Meeting Abstract

28.4  Wednesday, Jan. 4  Comparative analysis of genomic sequence and myogenic pathways regulating muscle mass in the green anole, Anolis carolinensis, and the Panamanian slender anole, A. apletophallus HUTCHINS, ED*; STAPLEY, J; ECKALBAR, WL; KULATHINAL, RJ; HSIEH, ST; DENARDO, DF; FISHER, RE; WILSON-RAWLS, J; RAWLS, A; HUENTELMAN, MJ; BERMINGHAM, E; KUSUMI, K; Arizona State Univ; Smithsonian Tropical Research Inst; Arizona State Univ; Temple Univ; Temple Univ; Arizona State Univ; Univ Arizona College of Med-Phoenix and Arizona State Univ; Arizona State Univ; Arizona State Univ; Translational Genomics Research Inst; Smithsonian Tropical Research Inst; Arizona State Univ kenro.kusumi@asu.edu

Anole lizards are a spectacular example of adaptive radiation in vertebrates, with morphological adaptations for specific ecological niches. A key divergent feature between anole species is the distribution of muscle group mass. From vertebrate developmental models, in which the genetic pathways regulating myogenesis are well defined, we were able to identify orthologs of muscle regulatory genes in the green anole, Anolis carolinensis – a trunk-crown ecomorph – whose complete genome was recently sequenced. We are currently carrying out next generation whole genome sequencing of a second anole species, the slender anole (A. apletophallus), which is found primarily in Panama and, unlike A. carolinensis, occupies a trunk-ground niche. In addition to global de novo assembly, we have generated localized assemblies of coding and 2kb flanking non-coding sequences for 20 key myogenic regulatory factors in A. apletophallus. Functional anatomical and histological studies are being performed to quantify the tail and hindlimb muscle groups of A. apletophallus compared to A. carolinensis. We expect that these anatomical data combined with comparative analysis of coding and regulatory sequences will allow us to identify the divergent alleles associated with changes in anole myogenesis.