Birds are the most species-rich class of tetrapod vertebrates and have wide relevance across many research fields. We explored bird macroevolution using full genomes from 48 avian species representing all major extant clades. The avian genome is principally characterized by its constrained size, which predominantly arose because of lineage-specific erosion of repetitive elements, large segmental deletions, and gene loss. Avian genomes furthermore show a remarkably high degree of evolutionary stasis at the levels of nucleotide sequence, gene synteny, and chromosomal structure. Despite this pattern of conservation, we detected many non-neutral evolutionary changes in protein-coding genes and noncoding regions. These analyses reveal that pan-avian genomic diversity covaries with adaptations to different lifestyles and convergent evolution of traits.

The evolution of eusociality is one of the major transitions in evolution, but the underlying genomic changes are unknown. We compared the genomes of 10 bee species that vary in social complexity, representing multiple independent transitions in social evolution, and report three major findings. First, many important genes show evidence of neutral evolution as a consequence of relaxed selection with increasing social complexity. Second, there is no single road map to eusociality; independent evolutionary transitions in sociality have independent genetic underpinnings. Third, though clearly independent in detail, these transitions do have similar general features, including an increase in constrained protein evolution accompanied by increases in the potential for gene regulation and decreases in diversity and abundance of transposable elements. Eusociality may arise through different mechanisms each time, but would likely always involve an increase in the complexity of gene networks.

We examined rodent models with altered levels of mitoNEET, a protein residing in the mitochondrial outer membrane. Adipocyte-specific overexpression of mitoNEET enhances lipid-uptake and storage, leading to an expansion of adipose tissue mass. Despite the resulting massive obesity, benign aspects of adipose tissue expansion prevail and insulin sensitivity is preserved. MitoNEET inhibits mitochondrial iron transport into the matrix. Since iron is a rate-limiting component for electron transport, mitoNEET reduces β-oxidation rates. This is associated with reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced reactive oxygen species damage, along with higher levels of adiponectin production. Conversely, the reduction of mitoNEET enhances mitochondrial respiratory capacity through enhanced iron content in the matrix, with reduced weight gain on a high fat diet. However, a reduction of mitoNEET also causes heightened oxidative-stress and glucose-intolerance. MitoNEET is therefore a potent regulator of mitochondrial function that profoundly impacts the dynamics of cellular and whole-body lipid homeostasis.