Pronounced expression of extracellular matrix proteoglycans regulated by Wnt pathway underlies the parallel evolution of lip hypertrophy in East African cichlids

Published: March 21, 2025

Cichlid fishes inhabiting the East African Great Lakes, Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika, are textbook examples of parallel evolution, as they have acquired similar traits independently in each three lakes during process adaptive radiation. In particular, “hypertrophied lip” has been highlighted a prominent example evolution. However, underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. this study, we conducted an integrated comparative analysis between hypertrophied normal lips cichlids across based on histology, proteomics, transcriptomics. Histological proteomic analyses revealed that were characterized by enlargement proteoglycan-rich layer, which versican periostin proteins abundant. Transcriptome expression extracellular matrix-related genes, including collagens, glycoproteins proteoglycans, was higher lips, regardless their phylogenetic relationships. addition, genes Wnt signaling pathway, is involved promoting proteoglycan expression, highly expressed both juvenile adult stages lips. Our comprehensive showed different origins can be explained transcriptomic profiles, may provide important clues into phenotypic parallelisms cichlids.

Language: Английский

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Pronounced expression of extracellular matrix proteoglycans regulated by Wnt pathway underlies the parallel evolution of lip hypertrophy in East African cichlids

eLife, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: April 22, 2025

Cichlid fishes inhabiting the East African Great Lakes, Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika, are textbook examples of parallel evolution, as they have acquired similar traits independently in each three lakes during process adaptive radiation. In particular, ‘hypertrophied lip’ has been highlighted a prominent example evolution. However, underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. this study, we conducted an integrated comparative analysis between hypertrophied normal lips cichlids across based on histology, proteomics, transcriptomics. Histological proteomic analyses revealed that were characterized by enlargement proteoglycan-rich layer, which versican periostin proteins abundant. Transcriptome expression extracellular matrix-related genes, including collagens, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, was higher lips, regardless their phylogenetic relationships. addition, genes Wnt signaling pathway, is involved promoting proteoglycan expression, highly expressed both juvenile adult stages lips. Our comprehensive showed different origins can be explained transcriptomic profiles, may provide important clues into phenotypic parallelisms cichlids.

Language: Английский

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Population genomics of Gymnogeophagus labiatus and G. lacustris reinforces the role of hydrographic isolation between evolutionary lineages (Cichlidae: Geophagini)

Neotropical Ichthyology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 23(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Abstract Gymnogeophaguslabiatus and G. lacustris represent a pair of sister taxa distributed in the Patos Lagoon (ELP) Tramandaí-Mampituba (ETM) ecoregions Southern Brazil Uruguay. While was traditionally considered endemic to ETM, labiatus has been assigned both ecoregions, being distinguished from by its hypertrophied lips, which an adaptation for foraging rocky environments, variation coloration. A recent study using mtDNA morphological data challenged this interpretation suggested that is exclusive ELP, all individuals ETM should be lacustris. In work we used genome-wide ddRADseq markers evaluate evolutionary relationships between these species. The results corroborated early findings each ecoregion harbors independent lineage, correspond Our do not show significant genetic structure riverine lacustrine populations ETM. However, found evidence secondary contact population lacustris, suggesting lips groups may have common background, indicate instance adaptive introgression.

Language: Английский

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Trophic Diversification Out of Ancestral Specialization: An Example from a Radiating African Cyprinid Fish (Genus Garra)

Diversity, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 14(8), P. 629 - 629

Published: Aug. 6, 2022

Trophic resource partitioning is one of the main ecological mechanisms adaptive radiation. The Garra a highly specialized periphyton feeder that has widened jaws equipped with horny cutting scraper. In river located in Ethiopian Highlands East Africa, diversification composed six sympatric ecomorphs which were strikingly diverse trophic morphology was revealed. A hypothesis on tested using data diet composition, gut length, and stable isotopes. obtained results confirmed ecomorphs. Three feeding modes revealed: (i) periphytonophagy, (ii) mixed periphytonophagy zoophagy, (iii) zoophagy. feeders had long enriched δ13C values compared to shorter lowered zoophagous Therefore, could respecialize out its ancestral specialization. This finding does not support generalists-to-specialists origin specializations, suggests Liem’s paradox more common phenomenon. case specialists, we assume new opportunities can be ‘visible’ specialists if they are preceded by relaxed selection constrains lead widening ecological/morphological plasticity jump canalized mode

Language: Английский

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A Kiss of Deep Homology: Partial Convergence in the Genomic Basis of Hypertrophied Lips in Cichlid Fish and Human Cleft Lip

Genome Biology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(5)

