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Evolving a bat wing by reusing an existing gene program

Interspecies comparative analyses of single-cell transcriptomic data reveal that a proximal limb gene program is reactivated during bat wing formation. Our results illustrate how evolutionary innovations can arise from the reutilization of an existing gene set, activated through species-specific regulatory repertoires.

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Fig. 1: Distal MEIS2-positive gene program in the bat wing.

References

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This is a summary of: Schindler, M. et al. Comparative single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary repurposing of a conserved gene programme in bat wing development. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02780-x (2025).

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Evolving a bat wing by reusing an existing gene program. Nat Ecol Evol 9, 1556–1557 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02782-9

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