{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: A Neanderthal/Denisovan GLI3 variant contributes to anatomical variations in mice.
{Author}: Agata A;Ohtsuka S;Noji R;Gotoh H;Ono K;Nomura T;
{Journal}: Front Cell Dev Biol
{Volume}: 11
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2023
{Factor}: 6.081
{DOI}: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1247361
{Abstract}: Changes in genomic structures underlie phenotypic diversification in organisms. Amino acid-changing mutations affect pleiotropic functions of proteins, although little is known about how mutated proteins are adapted in existing developmental programs. Here we investigate the biological effects of a variant of the GLI3 transcription factor (GLI3R1537C) carried in Neanderthals and Denisovans, which are extinct hominins close to modern humans. R1537C does not compromise protein stability or GLI3 activator-dependent transcriptional activities. In contrast, R1537C affects the regulation of downstream target genes associated with developmental processes. Furthermore, genome-edited mice carrying the Neanderthal/Denisovan GLI3 mutation exhibited various alterations in skeletal morphology. Our data suggest that an extinct hominin-type GLI3 contributes to species-specific anatomical variations, which were tolerated by relaxed constraint in developmental programs during human evolution.