To identify molecular mechanisms underlying the development of long beaks in the sacred ibis, we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis of craniofacial prominences, which are developmental components of the avian beak, in early-stage embryos of chicken and sacred ibis. We indicated a possible correlation of cilium formation to species-specific beak morphological differences. Differential expression of several genes of skeleton development was partially matched to the previous hypothesis of delayed bone formation and resorption process in the development of a larger beak. In addition, we speculated that a looser trabecular bone structure enables the development of a larger beak in sacred ibis due to the down-regulation of the bone mineral density-related pathway. This study provides a better understanding of developmental and evolutionary biology of wading birds that have similar traits of long beaks.
Invasion and developmental genomics in an emerging bird model: The African sacred ibis
Sustainable Development Goals
Abstract/Objectives
The African sacred ibis is an alien invasive bird species that has spread rapidly in Taiwan over the past three decades. However, little information is available on the process of their invasion in Taiwan. In recent years, the Forestry Bureau of the Agricultural Committee has actively engaged in the work of removing these invasive birds. We have taken this opportunity to obtain a large number of DNA and embryo samples of the African sacred ibis with the consent of the Forest Service, making it a potentially good model system for evolutionary biology. This study propose to assemble a high-quality African sacred ibis reference gene sequence, and make a use of this reference gene sequence to conduct the population genomics study of the African sacred ibis. We will use its genetic diversity to detect the signature of natural selection in order to identify candidate genes related to invasive species adapting to the new environment. This work will provide insight into the prevention of invasive species. In addition, we also use the embryos of the African sacred ibis to study the development of long beaks. The beak is a unique biological characteristic of birds. In the past, evolutionary developmental biology research focused on a few bird species such as Darwin's finches, parrots, and domestic ducks. The long curved beak of the African sacred ibis is one of the characteristics of the family Ibis. The African sacred ibis also has the characteristics of naked neck and long feet. We will use the methods of transcriptomics and molecular developmental biology to compare the tissue samples of African sacred ibis with those of other avian species in Passeriformes, Psittaciformes, Columbiformes, Galliformes, and Anseriformes which have complete reference genomes. Understanding the genetic and molecular basis of the characteristics of the African sacred ibis is also helpful for understanding the genetic basis of the evolution of other long-billed and long-footed waterbirds, and it is also beneficial to the fields of organ development and tissue engineering.
Results/Contributions
Keywords
Bird, beak, genome, sequencing, invasive species, evolution, development, conservation, ecology
References
Contact Information
黃貞祥助理教授
gcsng@life.nthu.edu.tw