ArticleMolecular biology and evolution2021
Vulture Genomes Reveal Molecular Adaptations Underlying Obligate Scavenging and Low Levels of Genetic Diversity.
Article in Molecular biology and evolution, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
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17 citing papers in PubMed, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Phylogeny Drives Carrion Consumption by Vertebrate Scavengers Towards Distantly Related Species.Ecology letters · 2026Article
- Genomic and population analyses reveal asymmetric subgenome evolution and local adaptation in the polyploid Lycopus lucidus.Communications biology · 2026Article
- Article
- Genomic insights into recurrent demographic collapses and recovery dynamics in Tibetan antelopes (Pantholops hodgsoni).Science China. Life sciences · 2026Article
- First Investigation of Haemosporidian Species and Record of Novel Genetic Lineages in Eurasian Griffon Vultures (Veterinary sciences · 2025Article
- The evolution of cavefish odor perception shifts fish response from avoidance to approach when exposed to alarm and death odors.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Conservation genomics of two endangered buntings reveal genetic diversity before and after severe population declines.BMC biology · 2025Article
- A Comparison of the Intestinal Fungal Community in Wild and Captive Himalayan Vultures (Polish journal of microbiology · 2025Article
- Functional Decline of a Bitter Receptor Gene in New World Vultures.Molecular biology and evolution · 2025Article
- Avian raptors are indicator species and victims of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Germany.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- The genetic architecture of repeated local adaptation to climate in distantly related plants.Nature ecology & evolution · 2024Article
- Comparative genomics sheds new light on the convergent evolution of infrared vision in snakes.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2024Article
- Comprehensive genome assembly reveals genetic diversity and carcass consumption insights in critically endangered Asian king vultures.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Convergent rates of protein evolution identify novel targets of sexual selection in primates.Evolution; international journal of organic evolution · 2024Article
- Article
- Metagenomic comparison of gut communities between wild and captive Himalayan griffons.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2024Article
- Similar adaptative mechanism but divergent demographic history of four sympatric desert rodents in Eurasian inland.Communications biology · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Obligate scavenging on the dead and decaying animal matter is a rare dietary specialization that in extant vertebrates is restricted to vultures. These birds perform essential ecological services, yet many vulture species have undergone recent steep population declines and are now endangered. To test for molecular adaptations underlying obligate scavenging in vultures, and to assess whether genomic features might have contributed to their population declines, we generated high-quality genomes of the Himalayan and bearded vultures, representing both independent origins of scavenging within the Accipitridae, alongside a sister taxon, the upland buzzard. By comparing our data to published sequences from other birds, we show that the evolution of obligate scavenging in vultures has been accompanied by widespread positive selection acting on genes underlying gastric acid production, and immunity. Moreover, we find evidence of parallel molecular evolution, with amino acid replacements shared among divergent lineages of these scavengers. Our genome-wide screens also reveal that both the Himalayan and bearded vultures exhibit low levels of genetic diversity, equating to around a half of the mean genetic diversity of other bird genomes examined. However, demographic reconstructions indicate that population declines began at around the Last Glacial Maximum, predating the well-documented dramatic declines of the past three decades. Taken together, our genomic analyses imply that vultures harbor unique adaptations for processing carrion, but that modern populations are genetically depauperate and thus especially vulnerable to further genetic erosion through anthropogenic activities.
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