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MicroRNAs support a turtle + lizard clade.

Tyler R Lyson1, Erik A Sperling, Alysha M Heimberg

  • 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.

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|July 22, 2011
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The origin of turtles is a long-standing mystery in amniote systematics. A novel microRNA dataset reveals turtles are closely related to lepidosaurs, challenging previous phylogenetic placements.

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Area of Science:

  • Herpetology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • The phylogenetic position of turtles within amniotes is debated, with conflicting evidence from morphological and molecular studies.
  • Traditional views placed turtles outside Diapsida, while some analyses suggest affinities with Lepidosauria or Archosauria.
  • Resolving turtle phylogeny is crucial for understanding the evolutionary history of reptiles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phylogenetic position of turtles using a novel molecular dataset.
  • To clarify the root of the reptilian tree and the evolutionary relationships among major reptile groups.
  • To reconcile conflicting data from morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a novel molecular dataset based on the presence/absence of specific microRNAs (miRNAs).
  • Comparative genomic analysis of miRNA gene families across various amniote taxa.
  • Phylogenetic reconstruction using miRNA data to infer evolutionary relationships.

Main Results:

  • The microRNA dataset unambiguously supports a sister-group relationship between turtles and lepidosaurs (tuatara and lizards).
  • Four unique miRNA gene families were identified in turtles and lizards, not found in other sequenced genomes.
  • No miRNAs were found to be shared across all diapsids excluding turtles, or between turtles and archosaurs excluding lizards.

Conclusions:

  • MicroRNA data provides strong evidence for turtles being closely allied with lepidosaurs within Diapsida.
  • The findings suggest numerous instances of morphological convergence and reversal in reptile evolution, particularly regarding skull fenestration.
  • This study resolves a key question in vertebrate phylogeny, highlighting the utility of non-coding RNA in evolutionary studies.