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- Title
Important Role of the Ihh Signaling Pathway in Initiating Early Cranial Remodeling and Morphological Specialization in Cromileptes altivelis.
- Authors
Cao, Xiaoying; Deng, Shunyun; Liu, Quanyin; Wu, Lisheng; Zhuang, Xuan; Ding, Shaoxiong
- Abstract
Simple Summary: Adaptive radiation can lead to both morphological convergence and divergence. Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving these changes is essential for deciphering evolutionary relationships among species and the ecological implications of phenotypic variations in organisms' natural habitats. The humpback grouper Cromileptes altivelis represents a distinctive coral reef fish classified in a monotypic genus due to its unique morphology. However, molecular phylogenetic analysis challenges this classification, suggesting its placement within the genus Epinephelus. Interestingly, the characteristic 'sunken head and humpback' does not manifest in C. altivelis during the early differentiation stages but gradually emerges during its developmental stages. Investigating the genetic basis of this phenotypic specialization feature is expected to provide evidence for resolving taxonomic controversies and advancing our understanding of speciation studies. In this study, we identified the important contribution of frontal bone remodeling in shaping the 'sunken head and humpback' appearance in C. altivelis. Our investigation identified a developmental milestone at a total length of 5–6 cm, making the onset of its morphologic specialization in this species. A comparative analysis with closely related species reveals heightened activity in the frontal osteoblasts of the humpback grouper, potentially providing a physiological basis for its remodeling. Furthermore, our findings highlight that a significant upregulation in the expression levels of Ihhb, Ptch1, and Gli2a genes was seen in C. altivelis within the specified developmental stage, indicating an important involvement of the Ihhb-Ptch1-Gli2a signaling pathway in initiating the morphological specialization. We hypothesized that Ihh signaling could be attributed to shifts in mechanical stress, resulting from muscle traction on the frontal bone due to changes in swimming patterns during development. This study not only offers significant insights into unraveling the molecular mechanisms that govern phenotypic specialization and ecological adaptations in the humpback grouper but also serves as a valuable reference for studies on fishes with a controversial morphology and molecular phylogeny.
- Subjects
ADAPTIVE radiation; CORAL reef fishes; CELLULAR signal transduction; FRONTAL bone; GENE expression; GENETIC speciation; MOLECULAR phylogeny
- Publication
Animals (2076-2615), 2023, Vol 13, Issue 24, p3840
- ISSN
2076-2615
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ani13243840