Published: May 1, 2023

Abstract The genomic loci generating both adaptive and maladaptive variation could be surprisingly predictable in deeply homologous vertebrate structures like the lips. Variation highly conserved traits such as jaws teeth organisms evolutionarily disparate teleost fishes mammals is known to structured by same genes. Likewise, hypertrophied lips that have evolved repeatedly Neotropical African cichlid fish lineages share unexpectedly similar genetic bases themselves even provide surprising insight into underlying human craniofacial anomalies. To isolate regions divergence lips, we first employed genome-wide associations (GWAs) several species of cichlids from Lake Malawi. Then, tested if these GWA were shared through hybridization with another Malawi lineage has seemingly parallel. Overall, introgression among lip appeared limited. Among our regions, one contained gene kcnj2 been implicated convergently Central American Midas diverged radiation over 50 million years ago. also additional genes cause lip–associated birth defects. Cichlid are becoming prominent examples replicated architecture trait convergence increasingly providing anomalies a cleft lip.

Language: Английский

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A whole-body micro-CT scan library that captures the skeletal diversity of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes

Scientific Data, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: Sept. 10, 2024

Language: Английский

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Multiple paths toward repeated phenotypic evolution in the spiny‐leg adaptive radiation (Tetragnatha; Hawai'i)

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 32(18), P. 4971 - 4985

Published: July 29, 2023

The repeated evolution of phenotypes provides clear evidence for the role natural selection in driving evolutionary change. However, origin can be difficult to disentangle as it arise from a combination factors such gene flow, shared ancestral polymorphisms or mutation. Here, we investigate presence these processes Hawaiian spiny-leg Tetragnatha adaptive radiation, which includes four microhabitat-specialists ecomorphs, with different body pigmentation and size (Green, Large Brown, Maroon, Small Brown). We investigated history this radiation using 76 newly generated low-coverage, whole-genome resequenced samples, along phylogenetic population genomic tools. Considering Green ecomorph state, our results suggest that likely re-evolved once, Brown Maroon ecomorphs evolved twice three times. found involved hybridization events, while through novel mutations, despite high rate incomplete lineage sorting dataset. Our findings demonstrate is influenced by multiple processes.

Language: Английский

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A new species of deep‐water Lethrinops (Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi

Journal of Fish Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 101(6), P. 1405 - 1410

Published: Sept. 5, 2022

A new species of cichlid fish, Lethrinops atrilabris is described from specimens collected by trawling at a depth around 90 m off Monkey Bay, southern Lake Malawi. It assigned to the genus on basis its vertical flank barring, lack enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores and form lower jaw dental arcade. can be distinguished congeneric male breeding dress contrasting barring dark ventral surface, most strikingly lips, throat chest, relatively small known maximum size [<75 mm standard length (SL)], large eyes (38%-41% head length), laterally compressed body (depth 2.5-2.7 times max width) gill raker count (13-14).

Language: Английский

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A new species of Lethrinops (Cichliformes: Cichlidae) from a Lake Malawi satellite lake, believed to be extinct in the wild.

Zootaxa, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 5318(4), P. 515 - 530

Published: July 20, 2023

A new species of cichlid fish, Lethrinops chilingali is described from specimens collected Lake Chilingali, near Nkhotakota, Malawi. It assigned to the genus based on form lower jaw dental arcade and by absence traits diagnostic phenotypically similar Ctenopharynx, Taeniolethrinops Tramitichromis. also lacks enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores found in Alticorpus Aulonocara. The presence a broken horizontal stripe flanks females immature/non-territorial males distinguishes them all congeners, including lethrinus, which typically continuous. has relatively shorter snout, lachrymal bone less ventrally positioned mouth than lethrinus. appears likely that now extinct wild, as this narrow endemic not been positively recorded natural environment since 2009. Breeding populations remain captivity.

Language: Английский

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Coevolution of the premaxillary ascending process and jaw protrusion in Lake Malawi cichlid fishes

Hydrobiologia, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 850(10-11), P. 2231 - 2240

Published: Aug. 9, 2022

Abstract Variation in jaw protrusion is critical to cichlid fish trophic diversification. For instance, distance can influence suction, attack speed, as well bite force, and angle associated with exploiting prey from different substrates. Interestingly, premaxillary ascending process length has been shown the maximum some fishes protrude their oral jaws, but its relationship unclear. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, morphometrics, field measurements Malawi species, we tested between of two components protrusion. In Malawi, premaxilla's ranged 6.9 15.2% respect standard length. Maximum 1.4 9.1% varied 17° 76°. Although was not length, phylogenetically adjusted correlations were highly significant. Evolutionary change premaxilla likely for determining distance, angle, Examinations this type potential phenotypic multi-functionality will continue illuminate mechanisms contributing diversity.

Language: Английский

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