Abstract
BackgroundBirds of prey (raptors) are dominant apex predators in terrestrial communities, with hawks (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) hunting by day and owls (Strigiformes) hunting by night.ResultsHere, we report new genomes and transcriptomes for 20 species of birds, including 16 species of birds of prey, and high-quality reference genomes for the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), oriental scops owl (Otus sunia), eastern buzzard (Buteo japonicus), and common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). Our extensive genomic analysis and comparisons with non-raptor genomes identify common molecular signatures that underpin anatomical structure and sensory, muscle, circulatory, and respiratory systems related to a predatory lifestyle. Compared with diurnal birds, owls exhibit striking adaptations to the nocturnal environment, including functional trade-offs in the sensory systems, such as loss of color vision genes and selection for enhancement of nocturnal vision and other sensory systems that are convergent with other nocturnal avian orders. Additionally, we find that a suite of genes associated with vision and circadian rhythm are differentially expressed in blood tissue between nocturnal and diurnal raptors, possibly indicating adaptive expression change during the transition to nocturnality.ConclusionsOverall, raptor genomes show genomic signatures associated with the origin and maintenance of several specialized physiological and morphological features essential to be apex predators.
Highlights
Birds of prey are dominant apex predators in terrestrial communities, with hawks (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) hunting by day and owls (Strigiformes) hunting by night
To further examine the shared evolutionary adaptations related to avian predatory lifestyles, we identified selection signatures shared by the three orders of birds of prey compared to the non-raptor birds at the gene sequence level, which possibly reflects their shared requirement for highly developed sensory systems, efficient circulatory and respiratory systems, and exceptional flight capabilities necessary to capture prey [2,3,4,5, 7, 8]
This is the first in-depth genomics study comparing the three raptor orders, and we identified a number of shared molecular adaptations associated with a predatory lifestyle
Summary
Birds of prey (raptors) are dominant apex predators in terrestrial communities, with hawks (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) hunting by day and owls (Strigiformes) hunting by night. The common ancestor of owls evolved nocturnality, and most extant owl species are nocturnal, a habit they share with two other avian orders for which we have genome sequences (Caprimulgiformes and Apterygiformes). These independent transitions in lifestyle provide an opportunity to test for patterns of genome evolution that are linked with being raptorial and nocturnal, respectively [3,4,5]
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