Roberto Arbore, Soraia Barbosa, Jindich Brejcha, Yohey Ogawa, Yu Liu, Michaël P. J. Nicolaï, Paulo Pereira, Stephen J. Sabatino, Alison Cloutier, Emily Shui Kei Poon, Cristiana I. Marques, Pedro Andrade, Gerben Debruyn, Sandra Afonso, Rita Afonso, Shatadru Ghosh Roy, Uri Abdu, Ricardo J. Lopes, Peter Mojzeš, Petr Marík, Simon Yung Wa Sin, Michael A. White, Pedro M. Araújo, Joseph C. Corbo, Miguel Carneiro
{"title":"A molecular mechanism for bright color variation in parrots","authors":"Roberto Arbore, Soraia Barbosa, Jindich Brejcha, Yohey Ogawa, Yu Liu, Michaël P. J. Nicolaï, Paulo Pereira, Stephen J. Sabatino, Alison Cloutier, Emily Shui Kei Poon, Cristiana I. Marques, Pedro Andrade, Gerben Debruyn, Sandra Afonso, Rita Afonso, Shatadru Ghosh Roy, Uri Abdu, Ricardo J. Lopes, Peter Mojzeš, Petr Marík, Simon Yung Wa Sin, Michael A. White, Pedro M. Araújo, Joseph C. Corbo, Miguel Carneiro","doi":"10.1126/science.adp7710","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div >Parrots produce stunning plumage colors through unique pigments called psittacofulvins. However, the mechanism underlying their ability to generate a spectrum of vibrant yellows, reds, and greens remains enigmatic. We uncover a unifying chemical basis for a wide range of parrot plumage colors, which result from the selective deposition of red aldehyde- and yellow carboxyl-containing psittacofulvin molecules in developing feathers. Through genetic mapping, biochemical assays, and single-cell genomics, we identified a critical player in this process, the aldehyde dehydrogenase <i>ALDH3A2</i>, which oxidizes aldehyde psittacofulvins into carboxyl forms in late-differentiating keratinocytes during feather development. The simplicity of the underlying molecular mechanism, in which a single enzyme influences the balance of red and yellow pigments, offers an explanation for the exceptional evolutionary lability of parrot coloration.</div>","PeriodicalId":21678,"journal":{"name":"Science","volume":"386 6721","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":44.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Science","FirstCategoryId":"103","ListUrlMain":"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp7710","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Parrots produce stunning plumage colors through unique pigments called psittacofulvins. However, the mechanism underlying their ability to generate a spectrum of vibrant yellows, reds, and greens remains enigmatic. We uncover a unifying chemical basis for a wide range of parrot plumage colors, which result from the selective deposition of red aldehyde- and yellow carboxyl-containing psittacofulvin molecules in developing feathers. Through genetic mapping, biochemical assays, and single-cell genomics, we identified a critical player in this process, the aldehyde dehydrogenase ALDH3A2, which oxidizes aldehyde psittacofulvins into carboxyl forms in late-differentiating keratinocytes during feather development. The simplicity of the underlying molecular mechanism, in which a single enzyme influences the balance of red and yellow pigments, offers an explanation for the exceptional evolutionary lability of parrot coloration.
期刊介绍:
Science is a leading outlet for scientific news, commentary, and cutting-edge research. Through its print and online incarnations, Science reaches an estimated worldwide readership of more than one million. Science’s authorship is global too, and its articles consistently rank among the world's most cited research.
Science serves as a forum for discussion of important issues related to the advancement of science by publishing material on which a consensus has been reached as well as including the presentation of minority or conflicting points of view. Accordingly, all articles published in Science—including editorials, news and comment, and book reviews—are signed and reflect the individual views of the authors and not official points of view adopted by AAAS or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated.
Science seeks to publish those papers that are most influential in their fields or across fields and that will significantly advance scientific understanding. Selected papers should present novel and broadly important data, syntheses, or concepts. They should merit recognition by the wider scientific community and general public provided by publication in Science, beyond that provided by specialty journals. Science welcomes submissions from all fields of science and from any source. The editors are committed to the prompt evaluation and publication of submitted papers while upholding high standards that support reproducibility of published research. Science is published weekly; selected papers are published online ahead of print.