Understanding the importance of convergent vs. lineage-specific molecular changes for convergent adaptations

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Michael Hiller
• Subject Area: Evolution, Anthropology ; Bioinformatics and Theoretical Biology ; Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology (Zoology)
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 458895683

Convergent evolution of similar traits in independent lineages represents one of the most fascinating evolutionary phenomena. Previous studies revealed remarkable examples where similar or sometimes the same genomic changes underlie phenotypic convergence, which raises a fundamental question: What is the contribution of convergent vs. lineage-specific molecular changes to phenotypic convergence?This project will address this question using convergent adaptations to a sugar-rich diet in independent lineages of frugivorous and nectarivorous bats as a tractable model. We will use an integrative approach that comprises (i) generating highly-contiguous and complete genomes of strategically-selected bats together with gene expression data of key tissues relevant for sugar and insulin metabolism, (ii) applying genomic methods to screen genome-wide for five types of mutational signatures in coding genes and thus comprehensively determine convergent and lineage-specific gene changes that are relevant for convergent sugar diet adaptations, and (iii) systematically identifying convergent and lineage-specific shifts in gene expression in frugi- and nectarivorous bats. Together, this will reveal the first comprehensive picture of convergent as well as lineage-specific changes that are important for adaptations to sugar-rich diets in these bats, which may also uncover promising targets with relevance for human metabolic disorders. Overall, this project will provide novel insights into long-standing questions concerning the importance of convergent vs. lineage-specific and gene-sequence vs. gene-expression changes for phenotypic convergence.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants