Sugar Assimilation in Bats

Camacho et. al., 2024

A short summary of how these genomes were used for our study:

This study, a collaborative effort between bat biologists in Cali, Colombia and our team at the Stowers Institute, explores the relationship between blood glucose levels after a sugar meal and the evolution of sugar absorption. By analyzing a subset of 22 bat genomes from a broader set of 50, we focused on comparing the digestive adaptations of nectar-feeding bats and fruit-feeding bats to those of insect-eating bats.

Our research revealed that the duodenum in nectar-feeding and fruit-feeding bats is not only longer but also features additional intestinal cells and a higher density of microvilli—adaptations that enhance their ability to absorb sugar into the bloodstream. However, the genetic signatures of glucose transporter regulation, particularly in the GLUT family, showed intriguing differences. We found that positive selection in glucose transporters, specifically GLUT3 (enriched in neuronal tissues) and GLUT2, is present in nectar-feeding bats but not in fruit-feeding bats. GLUT2, in particular, is enriched in mammalian tissues such as the liver, pancreas, kidney, and intestine, playing a critical role in glucose regulation. This finding aligns with our observations of blood glucose levels, which showed that nectar-feeding bats have distinct mechanisms for regulating their blood glucose.

Our study provides valuable insights into the evolutionary adaptations of bats, linking dietary habits to anatomical and genetic changes that optimize sugar absorption and glucose regulation in nectar-feeding species. The subset of 22 bat genomes used in this study highlights the intricate ways in which evolution has shaped the physiology of these remarkable mammals.

The table below contains links to each of the 22 bat genome browsers and the external data that was used to generate our models