The Genetic, Cellular, and Photonic Mechanisms of Avian Structural Colouration

Informations projet

EYESPOT

N° de convention de subvention: 101000504

DOI

10.3030/101000504

Date de signature de la CE 10 Août 2021

Date de début 1 Octobre 2021

Date de fin 30 Septembre 2026

Financé au titre de

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Coût total

€ 1 998 165,00

Contribution de l’UE

€ 1 998 165,00

Coordonné par

ASSOCIACAO BIOPOLIS
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EYESPOT (The Genetic, Cellular, and Photonic Mechanisms of Avian Structural Colouration)

Période du rapport: 2024-10-01 au 2026-03-31

Résumé du contexte et des objectifs généraux du projet

Birds are a group known for their wide variety of beautiful colors, from discreet browns and blacks in sparrows and partridges, to vibrant reds and yellows in canaries and parrots. However, shades of blue, and even iridescence, result from the optical and physical effects of light refraction in melanin (brown and black), giving rise to what is known as structural color. Depending on the complexity of the melanin organization, the structural color can vary from the strong blues of kingfishers to the most iridescence of hummingbirds. The domestication of peacocks has led to the appearance of more than a dozen color variants. By analyzing the genomes of these mutants, this project aimed to integrate molecular, optical and physical processes to explain the extraordinary variation in structural color and iridescence in birds. We found that, with small changes to melanin production, in the melanosome biogenesis and maturation, or in their transport to the feather, it is possible to vary the way in which these nanostructures self-organize during feather keratinization, and thus gain, lose or vary the hue and intensity of structural color. With this knowledge we can (bio)mimic nature's technology to produce colorful—and even iridescent—synthetic materials that do not lose intensity through exposure, unlike pigment colors. In this proposal, we intend to employ genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic approaches in several wild and domestic bird species to provide a general framework for understanding structural coloration in a wide range of species, thereby greatly expanding our understanding of this fascinating biological phenomenon.

Travail effectué depuis le début du projet jusqu’à la fin de la période considérée dans le rapport et principaux résultats atteints jusqu’à présent

We have sampled over 400 peafowl mutants and generated over 300 whole genomes, and over 40 RNAseq datasets. We have developed a protocol for dissociation of feather follicles and performed single-cell transcriptomic analysis. We have organized multiple meetings in the scope of the project with international collaborators, organized outreach sessions and written two manuscripts.

Progrès au-delà de l’état des connaissances et impact potentiel prévu (y compris l’impact socio-économique et les conséquences sociétales plus larges du projet jusqu’à présent)

We have mapped the causal mutation of multiple peafowl mutants and characterized the phenotypes of such mutants at the biochemical and nanostructural level. We expect to develop a mathematical model to predict structural color variation and, from there, produce synthetic materials that mimic the nanostructural structure, and thus produce the colors seen in biological tissues. Our research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular underpinnings of avian structural colors, an area currently trailing behind pigmentary color mechanisms in terms of comprehension.