Evidence for gene loss within and among Sauropsids
Comparative genomic analyses have demonstrated that gene loss has played a significant role in the macroevolutionary divergence of Metazoan clades, but gene loss remains underexplored relative to other sources of genetic variation. In particular, the impact of gene loss in Sauropsids (the clade consisting of reptiles and birds) has not been examined. In this study, we utilize recently published Sauropsid genomes to identify gene losses, both at the root of the entire Sauropsid clade and within specific Sauropsid lineages. We found 14 genes which show robust evidence for gene loss, indicating that gene loss may have played an important role in the evolutionary divergence of Sauropsid lineages. A better understanding of the function of these genes may help reveal key physiological and adaptive changes that contributed to the diversification of Sauropsid lineages.
