Biological adaptations in the Arctic cervid, the reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus )

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Lin, Zeshan, Chen, Lei, Chen, Xianqing, Zhong, Yingbin, Yang, Yue, Xia, Wenhao, Liu, Chang, Zhu, Wenbo, Wang, Han, Yan, Biyao, Yang, Yifeng, Liu, Xing, Sternang Kvie, Kjersti, Røed, Knut Håkon, Wang, Kun, Xiao, Wuhan, Wei, Haijun, Li, Guangyu, Heller, Rasmus, Gilbert, M. Thomas P., Qiu, Qiang, Wang, Wen, Li, Zhipeng
• Other Authors: European Research Council, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, National key R and D program of China, National Program for Support of Top-notch Young Professionals, 1000 Talent Project of Shaaxi Province, Strategic Priority Research Program of CAS, Talents Team Construction Fund of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund, Natural science foundation from Jilin province, NordForsk’s Nordic Centre of Excellence’s
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2019
• Subjects: Arctic; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aav6312; https://syndication.highwire.org/content/doi/10.1126/science.aav6312; https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.aav6312

Phylogeny and characteristics of ruminants Ruminants are a diverse group of mammals that includes families containing well-known taxa such as deer, cows, and goats. However, their evolutionary relationships have been contentious, as have the origins of their distinctive digestive systems and headgear, including antlers and horns (see the Perspective by Ker and Yang). To understand the relationships among ruminants, L. Chen et al. sequenced 44 species representing 6 families and performed a phylogenetic analysis. From this analysis, they were able to resolve the phylogeny of many genera and document incomplete lineage sorting among major clades. Interestingly, they found evidence for large population reductions among many taxa starting at approximately 100,000 years ago, coinciding with the migration of humans out of Africa. Examining the bony appendages on the head—the so-called headgear—Wang et al. describe specific evolutionary changes in the ruminants and identify selection on cancer-related genes that may function in antler development in deer. Finally, Lin et al. take a close look at the reindeer genome and identify the genetic basis of adaptations that allow reindeer to survive in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. Science , this issue p. eaav6202 , p. eaav6335 , p. eaav6312 see also p. 1130