Comparative Analyses Reveal the Genetic Mechanism of Ambergris Production in the Sperm Whale Based on the Chromosome-Level Genome

Sperm whales are a marine mammal famous for the aromatic substance, the ambergris, produced from its colon. Little is known about the biological processes of ambergris production, and this study aims to investigate the genetic mechanism of ambergris production in the sperm whale based on its chromos...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animals (Basel) 2023-01, Vol.13 (3), p.361
Main Authors: Zhou, Chuang, Peng, Kexin, Liu, Yi, Zhang, Rusong, Zheng, Xiaofeng, Yue, Bisong, Du, Chao, Wu, Yongjie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aldosterone
Ambergris
Aquatic mammals
Biological activity
Cattle
Cetacea
Cholesterol
chromosome-level genome
Chromosomes
Comparative analysis
Dolphins & porpoises
Feces
Gene families
gene family expansion
Genes
Genetic analysis
Genomes
Genomics
Hypotheses
Intestine
LIPE
Lipid metabolism
Lipids
Mammals
Marine mammals
Missense mutation
Mutation
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Odorants
Pathology
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Physeter macrocephalus
positive selection
Proteins
sperm whale
Steroid hormones
Steroids
Sterols
Whales
Whales & whaling
Xenobiotics
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Summary:Sperm whales are a marine mammal famous for the aromatic substance, the ambergris, produced from its colon. Little is known about the biological processes of ambergris production, and this study aims to investigate the genetic mechanism of ambergris production in the sperm whale based on its chromosome-level genome. Comparative genomics analyses found 1207 expanded gene families and 321 positive selected genes (PSGs) in the sperm whale, and functional enrichment analyses suggested revelatory pathways and terms related to the metabolism of steroids, terpenoids, and aldosterone, as well as microbiota interaction and immune network in the intestine. Furthermore, two sperm-whale-specific missense mutations (Tyr393His and Leu567Val) were detected in the PSG LIPE, which has been reported to play vital roles in lipid and cholesterol metabolism. In total, 46 CYP genes and 22 HSD genes were annotated, and then mapped to sperm whale chromosomes. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of CYP genes in six mammals found that CYP2E1, CYP51A and CYP8 subfamilies exhibited relative expansion in the sperm whale. Our results could help understand the genetic mechanism of ambergris production, and further reveal the convergent evolution pattern among animals that produce similar odorants.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani13030361