Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Bioscience, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Nat Genet. 2013 May;45(5):563-6. doi: 10.1038/ng.2588. Epub 2013 Mar 24.
As top predators, falcons possess unique morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations that allow them to be successful hunters: for example, the peregrine is renowned as the world's fastest animal. To examine the evolutionary basis of predatory adaptations, we sequenced the genomes of both the peregrine (Falco peregrinus) and saker falcon (Falco cherrug), and we present parallel, genome-wide evidence for evolutionary innovation and selection for a predatory lifestyle. The genomes, assembled using Illumina deep sequencing with greater than 100-fold coverage, are both approximately 1.2 Gb in length, with transcriptome-assisted prediction of approximately 16,200 genes for both species. Analysis of 8,424 orthologs in both falcons, chicken, zebra finch and turkey identified consistent evidence for genome-wide rapid evolution in these raptors. SNP-based inference showed contrasting recent demographic trajectories for the two falcons, and gene-based analysis highlighted falcon-specific evolutionary novelties for beak development and olfaction and specifically for homeostasis-related genes in the arid environment-adapted saker.
作为顶级掠食者，隼类具有独特的形态、生理和行为适应性，使它们成为成功的猎手：例如，游隼被誉为世界上最快的动物。为了研究捕食适应的进化基础，我们对游隼（Falco peregrinus）和猎隼（Falco cherrug）的基因组进行了测序，并提供了平行的、全基因组范围内的证据，证明了捕食生活方式的进化创新和选择。这两个基因组都是使用 Illumina 深度测序组装的，覆盖率超过 100 倍，长度都约为 1.2Gb，两种物种的转录组辅助预测约有 16200 个基因。对两种隼类、鸡、斑胸草雀和火鸡的 8424 个直系同源基因进行分析，发现这些猛禽的全基因组快速进化存在一致的证据。基于 SNP 的推断表明，这两种隼类的近期人口轨迹截然不同，基于基因的分析则突出了与喙发育和嗅觉相关的、以及适应干旱环境的猎隼特有的进化新奇性，特别是与体内平衡相关的基因。
