Evolution of high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid is associated with subterranean lifestyle

Yang Zhao; Zhizhong Zheng; Zhihui Zhang; Yandong Xu; Eric Hillpot; Yifei S. Lin; Frances T. Zakusilo; J. Yuyang Lu; Julia Ablaeva; Seyed Ali Biashad; Richard A. Miller; Eviatar Nevo; Andrei Seluanov; Vera Gorbunova

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43623-2

Evolution of high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid is associated with subterranean lifestyle

Yang Zhao, Zhizhong Zheng, Zhihui Zhang, Yandong Xu, Eric Hillpot, Yifei S. Lin, Frances T. Zakusilo, J. Yuyang Lu, Julia Ablaeva, Seyed Ali Biashad, Richard A. Miller, Eviatar Nevo, Andrei Seluanov, Vera Gorbunova

Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Hyaluronic acid is a major component of extracellular matrix which plays an important role in development, cellular response to injury and inflammation, cell migration, and cancer. The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) contains abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid in its tissues, which contributes to this species’ cancer resistance and possibly to its longevity. Here we report that abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid is found in a wide range of subterranean mammalian species, but not in phylogenetically related aboveground species. These subterranean mammalian species accumulate abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid by regulating the expression of genes involved in hyaluronic acid degradation and synthesis and contain unique mutations in these genes. The abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid may benefit the adaptation to subterranean environment by increasing skin elasticity and protecting from oxidative stress due to hypoxic conditions. Our work suggests that high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid has evolved with subterranean lifestyle.

Original language	English
Article number	8054
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43623-2
State	Published - 5 Dec 2023

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Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

UN SDGs

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10.1038/s41467-023-43623-2

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title = "Evolution of high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid is associated with subterranean lifestyle",

abstract = "Hyaluronic acid is a major component of extracellular matrix which plays an important role in development, cellular response to injury and inflammation, cell migration, and cancer. The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) contains abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid in its tissues, which contributes to this species{\textquoteright} cancer resistance and possibly to its longevity. Here we report that abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid is found in a wide range of subterranean mammalian species, but not in phylogenetically related aboveground species. These subterranean mammalian species accumulate abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid by regulating the expression of genes involved in hyaluronic acid degradation and synthesis and contain unique mutations in these genes. The abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid may benefit the adaptation to subterranean environment by increasing skin elasticity and protecting from oxidative stress due to hypoxic conditions. Our work suggests that high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid has evolved with subterranean lifestyle.",

author = "Yang Zhao and Zhizhong Zheng and Zhihui Zhang and Yandong Xu and Eric Hillpot and Lin, {Yifei S.} and Zakusilo, {Frances T.} and Lu, {J. Yuyang} and Julia Ablaeva and Biashad, {Seyed Ali} and Miller, {Richard A.} and Eviatar Nevo and Andrei Seluanov and Vera Gorbunova",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-023-43623-2",

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AU - Zhao, Yang

AU - Zheng, Zhizhong

AU - Zhang, Zhihui

AU - Xu, Yandong

AU - Hillpot, Eric

AU - Lin, Yifei S.

AU - Zakusilo, Frances T.

AU - Lu, J. Yuyang

AU - Ablaeva, Julia

AU - Biashad, Seyed Ali

AU - Miller, Richard A.

AU - Nevo, Eviatar

AU - Seluanov, Andrei

AU - Gorbunova, Vera

PY - 2023/12/5

Y1 - 2023/12/5

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Evolution of high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid is associated with subterranean lifestyle

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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