A molecular mechanism for bright color variation in parrots
Parrots produce stunning plumage colors through unique pigments called psittacofulvins. However, the mechanism underlying their ability to generate a spectrum of vibrant yellows, reds, and greens remains enigmatic. We uncover a unifying chemical basis for a wide range of parrot plumage colors, which result from the selective deposition of red aldehyde- and yellow carboxyl-containing psittacofulvin molecules in developing feathers. Through genetic mapping, biochemical assays, and single-cell genomics, we identified a critical player in this process, the aldehyde dehydrogenase <i>ALDH3A2</i>, which oxidizes aldehyde psittacofulvins into carboxyl forms in late-differentiating keratinocytes during feather development. The simplicity of the underlying molecular mechanism, in which a single enzyme influences the balance of red and yellow pigments, offers an explanation for the exceptional evolutionary lability of parrot coloration.
Authors
- Alison Cloutier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3999-181X)
- Yu Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8813-9511)
- Ricardo Jorge Lopes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2193-5107)
- Petr Maršík (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4387-0749)
- Miguel Carneiro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9882-7775)
- Roberto Arbore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1987-0474)
- Pedro Miguel Araújo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8367-7073)
- Emily Shui Kei Poon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5705-9981)
- Sandra Afonso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7212-991X)
- Pedro Andrade (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2540-2471)
- Simon Yung Wa Sin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2484-2897)
- Uri Abdu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1226-0750)
- Jindřich Brejcha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2164-6375)
- Yohey Ogawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9031-4393)
- Joseph C. Corbo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9323-7140)
- Peter Mojzeš (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9952-6939)
- Michaël P. J. Nicolaï (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9570-0311)
- Rúben Afonso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7534-6060)
- Michael A. White (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8511-6026)
- Paulo Pereira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9519-7691)
- Cristiana I. Marques (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3406-9597)
- Soraia Barbosa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7806-4256)
- Gerben Debruyn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6338-2865)
- Stephen J. Sabatino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2815-2375)
- Shatadru Ghosh Roy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5378-8036)
Institutions
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- Universidade do Porto (PT)
- Washington University in St. Louis (US)
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZ)
- Charles University (CZ)
- Institute of Natural Sciences (BE)
- Ghent University (BE)
- FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CZ)
- Center for Systems Biology (US)
- University of Coimbra (PT)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science
- Published
- 2024-10-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adp7710
- Citations
- 13
- Primary Topic
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 13.38
Funders
- Belgian American Educational Foundation
- European Commission
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Universiteit Gent
- Vlaamse regering
- Cornell Center for Materials Research
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia