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Published on: November 26, 2012
The hearing gene Prestin reunites echolocating bats
Gang Li1, Jinhong Wang, Stephen J Rossiter
1School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
Summary
Prestin, a protein crucial for hearing, shows evidence of convergent evolution in bats, suggesting independent development of high-frequency hearing and echolocation. This protein plays a key role in the evolution of specialized auditory abilities.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Molecular Genetics
Background:
- Mammalian high-frequency hearing relies on mechanical amplification by outer hair cells in the cochlea.
- This amplification is driven by the protein prestin, encoded by the Prestin gene.
- Echolocating bats possess the highest frequency hearing among mammals, utilizing ultrasound for navigation and hunting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the Prestin gene in the evolution of bat echolocation.
- To compare the Prestin gene's evolutionary history in echolocating and non-echolocating bat species.
Main Methods:
- Sequencing the coding region of the Prestin gene in various bat species.
- Phylogenetic analysis of the Prestin gene and species phylogeny.
- Examining hydrophobic transmembrane domains and extracellular/intracellular domains for evolutionary signals.
Main Results:
- The Prestin gene tree suggested a monophyletic origin for echolocating bats, conflicting with the species phylogeny.
- This conflict was attributed to convergent evolution in functionally important gene regions, not gene duplication or relaxed selection.
- Evidence of Darwinian selection on Prestin was found, linked to the evolution of constant-frequency echolocation and sharp auditory tuning.
Conclusions:
- The Prestin gene strongly implicates it in the evolution of bat echolocation.
- Independent evolution of high-frequency hearing in bats is suggested.
- Functional genes prone to convergence can pose challenges for phylogenetic signal extraction.
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01:31Hearing
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01:06Echo
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01:13The Cochlea
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01:22Hair Cells
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01:11The Auditory Ossicles
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