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Adaptive tail-length evolution in deer mice is associated with differential Hoxd13 expression in early development
Evan P Kingsley1,2, Emily R Hager3,4, Jean-Marc Lassance3,5
1Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. evan_kingsley@hms.harvard.edu.
Deer mice ecotypes show distinct tail lengths due to genetic variations. Natural selection favors longer tails in forest mice for arboreal balance, with Hoxd13 gene expression playing a key role in tail development.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Developmental genetics
- Animal morphology
Background:
- Body plan diversity arises from variations in axial segments.
- Tail length differences exist between forest and prairie deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) ecotypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate evolutionary, genetic, and developmental factors behind deer mouse tail length variation.
- Determine the adaptive significance of tail length in different environments.
Main Methods:
- Arboreal locomotion assays to assess tail function.
- Genomic region identification for tail length quantitative trait loci (QTL).
- Gene expression analysis of Hox genes in embryonic tail buds.
- Quantification of embryonic presomitic mesoderm and neuromesodermal progenitors.
Main Results:
- Forest mice with longer tails exhibit superior arboreal locomotion.
- Six genomic regions identified, influencing caudal vertebra length and number.
- Forest alleles at these loci increase tail length, suggesting selection.
- Decreased Hoxd13 expression in forest mouse embryos correlates with longer tails.
- Forest embryos show increased presomitic mesoderm and neuromesodermal progenitors.
Conclusions:
- Hoxd13 plays a role in adaptive tail length variation.
- Natural selection drives microevolutionary changes in morphology.
- Genetic and developmental mechanisms underlie adaptive diversification.
