The evolution of cichlid fish egg-spots is linked with a cis-regulatory change

M. Emília Santos (), Ingo Braasch, Nicolas Boileau, Britta S. Meyer, Loïc Sauteur, Astrid Böhne, Heinz-Georg Belting, Markus Affolter and Walter Salzburger ()
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M. Emília Santos: Zoological Institute, University of Basel
Ingo Braasch: Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon
Nicolas Boileau: Zoological Institute, University of Basel
Britta S. Meyer: Zoological Institute, University of Basel
Loïc Sauteur: Biozentrum, University of Basel
Astrid Böhne: Zoological Institute, University of Basel
Heinz-Georg Belting: Biozentrum, University of Basel
Markus Affolter: Biozentrum, University of Basel
Walter Salzburger: Zoological Institute, University of Basel

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The origin of novel phenotypic characters is a key component in organismal diversification; yet, the mechanisms underlying the emergence of such evolutionary novelties are largely unknown. Here we examine the origin of egg-spots, an evolutionary innovation of the most species-rich group of cichlids, the haplochromines, where these conspicuous male fin colour markings are involved in mating. Applying a combination of RNAseq, comparative genomics and functional experiments, we identify two novel pigmentation genes, fhl2a and fhl2b, and show that especially the more rapidly evolving b-paralog is associated with egg-spot formation. We further find that egg-spot bearing haplochromines, but not other cichlids, feature a transposable element in the cis-regulatory region of fhl2b. Using transgenic zebrafish, we finally demonstrate that this region shows specific enhancer activities in iridophores, a type of pigment cells found in egg-spots, suggesting that a cis-regulatory change is causally linked to the gain of expression in egg-spot bearing haplochromines.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6149

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