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- Title
Rapid Evolution of Genes Involved in Learning and Energy Metabolism for Domestication of the Laboratory Rat.
- Authors
Lin Zeng; Chen Ming; Yan Li; Ling-Yan Su; Yan-Hua Su; Otecko, Newton O.; He-Qun Liu; Ming-Shan Wang; Yong-Gang Yao; Hai-Peng Li; Dong-Dong Wu; Ya-Ping Zhang
- Abstract
The laboratory rat, widely used in biomedical research, is domesticated from wild brown rat. The origin and genetic mechanism underlying domestication of the laboratory rat remain largely elusive. In the present study, large scale genomes supported a single origin for the laboratory rat, possibly from a sister group to wild rats from Europe/ Africa/Middle East. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses uncovered many artificially selected genes (e.g., FOXP2, B3GAT1, and CLOCK) involved in the nervous system. These genes associate with learning ability and regulation of circadian rhythm, which likely enabled the successful domestication of the laboratory rat. Particularly, many genes, including mitochondrial genes responsible for energy metabolism, displayed a substantially increased expression in the brain of laboratory rats compared with wild rats. Our findings demystify the origin and evolution of this model animal, and provide insight into the process of its domestication.
- Publication
Molecular Biology & Evolution, 2017, Vol 34, Issue 12, p3148
- ISSN
0737-4038
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/molbev/msx238