Genetic secret behind bat’superpower’ revealed

For the first time, the raw genetic material that encodes the bat’s unique adaptations and psychic powers flies, travels effortlessly in complete darkness with sound, endures and withstands deadly diseases, resists aging and cancer ,Etc. Fully published and published in Nature.

Bat1K, A global consortium of scientists led by Dr. Sonja Vernes and Professor Emma Tealing, specializes in sequencing the genomes of all 1,421 living bats, and has six highly-sophisticated, 10-fold more complete than any bat genome. An accurate bat genome was generated and analyzed. Published to date to reveal the unique properties of bats.

Senior author Dr. Sonja Vernes, co-founding director of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Bat 1K, was recently named UKRI Fellow at the University of St Andrews, says: The use of such a complete and annotated genome allows unprecedented insight into the genetic and evolutionary abilities found in bats. “

Emma Teeling, professor of Dublin College, co-founder and first author of Bat1K, said: “Given these exquisite bat genomes, it’s easy to see that bats have resisted viruses, delayed aging, and evolved flight and echolocation. These genomes are genetic solutions that evolved in bats. It is the tool we need to identify and ultimately help alleviate human aging and disease.”

To generate these bat genomes, the team used new techniques to sequence bat DNA, assemble these fragments in the correct order, and develop new methods to identify existing genes.

The team compared the genomes of these bats to 42 other mammal species and addressed the unsolved question of where they are in the tree of mammalian life.

Using a new phylogenetic approach and a comprehensive molecular dataset, the team uses a group called Ferreuungulata, which consists of carnivores (including species such as dogs, cats, seals), pangolins, whales, and ungulates. We have found that bats are most closely related to (bats mammals).

To elucidate the genomic changes that contribute to the unique adaptations found in bats, the team systematically searched for genetic differences between bats and other mammals and identified regions of the genome that evolved differently in bats. , Identified the loss and gain of genes that could drive bats, a unique trait.

The team also found evidence that the bat’s viral resistance was reflected in the genome. The exquisite genome reveals “fossilized viruses”, evidence of persistence of past viral infections, and that the bat genome contains a higher diversity than other species that provide a genomic record of historical resistance to viral infections Was shown.

Given the quality of the bat genome, the team uniquely identified and ly validated several noncoding regulatory regions that could govern major bat innovations.

These latest findings are just the beginning of the team’s work. The remaining ~1400 live bat species exhibit incredible diversity in ecology, longevity, sensory perception, and immunology, with many regarding the genomic basis of these spectacular features. The question still remains. Bat1K aims to answer these questions as more bat genomes are sequenced, further elucidating the genetic basis of bat’s rare and magnificent superpower.

According to Eugene Myers, Director of the Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics, Max Planck and Center for Systems Biology (Dresden, Germany): “Using modern DNA sequencing techniques and new computational methods on such data results in -99% of each bat genome in chromosome-level rearrangements – for example, over 10 years of intensive “finishing” work. Unprecedented quality similar to the current human genome reference. Thus, these bat genomes provide an excellent basis for and evolutionary studies of the bat’s fascinating capabilities and physiological properties. “

Dr. Michael Hiller, Max Planck Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute of Physics of the Physics of Physics Institute, Max Planck Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Senior Author: Center for Systems Biology, Senior Author: Contribution to Echolocation By listening to the possible genes, bats are used to hunt and move in total darkness. In addition, we discovered the spread of antiviral genes, unique selection of immune genes, and loss of genes involved in bat inflammation. These changes contribute to the exceptional immunity of bats and may indicate resistance to coronaviruses. “

This study was funded by the Max Planks Society, the European Research Council, the Irish Research Council, and the Human Frontier Science Program (NSF).

Dr. Vernes is leading a £1.5 million, seven-year study at the University of St Andrews on how bats communicate to shed light on the evolution of human language.

Funds announced by UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship The scheme will allow Dr. Sonja Vernes to examine the vocalizations of bats and compare them with other mammals to provide a clearer understanding of the mechanisms by which human language has evolved.

The £1.5 million grant will fund the first four years of the seven-year project, followed by further funding.

Future Fellowship Funded at £900 million, it helps establish a career as a world-class research and innovation leader across the UK business and academia.