Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-11-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.274
Qing Wang, Bai-Ting Zhu, Peng Lei
{"title":"Animal models of Alzheimer's disease: Current strategies and new directions.","authors":"Qing Wang, Bai-Ting Zhu, Peng Lei","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.274","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.274","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Animal models constructed using pathogenic factors have significantly advanced drug development for Alzheimer's disease (AD). These predominantly transgenic models, mainly in mice, replicate pathological phenotypes through gene mutations associated with familial AD cases, thus serving as vital tools for assessing drug efficacy and for performing mechanistic studies. However, the species-specific differences and complex, heterogeneous nature of AD etiology pose considerable challenges for the translatability of these animal models, limiting their utility in drug development. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of widely employed rodent (mice and rats) and non-rodent models ( <i>Danio rerio</i> (zebrafish), <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>, and <i>Caenorhabditis</i> <i>elegans</i>), detailing their phenotypic features and specific research applications. This review also examines the limitations inherent in these models and introduces various strategies for expanding AD modeling across diverse species, emphasizing recent advancement in non-human primates (NHPs) as valuable models. Furthermore, potential insights from the integration of innovative technologies in AD research are discussed, while providing valuable perspectives on the future development of AD animal models.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 6","pages":"1385-1407"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigating the molecular mechanisms of oocyte maturation and ovulation in Nile tilapia: A focus on the steroidogenic enzyme Cyp17a2.","authors":"Lan-Ying Yang, You Wu, Xue-Feng Zhang, Shao-Hua Sun, Jian Xu, De-Shou Wang, Lin-Yan Zhou","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous research has highlighted the significant role of progestins and glucocorticoids in fish oocyte maturation and ovulation. To clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, comprehensive investigations were conducted using a <i>cyp17a2</i> mutant Nile tilapia ( <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>) model. Analysis revealed pronounced Cyp17a2 expression in ovarian somatic cells of the tilapia. Female <i>cyp17a2</i>-deficient mutants exhibited markedly reduced levels of 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) and cortisol/cortisone, leading to delayed meiotic initiation and impaired oocyte maturation and spawning. Notably, supplementation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), DHP, and cortisol effectively induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and facilitated oocyte release with follicular cell layers in <i>cyp17a2</i> <sup>-/-</sup> females. Additionally, <i>cyp17a2</i> <sup>-/-</sup> and rescued <i>cyp17a2</i> <sup>-/-</sup> females showed elevated transcription of steroidogenic enzymes involved in 17β-estradiol (E2) production compared to spawning wild-type females. Moreover, the reduction in Akt phosphorylation observed in <i>cyp17a2</i>-deficient females and upon inhibitor treatment impaired hCG-induced oocyte maturation. Conversely, activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway partially rescued the oocyte maturation impairment caused by <i>cyp17a2</i> mutation. Overall, these findings provide functional evidence supporting the critical role of Cyp17a2 in DHP and cortisol biosynthesis, which, in turn, facilitates oocyte maturation and ovulation through activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in fish.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 6","pages":"1357-1370"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-11-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.221
Jing Wang, Wen Yuan, Fang Liu, Guang-Bo Liu, Xiao-Xiong Geng, Chen Li, Chen-Chen Zhang, Nan Li, Xue-Ling Li
{"title":"Whole-genome methylation reveals tissue-specific differences in non-CG methylation in bovine.","authors":"Jing Wang, Wen Yuan, Fang Liu, Guang-Bo Liu, Xiao-Xiong Geng, Chen Li, Chen-Chen Zhang, Nan Li, Xue-Ling Li","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>DNA methylation at non-CG dinucleotides (mCH, H=A, C, T) widely occurs and plays an important role in specific cell types, including pluripotent, neural, and germ cells. However, the functions and regulatory mechanisms of mCH, particularly in species other than humans and mice, remain inadequately explored. