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Related Concept Videos

Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

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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.
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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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Next-generation sequencing technologies have created large genomic databases of a variety of animals and plants. Ever since the human genome project was completed, scientists studied the genome of primates, mammals, and other phylogenetically distant living beings. Such large-scale  studies have provided new insights into the evolutionary relationship between organisms.
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Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Two-step Approach to Explore Early- and Late-stages of Organ Formation in the Avian Model: The Thymus and Parathyroid Glands Organogenesis Paradigm
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Parallel Selection for Longevity in Mammals and Birds.

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Scientists discovered shared genetic pathways and genes under positive selection in long-lived mammals and birds, suggesting an ancient, conserved toolkit for longevity. This implies convergent evolution of extended lifespan across diverse vertebrate lineages.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics
  • Aging research

Background:

  • Aging is universal in vertebrates, but lifespan varies significantly.
  • Long-lived species are evolutionarily dispersed, indicating repeated origins of longevity.
  • Previous studies focused on short-lived organisms, neglecting naturally long-lived vertebrates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct the first genome-wide survey of selection pressures in long-lived mammals and birds.
  • To identify shared genetic mechanisms underlying longevity in these diverse taxa.
  • To investigate convergent evolution of extended lifespan.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide survey of positive and purifying selection.
  • Comparative genomics across hundreds of long-lived mammals and birds.
  • Novel approach to detect convergent positive selection.

Main Results:

  • Identified an extensive network of shared pathways under purifying selection in exceptionally long-lived mammals and birds.
  • Discovered 16 genes under parallel positive selection in long-lived mammals and birds, involved in aging hallmarks.
  • Found genes related to cholesterol metabolism, oxidative stress, and autophagy under positive selection.

Conclusions:

  • Striking parallels in selection signatures suggest a deeply conserved, ancient genetic toolkit for longevity.
  • Evidence supports the convergent evolution of extended lifespan through shared and modified genetic mechanisms.
  • Identified novel candidate genes and pathways for future aging research.