Dataset Information

Comparative inner ear transcriptome analysis between the Rickett's big-footed bats (Myotis ricketti) and the greater short-nosed fruit bats (Cynopterus sphinx).

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Bats have aroused great interests of researchers for the sake of their advanced echolocation system. However, this highly specialized trait is not characteristic of Old World fruit bats. RESULTS: To comprehensively explore the underlying molecular basis between echolocating and non-echolocating bats, we employed a sequence-based approach to compare the inner ear expression difference between the Rickett's big-footed bat (Myotis ricketti, echolocating bat) and the Greater short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx, non-echolocating bat). De novo sequence assemblies were developed for both species. The results showed that the biological implications of up-regulated genes in M. ricketti were significantly over-represented in biological process categories such as 'cochlea morphogenesis', 'inner ear morphogenesis' and 'sensory perception of sound', which are consistent with the inner ear morphological and physiological differentiation between the two bat species. Moreover, the expression of TMC1 gene confirmed its important function in echolocating bats. CONCLUSION: Our work presents the first transcriptome comparison between echolocating and non-echolocating bats, and provides information about the genetic basis of their distinct hearing traits.

SUBMITTER: Dong D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3879654 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparative inner ear transcriptome analysis between the Rickett's big-footed bats (Myotis ricketti) and the greater short-nosed fruit bats (Cynopterus sphinx).

Dong Dong D Lei Ming M Liu Yang Y Zhang Shuyi S

BMC genomics 20131223

<h4>Background</h4>Bats have aroused great interests of researchers for the sake of their advanced echolocation system. However, this highly specialized trait is not characteristic of Old World fruit bats.<h4>Results</h4>To comprehensively explore the underlying molecular basis between echolocating and non-echolocating bats, we employed a sequence-based approach to compare the inner ear expression difference between the Rickett's big-footed bat (Myotis ricketti, echolocating bat) and the Greater ...[more]

PMID: 24365273

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Project description:BackgroundWhy a variety of social animals emit foraging-associated calls during group foraging remains an open question. These vocalizations may be used to recruit conspecifics to food patches (i.e. food advertisement hypothesis) or defend food resources against competitors (food defence hypothesis), presumably depending on food availability. Insectivorous bats rely heavily on vocalizations for navigation, foraging, and social interactions. In this study, we used free-ranging big-footed myotis (Myotis macrodactylus Temminck, 1840) to test whether social calls produced in a foraging context serve to advertise food patches or to ward off food competitors. Using a combination of acoustic recordings, playback experiments with adult females and dietary monitoring (light trapping and DNA metabarcoding techniques), we investigated the relationship between insect availability and social vocalizations in foraging bats.ResultsThe big-footed myotis uttered low-frequency social calls composed of 7 syllable types during foraging interactions. Although the dietary composition of bats varied across different sampling periods, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Trichoptera were the most common prey consumed. The number of social vocalizations was primarily predicted by insect abundance, insect species composition, and echolocation vocalizations from conspecifics. The number of conspecific echolocation pulses tended to decrease following the emission of most social calls. Feeding bats consistently decreased foraging attempts and food consumption during playbacks of social calls with distinctive structures compared to control trials. The duration of flight decreased 1.29-1.96 fold in the presence of social calls versus controls.ConclusionsThese results support the food defence hypothesis, suggesting that foraging bats employ social calls to engage in intraspecific food competition. This study provides correlative evidence for the role of insect abundance and diversity in influencing the emission of social calls in insectivorous bats. Our findings add to the current knowledge of the function of social calls in echolocating bats.

Project description:BackgroundChina is characterized by complex topographic structure and dramatic palaeoclimatic changes, making species biogeography studies particularly interesting. Previous researchers have also demonstrated multiple species experienced complex population histories, meanwhile multiple shelters existed in Chinese mainland. Despite this, species phylogeography is still largely unexplored. In the present study, we used a combination of microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to investigate the phylogeography of the east Asian fish-eating bat (Myotis pilosus).ResultsPhylogenetic analyses showed that M. pilosus comprised three main lineages: A, B and C, which corresponded to distinct geographic populations of the Yangtze Plain (YTP), Sichuan Basin (SCB) and North and South of China (NSC), respectively. The most recent common ancestor of M. pilosus was dated as 0.25 million years before present (BP). Population expansion events were inferred for populations of Clade C, North China Plain region, Clade B and YunGui Plateau region at 38,700, 15,900, 4,520 and 4,520 years BP, respectively. Conflicting results were obtained from mtDNA and microsatellite analyses; strong population genetic structure was obtained from mtDNA data but not microsatellite data. The microsatellite data indicated that genetic subdivision fits an isolation-by-distance (IBD) model, but the mtDNA data failed to support this model.ConclusionsOur results suggested that Pleistocene climatic oscillations might have had a profound influence on the demographic history of M. pilosus. Spatial genetic structures of maternal lineages that are different from those observed in other sympatric bats species may be as a result of interactions among special population history and local environmental factors. There are at least three possible refugia for M. pilosus during glacial episodes. Apparently contradictory genetic structure patterns of mtDNA and microsatellite could be explained by male-mediated gene flow among populations. This study also provides insights on the necessity of conservation of M. pilosus populations to conserve this genetic biodiversity, especially in the areas of YTP, SCB and NSC regions.

Project description:Bats can contribute to an increase of aeromycota in underground ecosystems and might be a vector/reservoir of microorganisms; however, there is no information about the number and species composition of fungi around hibernating bats. One of the most common species in Europe with direct human contact is the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis). The goal of our research was the first report of the airborne fungi present in the close vicinity of hibernating M. myotis in the Nietoperek bat reserve (Western Poland) by the use of culture-based techniques and genetic and phenotypic identifications. Aerobiological investigations of mycobiota under hibernating bats were performed on two culture media (PDA and YPG) and at two incubation temperatures (7 and 24 ± 0.5 °C). Overall, we detected 32 fungal species from three phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota) and 12 genera. The application of YPG medium and the higher incubation temperature showed higher numbers of isolated fungal species and CFU. Penicillium spp. were dominant in the study, with spores found outside the underground hibernation site from 51.9% to 86.3% and from 56.7% to 100% inside the bat reserve. Penicillium chrysogenum was the most frequently isolated species, then Absidia glauca, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. tubingensis, Mortierella polycephala, Naganishia diffluens, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Temperature, relative humidity, and the abundance of bats correlated positively with the concentration of airborne fungal propagules, between fungal species diversity, and the concentration of aeromycota, but the number of fungal species did not positively correlate with the number of bats. The air in the underground site was more contaminated by fungi than the air outside; however, the concentration of aeromycota does not pose a threat for human health. Nevertheless, hibernating bats contribute to an increase in the aeromycota and as a vector/reservoir of microscopic fungi, including those that may cause allergies and infections in mammals, and should be monitored.

Dataset Information

Comparative inner ear transcriptome analysis between the Rickett's big-footed bats (Myotis ricketti) and the greater short-nosed fruit bats (Cynopterus sphinx).

Publications

Comparative inner ear transcriptome analysis between the Rickett's big-footed bats (Myotis ricketti) and the greater short-nosed fruit bats (Cynopterus sphinx).

Similar Datasets

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