Syllabus: GS3/Science
Context
- A study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution explores how bats evolved wings from the same five-digit mammalian limb structure.
Key Points
- Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Their wings formed from the same five-fingered limbs found in other mammals.
- Earlier, scientists thought bats kept the skin between their fingers by stopping cell death, but the study shows cell death still happens.
- Researchers found special fibroblast cells in bats’ wings that help form the thin skin (called chiropatagium) used for flying.
- Fibroblast cells are connective tissue cells that help make and repair skin.
- Two genes, MEIS2 and TBX3, stay active in bats and help these cells build wings.
- When these genes were added to mouse embryos, the mice grew webbed fingers, like early bat wings.
Significance of the Study
- Evolutionary Insights: Supports the idea that major evolutionary innovations (like wings) often arise from modifying existing genetic networks, not creating new genes.
- Human health: Provides insight into syndactyly (fused fingers), a developmental disorder possibly linked to similar gene regulation errors.
- Comparative evolution: Suggests similar genetic repurposing might underlie the evolution of bird wings, fish fins, and whale flippers.
| Key Facts about Bats – Bats are mammals belonging to the order Chiroptera and are the only mammals capable of sustained powered flight, with wings made of stretched skin over elongated finger bones. – There are over 1,400 species of bats worldwide, constituting about 20% of all mammal species. They inhabit almost every continent except Antarctica, thriving mainly in tropical regions. – Bats are crucial for ecosystems as pollinators for many plants, agents of seed dispersal, and natural controllers of insect populations, including agricultural pests. – Most bats use echolocation—high-frequency sound waves—for navigation and hunting in the dark, a unique adaptation that allows them to exploit nocturnal ecological niches effectively. – Unlike birds, bats cannot take off from the ground easily; they hang upside down to launch into flight. They rest during daytime, often in caves or hollow trees, forming colonies that can range widely in size. – The Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) is among the largest bats in India and a critical species for pollination and ecosystem health. – Bats are known reservoirs of numerous viruses, including coronaviruses, Nipah virus, and Ebola, yet they exhibit remarkable immunity and longevity which is a subject of scientific research. |
Source: TH
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