affected
experiments.
Despite
pervasiveness
artefact,
our
understanding
its
causes
impact
on
downstream
statistical
analyses
remains
essentially
empirical.
Here,
we
develop
general
quantitative
model
distortions
in
data
sets,
leverage
to
investigate
factors
controlling
occurrence
duplicates.
We
show
duplicate
rate
determined
primarily
by
ratio
between
library
complexity
depth,
noise
(including
dependence
number
cycles)
only
plays
secondary
role
artefact.
confirm
predictions
using
new
published
RAD-seq
libraries
provide
method
estimate
any
set
containing
discuss
how
amplification-related
artefacts
analyses,
particular
genotyping
accuracy.
The
proposed
framework
unites
numerous
observations
made
duplicates
will
be
useful
experimenters
all
where
availability
concern.
Science Advances,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
11(5)
Published: Jan. 31, 2025
Sex
differences
in
life
span
are
widespread
across
animal
taxa,
but
their
causes
remain
unresolved.
Alterations
to
the
epigenome
hypothesized
contribute
vertebrate
aging,
and
DNA
methylation–based
aging
clocks
allow
for
quantitative
estimation
of
biological
trajectories.
Here,
we
investigate
influence
age,
sex,
interaction
on
genome-wide
methylation
patterns
brown
anole
(
Anolis
sagrei
),
a
lizard
with
pronounced
female-biased
survival
longevity.
We
develop
series
age
predictor
models
find
that,
contrary
our
predictions,
rates
epigenetic
were
not
slower
female
lizards.
However,
states
at
loci
acquiring
age-associated
changes
appear
be
more
“youthful”
young
females,
suggesting
that
methylomes
preemptively
fortified
early
opposition
direction
age-related
drift.
Collectively,
findings
provide
insights
into
reptiles
suggest
early-life
profiles
may
informative
than
change
predicting
sex
biases
Developmental Dynamics,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: April 17, 2025
The
brown
anole,
Anolis
sagrei,
has
emerged
as
a
representative
squamate
species
for
developmental
studies
during
the
past
decades.
Novel
functional
tools
have
been
established
to
manipulate
embryogenesis
through
genome
editing
or
introduction
of
small
molecule
inhibitors,
and
their
effective
use
requires
thorough
understanding
early
anole
embryogenesis.
To
enable
precise
reproducible
staging
embryos,
we
need
knowledge
progression
morphogenesis.
While
post-oviposition
development
described,
pre-oviposition
period
remains
be
explored.
We
provide
first
series
anole.
Analyzing
follicles
embryos
brightfield
imaging,
SEM,
STEM,
histology,
DAPI
staining,
define
26
distinct
stages.
Furthermore,
followed
heart
development,
neural
crest
cell
migration,
central
nervous
system
using
immunofluorescence
analyses
new
comparative
insights
into
morphogenesis
each
these
organ
systems.
Our
dataset
reveals
that
peri-gastrulation
up
initiation
neurulation
diverges
significantly
from
chick,
common
model
reptile
With
this
study,
establish
organism
cross-clade
evolutionary
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
15(1)
Published: Nov. 14, 2024
Ecological
character
displacement,
whereby
shifts
in
resource
use
the
presence
of
competing
species
leads
to
adaptive
evolutionary
divergence,
is
widely
considered
an
important
process
community
assembly
and
radiation.
However,
most
evidence
for
displacement
has
been
inferred
from
macro-scale
geographic
or
phylogenetic
patterns;
direct
tests
underlying
hypothesis
divergent
natural
selection
driving
wild
are
rare.
Here,
we
document
between
two
ecologically
similar
lizards
(Anolis
sagrei
A.
cristatellus)
experiencing
novel
contact.
We
identify
directional
during
incipient
stages
sympatry
a
new
that
corresponds
repeated
trait
divergence
across
multiple
established
sympatric
communities.
By
identifying
role
as
unfolds,
connect
how
operating
at
short
timescales
may
drive
broader
patterns
distributions
larger
spatial
temporal
scales.
When
coexist,
they
often
evolve
differences
reduce
competition,
called
displacement.
This
study
provides
rare
action,
showing
drives
rapid
changes
when
competitor
arrives.