Nature study suggests European origin of bats — Cyprus Mail

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Nature study suggests European origin of bats — Cyprus Mail

The University of Nicosia in Cyprus took part in an <a href="https://jiuniversity.com/study-in-europe-10-countries-where-international-students-can-earn-more/” title=”Study in Europe: 10 countries where international students can earn more”>international study of bat evolution published in the journal Nature. The work, which involved Associate Professor of the Department of Life Sciences Mirtani Pieri, combined genome analysis of modern species with data on fossil animals. The researchers concluded that bats most likely originated in Europe and subsequently spread around the world

As Cyprus Mail reports, the study also supports the assumption that echolocation — the ability to navigate using sounds and their echoes — emerged in bats at an early stage of evolution, as did the ability to fly

Genomes of 103 species

The work was carried out as part of the international Bat1K consortium, which included more than 130 scientists from universities and organizations in more than 30 countries. The team analyzed genetic material from 103 bat species representing all 21 recognized families of these animals. The scientists also used data on 44 extinct species known from fossil remains

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Combining genetic and paleontological data made it possible to revise the evolutionary tree of bats, clarify relationships between species, and answer questions that had remained unresolved for decades

A basis for research on aging and immunity

The authors note that clarifying evolutionary relationships is important for studying bat physiology. Some species live much longer than might be expected given their small body size, while others can carry viruses without obvious signs of disease. Comparing the genetic material of different species is expected to help systematically investigate the origins of these traits

Separately, the team analyzed 188 microRNA families — small molecules that regulate protein production in cells. The researchers identified shared and distinct features among species, which may provide a basis for further study of the link between such genetic regulation and the biological characteristics of bats. The work is the first stage of the Bat1K project, whose goal is to study the genetic material of all modern bat species.

Source: ua.news