Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
08:01
Induction of Hypoxia in Living Frog and Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: June 26, 2017
Comparative Genomics and Functional Evidence for Convergent Adaptation to Hypoxia in Mammals
Hao Dong1, Chunxu Wang1, Enqing Pei1
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River Basin, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
Integrative Zoology
|August 4, 2026
Summary
Mammals independently evolved hypoxia tolerance through similar genetic changes. This study reveals accelerated protein evolution and identifies specific genes, like HYOU1, crucial for adapting to low oxygen environments.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genomics
- Physiology
Background:
- Hypoxia tolerance has evolved independently in diverse mammals (marine, highland, subterranean).
- Convergent physiological solutions suggest underlying shared genetic mechanisms.
- The genetic basis of this convergent adaptation remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate genomic signatures of convergent evolution in hypoxia-tolerant mammals.
- To identify genes and evolutionary patterns associated with adaptation to low oxygen conditions.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomics analysis of hypoxia-tolerant and normoxia-adapted mammals.
- Identification of positively selected and rapidly evolving genes.
- Functional assays of key genes, including HYOU1.
Main Results:
- Hypoxia-tolerant lineages show accelerated protein evolution.
- 499 positively selected and 1585 rapidly evolving genes were identified, enriched in hypoxia response and cardiovascular regulation.
- 817 genes exhibited convergent evolutionary rate shifts; HYOU1 overexpression reduced oxidative stress.
Conclusions:
- Genomic and functional evidence supports convergent genetic mechanisms for mammalian hypoxia adaptation.
- Accelerated protein evolution and specific gene adaptations are key.
- HYOU1 plays a significant role in mitigating hypoxia-induced cellular damage.
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