Lack of evidence for gene-level convergence linked to evolutionary shifts in torpor among placental mammals

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ID: 326891
2026
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Abstract
Torpor is a key survival strategy that many avian and mammalian lineages evolved in response to challenging environmental conditions. Whether the independent evolution of torpor in different lineages involved changes in the same genes remains poorly understood. Here, we performed comparative screens across 190 placental mammal genomes to comprehensively examine associations between loss, positive selection, and evolutionary rate shifts in individual protein-coding genes and evolutionary shifts in torpor use. We find that gene-torpor associations are highly clade-specific, with no gene being able to explain the majority of torpor shifts across the phylogeny of placental mammals. In contrast, there is more evidence, albeit still limited, for evolutionary convergence at the pathway level. Our results suggest that torpor emerged through several genetic routes in placental mammals, which likely explains the vast diversity of torpor use patterns that can be observed among torpor-capable species today.
Reference Key
openalex_W7204988046 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Dimitrios ‐ Georgios Kontopoulos, Alexis-Walid Ahmed, Bernhard Bein, Danielle L. Levesque, Michael Hiller
Journal genome biology and evolution
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/gbe/evag216
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