Marcela Uliano-Silva
@marcelauliano.bsky.social
Genome Scientist | Tree of Life Wellcome Sanger
These findings reveal a link between LINE1s and retrocopies — and their impact on sloth biology — offering new insight into genome evolution in mammals with very low metabolic demands. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Retrocopy formation and domestication shape genome evolution in sloths and other xenarthrans
Xenarthrans, comprising sloths, anteaters, and armadillos, represent one of the most morphologically and physiologically specialised mammalian clades, yet the genomic basis of their adaptations remain...
www.biorxiv.org
October 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
These findings reveal a link between LINE1s and retrocopies — and their impact on sloth biology — offering new insight into genome evolution in mammals with very low metabolic demands. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We also highlight the LINE1s–retrocopies relationship, showing thousands of active LINE1s in sloths shaping these mammalian genomes. Are LINE1s and retrocopies, after all, the makers of slothfulness? +
October 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
We also highlight the LINE1s–retrocopies relationship, showing thousands of active LINE1s in sloths shaping these mammalian genomes. Are LINE1s and retrocopies, after all, the makers of slothfulness? +
Out of ~15,000 retrocopies in the 2-toed sloth (C. didactylus), 38 are sloth-only, expressed, retain ≥70% of parental ORF length, and show dN/dS < 0.5. Their functions? Many are linked to mitochondria and metabolism!+
October 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Out of ~15,000 retrocopies in the 2-toed sloth (C. didactylus), 38 are sloth-only, expressed, retain ≥70% of parental ORF length, and show dN/dS < 0.5. Their functions? Many are linked to mitochondria and metabolism!+
Were these inserted in the branch leading to the Xenarthran LCA? NO! Only ~14% are Xenarthra-wide. But in sloths — Choloepus and Bradypus — ~50% of retrocopies are sloth-specific, inserted ~30 Mya. This let us search for signs of domestication. +
October 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Were these inserted in the branch leading to the Xenarthran LCA? NO! Only ~14% are Xenarthra-wide. But in sloths — Choloepus and Bradypus — ~50% of retrocopies are sloth-specific, inserted ~30 Mya. This let us search for signs of domestication. +