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of mCH across different bovine tissues, identifying significantly elevated mCH levels in bovine embryonic stem cells (bESCs), as well as brain, spleen, and ileum tissues compared to other tissues. Marked differences in mCH patterns between somatic cells and bESCs were observed, reflecting distinct base preferences and the differential expression of DNA methyltransferases. We also identified exon methylation in both CG and non-CG contexts, resembling gene-associated methylation patterns observed in plants. To characterize tissue-specific variations in mCH, we developed a novel method for differential mCH analysis. Results indicated that mCH is not randomly distributed but tends to be enriched in tissue-specific functional regions. Furthermore, regression models demonstrated a positional correlation between CG methylation and mCH. This study enhances our understanding of mCH distribution and function in bovine somatic and stem cells, providing new insights into its potential roles across species and tissues. These findings advance knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms, shedding light on the potential involvement of mCH in development and disease processes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 6","pages":"1371-1384"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigation of sex determination in starry flounder ( <i>Platichthys stellatus</i>) reveals sex chromosome evolution in Pleuronectiformes and identifies a sex-specific marker.","authors":"Wei-Jing Li, Yu-Man Zhang, Shuo Li, Yu-Yan Liu, Chen Li, Sheng-Lei Han, Kai-Qiang Liu, Lucas Benites Doretto, Bing-Hua Liu, Hai-Jun Huang, Zhi-Long Sun, Qian Wang, Hong-Yan Wang, Chang-Wei Shao","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The identification of sex chromosomes is fundamental for exploring the mechanism and evolution of sex determination. <i>Platichthys stellatus</i>, a species exhibiting clear sexual dimorphism and homomorphic chromosome pairs, has received limited research concerning its sex determination mechanisms. Clarifying the sex chromosome of <i>P. stellatus</i> will enhance our understanding of sex chromosome evolution in Pleuronectiformes. This study employed whole-genome resequencing to investigate the sex chromosome and sex determination system in <i>P. stellatus</i>. Notably, Chr23 was identified as the sex chromosome in <i>P. stellatus</i>, with the sex-determining region (SDR) occupying 48.1% of the chromosome and featuring an XX/XY system. Sex chromosome turnover was observed within Pleuronectiformes, with <i>P. stellatus</i>, <i>Verasper variegatus</i>, and <i>Hippoglossus hippoglossus</i> sharing a common ancestral karyotype. No inversions were detected within the SDR of <i>P. stellatus</i>, although chromosomal rearrangements between sex chromosomes and autosomes were identified. Additionally, a sex-specific marker for <i>P. stellatus</i> was ascertained, enabling genetic sex identification, with significant implications for improving breeding programs and aquaculture practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 6","pages":"1347-1356"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-09-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.030
Xi Wang, Jing-Kun Jia, Qi Wang, Jing-Wen Gong, Ang Li, Jia Su, Peng Zhou
{"title":"<i>Myotis</i> bat STING attenuates aging-related inflammation in female mice.","authors":"Xi Wang, Jing-Kun Jia, Qi Wang, Jing-Wen Gong, Ang Li, Jia Su, Peng Zhou","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.030","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bats, notable as the only flying mammals, serve as natural reservoir hosts for various highly pathogenic viruses in humans (e.g., SARS-CoV and Ebola virus). Furthermore, bats exhibit an unparalleled longevity among mammals relative to their size, particularly the <i>Myotis</i> bats, which can live up to 40 years. However, the mechanisms underlying these distinctive traits remain incompletely understood. In our prior research, we demonstrated that bats exhibit dampened STING-interferon activation, potentially conferring upon them the capacity to mitigate virus- or aging-induced inflammation. To substantiate this hypothesis, we established the first <i>in vivo</i> bat-mouse model for aging studies by integrating <i>Myotis davidii</i> bat STING ( <i>Md</i>STING) into the mouse genome. We monitored the genotypes of these mice and performed a longitudinal comparative transcriptomic analysis on <i>Md</i>STING and wild-type mice over a 3-year aging process. Blood transcriptomic analysis indicated a reduction in aging-related inflammation in female <i>Md</i>STING mice, as evidenced by significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, immunopathology, and neutrophil recruitment in aged female <i>Md</i>STING mice compared to aged wild-type mice <i>in vivo</i>. These results indicated that <i>Md</i>STING knock-in attenuates the aging-related inflammatory response and may also improve the healthspan in mice in a sex-dependent manner. Although the underlying mechanism awaits further study, this research has critical implications for bat longevity research, potentially contributing to our comprehension of healthy aging in humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 5","pages":"961-971"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491773/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141628080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-09-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.019
Jing-Wei Ye, Tanveer Abbas, Jian-Teng Zhou, Jing Chen, Meng-Lei Yang, Xiong-Heng Huang, Huan Zhang, Hui Ma, Ao Ma, Bo Xu, Ghulam Murtaza, Qing-Hua Shi, Bao-Lu Shi
