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Decimated little brown bats show potential for adaptive change
Giorgia G Auteri1, L Lacey Knowles2
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. gauteri@umich.edu.
Scientific Reports
|February 22, 2020
Summary
Little brown bats show genetic adaptation to white-nose syndrome (WNS). Survivors have altered gene frequencies linked to hibernation and metabolism, suggesting evolutionary responses to the fungal pathogen.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Species survival hinges on rapid adaptation to environmental changes.
- Little brown bat populations have declined over 90% due to white-nose syndrome (WNS).
- Understanding adaptive capacity is crucial for the conservation of this species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate evidence of adaptation in little brown bats surviving WNS.
- To differentiate between adaptive genetic changes and genetic drift in declining populations.
- To identify specific genes associated with WNS survival.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomic analysis of WNS survivors and non-survivors.
- Examination of allele frequency shifts in key genes.
- Association of genetic changes with WNS-induced physiological effects.
Main Results:
- Significant allele frequency shifts were observed in genes regulating hibernation arousal (GABARB1), fat metabolism (cGMP-PK1), and vocalizations (FOXP2).
- These shifts suggest selective pressures related to WNS, which disrupts hibernation and depletes fat reserves.
- Evidence of adaptation was found despite significant genetic drift in declining populations.
Conclusions:
- Little brown bats exhibit genetic adaptation to white-nose syndrome.
- Specific gene frequency changes indicate an evolutionary response to WNS.
- The long-term impact of these adaptations on species recovery remains to be determined.
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