Shrayana Ghosh, Amity University Kolkata
According to a new study published March 25th in PLOS Genetics by Miguel Carneiro of the Universidade do Porto and Leif Andersson of Uppsala University, rabbits and other hopping animals need a functional RORB gene to move about by jumping? Rabbits, hares, kangaroos, and some rodent species all hop, but the molecular and genetic basis for this form of movement is unclear.
Researchers used an uncommon breed of domesticated rabbits called the sauteur d’Alfort to explore jumping-related genes in the new report. It has an unusual gait in which it raises its back legs and walks on its front paws instead of hopping. The researchers discovered the cause of this developmental defect by breeding sauteur d’Alfort rabbits with another breed and comparing the offspring’s genomes and jumping abilities.
A specific mutation in the RAR associated orphan receptor B (RORB) gene was discovered. The RORB protein is normally present in the rabbit nervous system, but the mutation causes a significant reduction in the number of RORB-producing neurons in the spinal cord. The strange walk of the sauteur d’Alfort is due to this change. A functional RORB gene is needed for rabbits and possibly other hopping animals to execute their characteristic jumping gait, according to a new study. The results on previous research in mice showed that mice lacking the RORB gene walked like ducks. Furthermore, this research contributes to our understanding of how animals with backbones travel.
This research is the first to describe a gene necessary for saltatorial locomotion and provides a rare example of abnormal gait behavior mapped to a single base shift. It also shows the significance of the RORB protein for normal spinal cord wiring, which is in line with previous mouse studies.
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References – https://phys.org/news/2021-03-gene-required-rabbits.html
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