{"title":"Homozygous <i>CCDC146</i> mutation causes oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in humans and mice.","authors":"Jing-Wei Ye, Tanveer Abbas, Jian-Teng Zhou, Jing Chen, Meng-Lei Yang, Xiong-Heng Huang, Huan Zhang, Hui Ma, Ao Ma, Bo Xu, Ghulam Murtaza, Qing-Hua Shi, Bao-Lu Shi","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.019","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infertility represents a significant health concern, with sperm quantity and quality being crucial determinants of male fertility. Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) is characterized by reduced sperm motility, lower sperm concentration, and morphological abnormalities in sperm heads and flagella. Although variants in several genes have been implicated in OAT, its genetic etiologies and pathogenetic mechanisms remain inadequately understood. In this study, we identified a homozygous nonsense mutation (c.916C>T, p.Arg306*) in the coiled-coil domain containing 146 ( <i>CCDC146</i>) gene in an infertile male patient with OAT. This mutation resulted in the production of a truncated CCDC146 protein (amino acids 1-305), retaining only two out of five coiled-coil domains. To validate the pathogenicity of the <i>CCDC146</i> mutation, we generated a mouse model ( <i>Ccdc146</i> <sup><i>mut/mut</i></sup> ) with a similar mutation to that of the patient. Consistently, the <i>Ccdc146</i> <sup><i>mut/mut</i></sup> mice exhibited infertility, characterized by significantly reduced sperm counts, diminished motility, and multiple defects in sperm heads and flagella. Furthermore, the levels of axonemal proteins, including DNAH17, DNAH1, and SPAG6, were significantly reduced in the sperm of <i>Ccdc146</i> <sup><i>mut/mut</i></sup> mice. Additionally, both human and mouse CCDC146 interacted with intraflagellar transport protein 20 (IFT20), but this interaction was lost in the mutated versions, leading to the degradation of IFT20. This study identified a novel deleterious homozygous nonsense mutation in <i>CCDC146</i> that causes male infertility, potentially by disrupting axonemal protein transportation. These findings offer valuable insights for genetic counseling and understanding the mechanisms underlying <i>CCDC146</i> mutant-associated infertility in human males.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 5","pages":"1073-1087"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491774/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Anti-infective immune functions of type IV interferon in grass carp ( <i>Ctenopharyngodon idella</i>): A novel antibacterial and antiviral interferon in lower vertebrates.","authors":"Yuchen Liu, Wentao Zhu, Yanqi Zhang, Jingjing Zhang, Maolin Lv, Jianguo Su","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.008","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Type IV interferon (IFN-υ) is a recently discovered cytokine crucial for host defense against viral infections. However, the role and mechanisms of IFN-υ in bacterial infections remain unexplored. This study investigated the antibacterial and antiviral functions and mechanisms of grass carp ( <i>Ctenopharyngodon idella</i>) IFN-υ (CiIFN-υ) both <i>in vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i>. The CiIFN-υ gene was first identified and characterized in grass carp. Subsequently, the immune expression of CiIFN-υ significantly increased following bacterial challenge, indicating its response to bacterial infections. The eukaryotic recombinant expression plasmid of CiIFN-υ was then constructed and transfected into fathead minnow (FHM) cells. Supernatants were collected and incubated with four bacterial strains, followed by plate spreading and colony counting. Results indicated that CiIFN-υ exhibited more potent antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria compared to gram-positive bacteria and aggregated gram-negative bacteria but not gram-positive bacteria. <i>In vivo</i> experiments further confirmed the antibacterial function, showing high survival rates, low tissue edema and damage, reduced tissue bacterial load, and elevated proinflammatory response at the early stages of bacterial infection. In addition, the antiviral function of CiIFN-υ was confirmed through <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> experiments, including crystal violet staining, survival rates, tissue viral burden, and RT-qPCR. This study highlights the antibacterial function and preliminary mechanism of IFN-υ, demonstrating that IFN-υ possesses dual functions against bacterial and viral infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 5","pages":"972-982"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491785/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141861331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-09-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.186
Qiran Chen, Wei Sun, Lin Jin, Yingjie Zhou, Fang Li, Chutian Ge
{"title":"Overexpression of <i>Kdm6b</i> induces testicular differentiation in a temperature-dependent sex determination system.","authors":"Qiran Chen, Wei Sun, Lin Jin, Yingjie Zhou, Fang Li, Chutian Ge","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.186","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.186","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In reptiles, such as the red-eared slider turtle ( <i>Trachemys scripta elegans</i>), gonadal sex determination is highly dependent on the environmental temperature during embryonic stages. This complex process, which leads to differentiation into either testes or ovaries, is governed by the finely tuned expression of upstream genes, notably the testis-promoting gene <i>Dmrt1</i> and the ovary-promoting gene <i>Foxl2</i>. Recent studies have identified epigenetic regulation as a crucial factor in testis development, with the H3K27me3 demethylase KDM6B being essential for <i>Dmrt1</i> expression in <i>T. s. elegans.</i> However, whether KDM6B alone can induce testicular differentiation remains unclear. In this study, we found that overexpression of <i>Kdm6b</i> in <i>T. s. elegans</i> embryos induced the male development pathway, accompanied by a rapid increase in the gonadal expression of <i>Dmrt1</i> at 31°C, a temperature typically resulting in female development. Notably, this sex reversal could be entirely rescued by <i>Dmrt1</i> knockdown. These findings demonstrate that <i>Kdm6b</i> is sufficient for commitment to the male pathway, underscoring its role as a critical epigenetic regulator in the sex determination of the red-eared slider turtle.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 5","pages":"1108-1115"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491778/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-09-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.046
