Genomic and single-cell analyses reveal genetic signatures of swimming pattern and diapause strategy in jellyfish

Zhijun Dong (), Fanghan Wang, Yali Liu, Yongxue Li, Haiyan Yu, Saijun Peng, Tingting Sun, Meng Qu, Ke Sun, Lei Wang, Yuanqing Ma, Kai Chen, Jianmin Zhao () and Qiang Lin ()
Additional contact information
Zhijun Dong: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fanghan Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yali Liu: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yongxue Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Haiyan Yu: Xiamen University
Saijun Peng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tingting Sun: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Meng Qu: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ke Sun: Kunming University of Science and Technology
Lei Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuanqing Ma: Shandong Marine Resource and Environment Research Institute
Kai Chen: Kunming University of Science and Technology
Jianmin Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qiang Lin: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Jellyfish exhibit innovative swimming patterns that contribute to exploring the origins of animal locomotion. However, the genetic and cellular basis of these patterns remains unclear. Herein, we generated chromosome-level genome assemblies of two jellyfish species, Turritopsis rubra and Aurelia coerulea, which exhibit straight and free-swimming patterns, respectively. We observe positive selection of numerous genes involved in statolith formation, hair cell ciliogenesis, ciliary motility, and motor neuron function. The lineage-specific absence of otolith morphogenesis- and ciliary movement-related genes in T. rubra may be associated with homeostatic structural statocyst loss and straight swimming pattern. Notably, single-cell transcriptomic analyses covering key developmental stages reveal the enrichment of diapause-related genes in the cyst during reverse development, suggesting that the sustained diapause state favours the development of new polyps under favourable conditions. This study highlights the complex relationship between genetics, locomotion patterns and survival strategies in jellyfish, thereby providing valuable insights into the evolutionary lineages of movement and adaptation in the animal kingdom.

Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49848-z Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49848-z

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49848-z

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().