Pangolin genomes and the evolution of mammalian scales and immunity

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Choo, SW (Author) Other; Rayko, M (Author) Other; Tan, TK (Author) Other; Hari, R (Author) Other; Komissarov, A (Author) Other; Wee, WY (Author) Other; Yurchenko, AA (Author) Other; Kliver, S (Author) Other; Tamazian, G (Author) Other; Agostinho Antunes (Author) FCUP; Wilson, RK (Author) Other; Warren, WC (Author) Other; Koepfli, KP (Author) Other; Minx, P (Author) Other; Krasheninnikova, K (Author) Other; Kotze, A (Author) Other; Dalton, DL (Author) Other; Vermaak, E (Author) Other; Paterson, IC (Author) Other; Dobrynin, P (Author) Other; Sitam, FT (Author) Other; Rovie Ryan, JJ (Author) Other; Johnson, WE (Author) Other; Yusoff, AM (Author) Other; Luo, SJ (Author) Other; Karuppannan, KV (Author) Other; Fang, G (Author) Other; Zheng, D (Author) Other; Gerstein, MB (Author) Other; Lipovich, L (Author) Other; O'Brien, SJ (Author) Other; Wong, GJ (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Genome Research

Vol. 26

Pages: 1312-1322

ISSN: 1088-9051

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 66 Citations

Scopus - 74 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-4SM

DOI: 10.1101/gr.203521.115

Abstract (EN): Pangolins, unique mammals with scales over most of their body, no teeth, poor vision, and an acute olfactory system, comprise the only placental order (Pholidota) without a whole-genome map. To investigate pangolin biology and evolution, we developed genome assemblies of the Malayan (Manis javanica) and Chinese (M. pentadactyla) pangolins. Strikingly, we found that interferon epsilon (IFNE), exclusively expressed in epithelial cells and important in skin and mucosal immunity, is pseudogenized in all African and Asian pangolin species that we examined, perhaps impacting resistance to infection. We propose that scale development was an innovation that provided protection against injuries or stress and reduced pangolin vulnerability to infection. Further evidence of specialized adaptations was evident from positively selected genes involving immunity-related pathways, inflammation, energy storage and metabolism, muscular and nervous systems, and scale/hair development. Olfactory receptor gene families are significantly expanded in pangolins, reflecting their well-developed olfaction system. This study provides insights into mammalian adaptation and functional diversification, new research tools and questions, and perhaps a new natural IFNE-deficient animal model for studying mammalian immunity.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11