Zhiqin Ren, Ding Ye, Naike Su, Chaofan Wang, Lijia He, Houpeng Wang, Mudan He, Yonghua Sun
{"title":"<i>foxl2l</i> is a germ cell-intrinsic gatekeeper of oogenesis in zebrafish.","authors":"Zhiqin Ren, Ding Ye, Naike Su, Chaofan Wang, Lijia He, Houpeng Wang, Mudan He, Yonghua Sun","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.046","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Zebrafish serve as a valuable model organism for studying germ cell biology and reproductive processes. The AB strain of zebrafish is proposed to exhibit a polygenic sex determination system, where most males initially develop juvenile ovaries before committing to male fate. In species with chromosomal sex determination, gonadal somatic cells are recognized as key determinants of germ cell fate. Notably, the loss of germ cells in zebrafish leads to masculinization, implying that germ cells harbor an intrinsic feminization signal. However, the specific signal triggering oogenesis in zebrafish remains unclear. In the present study, we identified <i>foxl2l</i> as an oocyte progenitor-specific gene essential for initiating oogenesis in germ cells. Results showed that <i>foxl2l</i>-knockout zebrafish bypassed the juvenile ovary stage and exclusively developed into fertile males. Further analysis revealed that loss of <i>foxl2l</i> hindered the initiation of oocyte-specific meiosis and prevented entry into oogenesis, leading to premature spermatogenesis during early gonadal development. Furthermore, while mutation of the pro-male gene <i>dmrt1</i> led to fertile female differentiation, simultaneous disruption of <i>foxl2l</i> in <i>dmrt1</i> mutants completely blocked oogenesis, with a large proportion of germ cells arrested as germline stem cells, highlighting the crucial role of <i>foxl2l</i> in oogenesis. Overall, this study highlights the unique function of <i>foxl2l</i> as a germ cell-intrinsic gatekeeper of oogenesis in zebrafish.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 5","pages":"1116-1130"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zoological ResearchPub Date : 2024-09-18DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.390
Qiong Wu, Alexander G Radchenko, Michael S Engel, Xiao-Qin Li, Hong-Ru Yang, Xing-Ru Li, Chung-Kun Shih, Dong Ren, Tai-Ping Gao
{"title":"Cretaceous crown male ant reveals the rise of modern lineages.","authors":"Qiong Wu, Alexander G Radchenko, Michael S Engel, Xiao-Qin Li, Hong-Ru Yang, Xing-Ru Li, Chung-Kun Shih, Dong Ren, Tai-Ping Gao","doi":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.390","DOIUrl":"10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.390","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most described Mesozoic ants belong to stem groups that existed only during the Cretaceous period. Previously, the earliest known crown ants were dated to the Turonian (Late Cretaceous, ca. 94-90 million years ago (Ma)) deposits found in the USA, Kazakhstan, and Botswana. However, the recent discovery of an alate male ant in Kachin amber from the earliest Cenomanian (ca. 99 Ma), representing a new genus and species, <i>Antiquiformica alata</i>, revises the narrative on ant diversification. <i>Antiquiformica</i> can be distinctly differentiated from all known male stem ants by its geniculate antennae with elongated scape, extending far beyond the occipital margin of the head and half the length of the funiculus, as well as its partly reduced forewing venation. Furthermore, the combination of a one-segmented waist with a well-developed node, elongated scape extending beyond the occipital margin, and reduced forewing venation, particularly the completely reduced m-cu and rs-m crossveins and absence of rm and mcu closed cells, firmly places the fossil within the extant subfamily Formicinae. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that the amber containing <i>Antiquiformica alata</i> originated from the Kachin mines in Myanmar. This discovery significantly revises our understanding of the early evolution of Formicinae. The presence of <i>Antiquiformica</i> in Cenomanian amber indicates that the subfamily Formicinae emerged at least by the start of the Late Cretaceous, with crown ants likely originating earlier during the earliest Cretaceous or possibly the Late Jurassic, although paleontological evidence is lacking to support the latter hypothesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":48636,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Research","volume":"45 5","pages":"983-989"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11491779/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141861332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}