Myoglobin primary structure reveals multiple convergent transitions to semi-aquatic life in the world's smallest mammalian divers

He, Kai, Eastman, Triston G, Czolacz, Hannah, Li, Shuhao, Shinohara, Akio, Kawada, Shin-ichiro, Springer, Mark S, Berenbrink, Michael ORCID: 0000-0002-0793-1313 and Campbell, Kevin L (2021) Myoglobin primary structure reveals multiple convergent transitions to semi-aquatic life in the world's smallest mammalian divers. ELIFE, 10. e66797-.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.66797

Abstract

The speciose mammalian order Eulipotyphla (moles, shrews, hedgehogs, solenodons) combines an unusual diversity of semi-aquatic, semi-fossorial, and fossorial forms that arose from terrestrial forbearers. However, our understanding of the ecomorphological pathways leading to these lifestyles has been confounded by a fragmentary fossil record, unresolved phylogenetic relationships, and potential morphological convergence, calling for novel approaches. The net surface charge of the oxygen-storing muscle protein myoglobin (Z<sub>Mb</sub>), which can be readily determined from its primary structure, provides an objective target to address this question due to mechanistic linkages with myoglobin concentration. Here, we generate a comprehensive 71 species molecular phylogeny that resolves previously intractable intra-family relationships and then ancestrally reconstruct Z<sub>Mb</sub> evolution to identify ancient lifestyle transitions based on protein sequence alone. Our phylogenetically informed analyses confidently resolve fossorial habits having evolved twice in talpid moles and reveal five independent secondary aquatic transitions in the order housing the world's smallest endothermic divers.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals, Mammals, Moles, Oxygen, Myoglobin, DNA, Evolution, Molecular, Phylogeny, Amino Acid Sequence, Fossils, Aquatic Organisms
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	07 May 2021 15:25
Last Modified:	09 Feb 2024 02:23
DOI:	10.7554/eLife.66797
Open Access URL:	https://elifesciences.org/articles/66797
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3121857