Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Tissue Collection of Bats for -Omics Analyses and Primary Cell Culture
Published on: October 23, 2019
Molecular cloning and evolutionary analysis of hemoglobin alpha-chain genes in bats
Yang Liu1, Dong Dong, Nai-Jian Han
1School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Bats are the only mammals with the capacity for powered flight. When flying, they need abundant energy and oxygen. According to previous works, the hemoglobin (Hb) oxygen loading function of bats is insensitive to variations in body temperature, although different bat species have different heat sensitivity. We cloned Hb alpha-chain sequences from eight bat species to investigate whether they have different characteristics. We found that Hb in the bat lineages is under purifying selection, which accords with the importance of its function in bats. Three turn regions in bat Hb, however, have distinct evolutionary rates compared with those of other mammals, and the codons in these regions have an accelerated rate of evolution. These codons are under divergent selection in bats. These changes in Hb may have occurred in response to the physiological requirements of the species concerned, as adaptations to different lifestyles.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Convergent Evolution
Gene Families
Occasionally these regions can be adapted to take on new roles within the organism, becoming novel genes...
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Globular and Fibrous Proteins
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Gene Duplication and Divergence
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.

