A Computational Approach to Understanding the Evolution of Bat Echolocation Traits
Lawson-Ryan, Iris
Lawson-Ryan, Iris
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Abstract
Echolocation is a key sensory adaptation in bats, yet the genetic basis of variation in echolocation strategies and call structure across lineages remains incompletely understood. Although previous studies have identified genes associated with auditory function and echolocation in bats and other echolocating mammals, less is known about how these genes evolved across Chiroptera. To investigate patterns of molecular evolution in echolocation-associated genes, I compiled phenotypic data for echolocation traits such as call bandwidth and duration through literature review and integrated these data with comparative genomic analyses using 103 species from the Bat1K genome dataset. I extracted candidate genes, aligned them at the codon level using MACSE, and analyzed positive selection using HyPhy. Comparative analyses using BUSTED and aBSREL revealed heterogeneity in selective pressures across genes. BUSTED detected significant episodic diversifying selection in TMC1, PCDH15, CDH23, KCNQ4, and SLC26A5, while PJVK, FOXP2, and OTOF showed no significant gene-wide signal. In bats, these genes are linked to cochlear and inner ear function and may contribute to echolocation. TMC1 is involved in mechanotransduction, PCDH15 and CDH23 form the tip-link complex that helps hair cells detect vibrations, KCNQ4 helps maintain ionic conditions for hair cell excitability, and SLC26A5 encodes Prestin, which supports outer hair cell electromotility and high-frequency hearing. OTOF is associated with synaptic transmission at inner hair cells and may be important for auditory signaling required for echolocation. Branch-level aBSREL analyses further supported lineage-specific positive selection, particularly in OTOF. Together, these findings support that echolocation traits in bats have been shaped by lineage-specific selective pressures rather than a uniform pattern of adaptation. Broadly, this study demonstrates the value of integrating comparative genomic datasets with phylogenetically informed methods and suggests that evolutionary change in genes involved in cochlear and inner ear function may have contributed to diversity in bat echolocation strategies and call structure.
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Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Senior (Graduating in 2026)
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Poster
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Environmental Science
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Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
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Life Science