Cao Peng, Dai Qinlong, Deng Cao, Zhao Xiang, Qin Shishan, Yang Jian, Ju Ran, Wang Zhiwen, Lu Guoqing, Gu Xiaodong, Yang Zhisong, Zhu Lifeng
Key Laboratory of Drug Targets and Drug Leads for Degenerative Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
Shimian Research Center of Giant Panda Small Population Conservation and Rejuvenation, Shimian, 625400, China.
Sci China Life Sci. 2021 Oct;64(10):1765-1780. doi: 10.1007/s11427-020-1841-5. Epub 2021 Jan 19.
Animal body coverings provide protection and allow for adaptation to environmental pressures such as heat, ultraviolet radiation, water loss, and mechanical forces. Here, using a comparative genomics analysis of 39 mammal species spanning three skin covering types (hairless, scaly and spiny), we found some genes (e.g., UVRAG, POLH, and XPC) involved in skin inflammation, skin innate immunity, and ultraviolet radiation damage repair were under selection in hairless ocean mammals (e.g., whales and manatees). These signatures might be associated with a high risk of skin diseases from pathogens and ultraviolet radiation. Moreover, the genomes from three spiny mammal species shared convergent genomic regions (EPHB2, EPHA4, and NIN) and unique positively selected genes (FZD6, INVS, and CDC42) involved in skin cell polarity, which might be related to the development of spines. In scaly mammals, the shared convergent genomic regions (e.g., FREM2) were associated with the integrity of the skin epithelium and epidermal adhesion. This study identifies potential convergent genomic features among distantly related mammals with the same skin covering type.
动物的体表覆盖物提供保护作用，并使其能够适应诸如热、紫外线辐射、水分流失和机械力等环境压力。在此，我们通过对39种哺乳动物进行比较基因组学分析，这些哺乳动物涵盖三种皮肤覆盖类型（无毛、有鳞和多刺），我们发现一些参与皮肤炎症、皮肤固有免疫和紫外线辐射损伤修复的基因（如UVRAG、POLH和XPC）在无毛海洋哺乳动物（如鲸鱼和海牛）中受到选择。这些特征可能与病原体和紫外线辐射导致的皮肤疾病高风险相关。此外，三种多刺哺乳动物的基因组共享了与皮肤细胞极性有关的趋同基因组区域（EPHB2、EPHA4和NIN）以及独特的正选择基因（FZD6、INVS和CDC42），这可能与刺的发育有关。在有鳞哺乳动物中，共享的趋同基因组区域（如FREM2）与皮肤上皮的完整性和表皮黏附有关。本研究确定了具有相同皮肤覆盖类型的远缘哺乳动物之间潜在的趋同基因组特征。
