Evolution of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) in Boobies and Gannets (Aves, Suliformes)

The Journal of Heredity
Patricia C Baião, Patricia G Parker

Abstract

The melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) has been linked to intraspecific variation of melanin-based plumage color in several unrelated bird species. However, its involvement in interspecific variation has far less evidence. The Sulidae is a family in the Suliformes composed of 10 species of pelagic seabirds, distributed in 3 genera. There is significant variation in the amount and distribution of melanin pigments among species in the family Sulidae, and 2 species, the brown booby (Sula leucogaster) and the red-footed booby (S. sula), present plumage polymorphisms, with the latter being considered one of the most plumage polymorphic birds. We performed a survey of the MC1R evolution in 68 individuals representing all 9 species in the Sulidae, except the Abbott's booby, to determine the role played by this locus in explaining the melanic variation observed in the Sulidae. We found the amino acid substitution R112H to be in full concordance with the plumage color observed in the brown booby, which shows a unique phaeomelanin-dominant coloration. Furthermore, all amino acid residues known to be important for function at the MC1R were completely conserved in the Sulidae, except for the previously described V85M and H207R substitutions am...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 11, 2015·Molecular Ecology·Luis M San-JoseAlexandre Roulin
May 15, 2013·Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology·Alexandre Roulin, Anne-Lyse Ducrest
Sep 23, 2016·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·J CorsoT R O de Freitas
Nov 20, 2020·Genetics and Molecular Biology·Andrés Posso-Terranova, José Andrés
Apr 2, 2021·Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research·Doreen SchwochowLeif Andersson
Aug 4, 2021·The Journal of Heredity·Kirstin JanssenNicholas I Mundy

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