Ground tit genome reveals avian adaptation to living at high altitudes in the Tibetan plateau

Yanhua Qu, Hongwei Zhao, Naijian Han, Guangyu Zhou, Gang Song, Bin Gao, Shilin Tian, Jinbo Zhang, Ruiying Zhang, Xuehong Meng, Yuan Zhang, Yong Zhang, Xiaojia Zhu, Wenjuan Wang, David Lambert, Per G. P. Ericson, Sankar Subramanian, Carol Yeung, Hongmei Zhu, Zhi Jiang, Ruiqiang Li () and Fumin Lei ()
Additional contact information
Yanhua Qu: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hongwei Zhao: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Naijian Han: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guangyu Zhou: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Gang Song: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bin Gao: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shilin Tian: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Jinbo Zhang: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Ruiying Zhang: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xuehong Meng: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Yuan Zhang: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Yong Zhang: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiaojia Zhu: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wenjuan Wang: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
David Lambert: Griffith School of Environment and School of Bimolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University, 170, Kessels Road
Per G. P. Ericson: Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007
Sankar Subramanian: Griffith School of Environment and School of Bimolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University, 170, Kessels Road
Carol Yeung: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Hongmei Zhu: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Zhi Jiang: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Ruiqiang Li: Novogene Bioinformatics Institute
Fumin Lei: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The ground tit (Parus humilis) is endemic to the Tibetan plateau. It is a member of family Paridae but it was long thought to be related to the ground jays because of their morphological similarities. Here we present the ground tit’s genome and re-sequence two tits and one ground jay, to clarify this controversially taxonomic status and uncover its genetic adaptations to the Tibetan plateau. Our results show that ground tit groups with two tits and it diverges from them between 7.7 and 9.9 Mya. Compared with other avian genomes, ground tit shows expansion in genes linked to energy metabolism and contractions in genes involved in immune and olfactory perception. We also found positively selected and rapidly evolving genes in hypoxia response and skeletal development. These results indicated that ground tit evolves basic strategies and ‘tit-to-jay’ change for coping with the life in an extreme environment.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3071

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