Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

48.3K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
48.3K
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

33.0K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
33.0K
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

9.2K
While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
9.2K
Divergence and Curl01:15

Divergence and Curl

3.2K
The divergence of a vector field at a point is the net outward flow of the flux out of a small volume through a closed surface enclosing the volume, as the volume tends to zero. More practically, divergence measures how much a vector field spreads out or diverges from a given point. For an outgoing flux, conventionally, the divergence is positive. The diverging point is often called the "source" of the field. Meanwhile, the negative divergence of a vector field at a point means that the vector...
3.2K
Divergence and Stokes' Theorems01:06

Divergence and Stokes' Theorems

3.7K
The divergence and Stokes' theorems are a variation of Green's theorem in a higher dimension. They are also a generalization of the fundamental theorem of calculus. The divergence theorem and Stokes' theorem are in a way similar to each other; The divergence theorem relates to the dot product of a vector, while Stokes' theorem relates to the curl of a vector. Many applications in physics and engineering make use of the divergence and Stokes' theorems, enabling us to write...
3.7K
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

8.0K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
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...
8.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Inspiring song: The role of respiratory circuitry in the evolution of vertebrate vocal behavior.

Developmental neurobiology·2020
Same author

Central pattern generators reveal neuronal circuit dynamics across many time scales.

Developmental neurobiology·2020
Same author

Generation, Coordination, and Evolution of Neural Circuits for Vocal Communication.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2020
Same author

Feedback to the future: motor neuron contributions to central pattern generator function.

The Journal of experimental biology·2019
Same author

The return to water in ancestral <i>Xenopus</i> was accompanied by a novel mechanism for producing and shaping vocal signals.

eLife·2019
Same author

Motor Neurons Tune Premotor Activity in a Vertebrate Central Pattern Generator.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2017

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication
10:16

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication

Published on: December 2, 2011

14.5K

Premotor Neuron Divergence Reflects Vocal Evolution.

Charlotte L Barkan1,2, Darcy B Kelley1,3, Erik Zornik4

  • 1Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|June 8, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Evolution of frog vocalizations was studied by examining hindbrain circuits. Differences in fast trill neurons (FTNs) in Xenopus laevis and Xenopus petersii frogs explain species-specific song patterns.

Keywords:
Xenopuscentral pattern generatorevolutionmotor circuitparabrachial areavocal communication

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Investigating Vocal Information Representation in Small Primates and Its Alteration by Psychiatric Disorders Using Noninvasive EEG
07:52

Author Spotlight: Investigating Vocal Information Representation in Small Primates and Its Alteration by Psychiatric Disorders Using Noninvasive EEG

Published on: July 26, 2024

1.4K
Construction and Characterization of a Novel Vocal Fold Bioreactor
11:11

Construction and Characterization of a Novel Vocal Fold Bioreactor

Published on: August 1, 2014

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication
10:16

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication

Published on: December 2, 2011

14.5K
Author Spotlight: Investigating Vocal Information Representation in Small Primates and Its Alteration by Psychiatric Disorders Using Noninvasive EEG
07:52

Author Spotlight: Investigating Vocal Information Representation in Small Primates and Its Alteration by Psychiatric Disorders Using Noninvasive EEG

Published on: July 26, 2024

1.4K
Construction and Characterization of a Novel Vocal Fold Bioreactor
11:11

Construction and Characterization of a Novel Vocal Fold Bioreactor

Published on: August 1, 2014

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Bioacoustics

Background:

  • The vertebrate hindbrain generates rhythmic behaviors, including vocalizations.
  • Male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis and Xenopus petersii) exhibit species-specific courtship calls with distinct temporal patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the neural mechanisms underlying evolutionary divergence in frog vocalization patterns.
  • To investigate the role of the Xenopus parabrachial area (PBX) in generating species-specific vocal differences.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in ex vivo Xenopus brains to analyze fictive vocalizations.
  • Two neuronal populations, fast trill neurons (FTNs) and early vocal neurons (EVNs), were identified in the PBX.
  • Intrinsic membrane properties and synaptic activity of FTNs were characterized in Xenopus laevis and Xenopus petersii.

Main Results:

  • FTNs, but not EVNs, showed species-specific intrinsic properties correlating with vocal patterns.
  • Xenopus laevis FTNs exhibited longer and slower depolarizations and burst durations than Xenopus petersii FTNs.
  • Synaptically isolated FTNs oscillated at slower frequencies in Xenopus laevis compared to Xenopus petersii.

Conclusions:

  • Divergence in premotor neuron membrane properties, specifically in FTNs, is a key factor in generating species-specific vocal differences.
  • Changes in PBX neuronal subtypes likely played a significant role in the evolution of distinct behaviors in closely related frog species.