Transcriptome data from the interdigital webs of the Chinese Soft-shell Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Comparative Genomics

Background:

• Interdigital webbing in aquatic tetrapods is crucial for adaptation and arises from inhibited interdigital cell death (ICD).
• Diverse web morphologies have evolved independently, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unclear.
• The Chinese soft-shell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) displays transitional webbing, making it an ideal model organism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the molecular mechanisms governing the development of interdigital webbing in Pelodiscus sinensis.
• To identify key genes involved in the regulation of interdigital cell death (ICD) during limb morphogenesis.
• To provide insights into the convergent evolution of aquatic adaptations in tetrapods.

Main Methods:

• RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on eight interdigital web samples from embryonic Pelodiscus sinensis at stage TK19.
• Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between samples.
• Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to validate transcriptomic findings.

Main Results:

• A total of 608 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the developing interdigital webs.
• Validation using WISH and RT-qPCR confirmed the accuracy of the RNA-seq data for selected genes.
• The study identified potential genetic regulators of ICD and web formation.

Conclusions:

• This study provides valuable transcriptomic data for understanding the evolution of aquatic adaptations and limb development in tetrapods.
• The identified genes offer potential molecular targets for studying the plasticity of programmed cell death and senescence.
• Findings contribute to comparative genomics and the study of adaptive convergent evolution.