Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Apr 23;7(17):eabd2274.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd2274. Print 2021 Apr.

Comparative genomic analysis of sifakas (Propithecus) reveals selection for folivory and high heterozygosity despite endangered status

Elaine E Guevara  1   2 , Timothy H Webster  3 , Richard R Lawler  4 , Brenda J Bradley  2 , Lydia K Greene  5   6 , Jeannin Ranaivonasy  7 , Joelisoa Ratsirarson  7 , R Alan Harris  8 , Yue Liu  8 , Shwetha Murali  8 , Muthuswamy Raveendran  8 , Daniel S T Hughes  9 , Donna M Muzny  8 , Anne D Yoder  6 , Kim C Worley  8 , Jeffrey Rogers  10   11
Affiliations

Comparative genomic analysis of sifakas (Propithecus) reveals selection for folivory and high heterozygosity despite endangered status

Elaine E Guevara et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

Sifakas (genus Propithecus) are critically endangered, large-bodied diurnal lemurs that eat leaf-based diets and show corresponding anatomical and microbial adaptations to folivory. We report on the genome assembly of Coquerel's sifaka (P. coquereli) and the resequenced genomes of Verreaux's (P. verreauxi), the golden-crowned (P. tattersalli), and the diademed (P. diadema) sifakas. We find high heterozygosity in all sifakas compared with other primates and endangered mammals. Demographic reconstructions nevertheless suggest declines in effective population size beginning before human arrival on Madagascar. Comparative genomic analyses indicate pervasive accelerated evolution in the ancestral sifaka lineage affecting genes in several complementary pathways relevant to folivory, including nutrient absorption and xenobiotic and fatty acid metabolism. Sifakas show convergent evolution at the level of the pathway, gene family, gene, and amino acid substitution with other folivores. Although sifakas have relatively generalized diets, the physiological challenges of habitual folivory likely led to strong selection.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Sifaka samples and demographic history.
The current known geographic distributions of the four sifaka species included in this study with sample origins. (Illustrations copyright 2020 Stephen D. Nash/IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group. Used with permission.)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Genome-wide heterozygosity compared across primates and other mammals.
IUCN “Red List” status: NE, not evaluated; LC, least concern; NT, near threatened; VU, vulnerable; EN, endangered; CR, critically endangered; EX, extinct. Mammalian families included represented by clip art. Tasmanian devil silhouette by Sarah Werning from PhyloPic.org. Data from (, –117).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Sequence alignment of RNASE1 sites predicted to affect enzymatic activity including duplicated colobine sequences.
Positions of positively selected sites in sifakas highlighted in yellow. Duplicated colobine RNASE1 genes and sifaka species bolded.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Mittermeier R. A., Ganzhorn J. U., Konstant W. R., Glander K., Tattersall I., Groves C. P., Rylands A. B., Hapke A., Ratsimbazafy J., Mayor M. I., Louis E. E., Rumpler Y., Schwitzer C., Rasoloarison R. M., Lemur diversity in Madagascar. Int. J. Primatol. 29, 1607–1656 (2008).
    1. Richard A. F., Dewar R. E., Lemur ecology. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 22, 145–175 (1991).
    1. Dewar R. E., Richard A. F., Madagascar: A history of arrivals, what happened, and will happen next. Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 41, 495–517 (2012).
    1. Wright P. C., Lemur traits and Madagascar ecology: Coping with an island environment. Yearb. Phys. Anthropol. 42, 42 (1999). - PubMed
    1. Dewar R. E., Richard A. F., Evolution in the hypervariable environment of Madagascar. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 13723–13727 (2007). - PMC - PubMed

Publication types