Genomic adaptations and evolutionary history of the extinct scimitar-toothed cat, Homotherium latidens

Mostra el registre complet Registre parcial de l'ítem

• dc.contributor.author Barnett, Ross
• dc.contributor.author de Manuel, Marc
• dc.contributor.author Marquès i Bonet, Tomàs, 1975-
• dc.contributor.author Gilbert, M Thomas
• dc.date.accessioned 2020-11-12T11:43:37Z
• dc.date.available 2020-11-12T11:43:37Z
• dc.date.issued 2020
• dc.description.abstract Homotherium was a genus of large-bodied scimitar-toothed cats, morphologically distinct from any extant felid species, that went extinct at the end of the Pleistocene [1-4]. They possessed large, saber-form serrated canine teeth, powerful forelimbs, a sloping back, and an enlarged optic bulb, all of which were key characteristics for predation on Pleistocene megafauna [5]. Previous mitochondrial DNA phylogenies suggested that it was a highly divergent sister lineage to all extant cat species [6-8]. However, mitochondrial phylogenies can be misled by hybridization [9], incomplete lineage sorting (ILS), or sex-biased dispersal patterns [10], which might be especially relevant for Homotherium since widespread mito-nuclear discrepancies have been uncovered in modern cats [10]. To examine the evolutionary history of Homotherium, we generated a ∼7x nuclear genome and a ∼38x exome from H. latidens using shotgun and target-capture sequencing approaches. Phylogenetic analyses reveal Homotherium as highly divergent (∼22.5 Ma) from living cat species, with no detectable signs of gene flow. Comparative genomic analyses found signatures of positive selection in several genes, including those involved in vision, cognitive function, and energy consumption, putatively consistent with diurnal activity, well-developed social behavior, and cursorial hunting [5]. Finally, we uncover relatively high levels of genetic diversity, suggesting that Homotherium may have been more abundant than the limited fossil record suggests [3, 4, 11-14]. Our findings complement and extend previous inferences from both the fossil record and initial molecular studies, enhancing our understanding of the evolution and ecology of this remarkable lineage.
• dc.description.sponsorship This project received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development, and Demonstration under grant agreement no. FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF-298820 and ERC Consolidator Award 681396-Extinction Genomics to M.T.P.G.
• dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
• dc.identifier.citation Barnett R, Westbury MV, Sandoval-Velasco M, Vieira FG, Jeon S, Zazula G, et al. Genomic adaptations and evolutionary history of the extinct scimitar-toothed cat, Homotherium latidens. Curr Biol. 2020 Dec 21;30(24):5018-5025.e5. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.051
• dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.051
• dc.identifier.issn 0960-9822
• dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/45741
• dc.language.iso eng
• dc.publisher Elsevier
• dc.relation.ispartof Curr Biol. 2020 Dec 21;30(24):5018-5025.e5
• dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/298820
• dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/681396
• dc.rights © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
• dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
• dc.rights.uri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• dc.subject.keyword Homotherium
• dc.subject.keyword Adaptation
• dc.subject.keyword Ancient DNA
• dc.subject.keyword Comparative genomes
• dc.subject.keyword Diversity
• dc.subject.keyword Genomics
• dc.subject.keyword Palaeogenome
• dc.subject.keyword Paleogenome
• dc.subject.keyword Phylogeny
• dc.subject.keyword Selection
• dc.title Genomic adaptations and evolutionary history of the extinct scimitar-toothed cat, Homotherium latidens
• dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
• dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion