A candidate multimodal functional genetic network for thermal adaptation.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Vertebrate ectotherms are crucial for studying adaptation to thermal change.
• Identifying genes for thermal adaptation is challenging despite genomic advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To predict and identify functions of candidate markers for thermal adaptation in chickens using a bioinformatics approach.
• To establish a functional genetic interaction network for thermal adaptation in chickens.

Main Methods:

• Genome-mining bioinformatics approach.
• Literature compilation of vertebrate thermal adaptation genes.
• Identification of genes in human, chicken, and Anolis carolinensis genomes.
• Construction of a functional genetic interaction network in chickens.

Main Results:

• Conserved functional relationships were found among thermal adaptation markers from diverse vertebrate lineages.
• A multimodal network was identified, including central regulators and affect genes.
• Seven overrepresented functions were identified: thermal signaling, lipoprotein metabolism, membrane channels, stress response, oxidative stress response, muscle contraction/relaxation, and blood pressure regulation.

Conclusions:

• The genetic network for thermoregulation and thermal adaptation is likely regulated by evolutionarily conserved pathways across vertebrate lineages.
• This network provides a novel resource for studying thermal adaptation in reptiles and other ectotherms.