Bats evolved to fix DNA from damage caused by flight

A flying fox, closely related to the species that had its genome sequenced.

National Park Service

Bats are some of the most distinctive mammals around. The only ones capable of powered flight, bat species occupy a variety of ecological niches, from predator to pollinator. The different habits come with some significant specializations, like echolocation and the ability to hibernate through cold weather.

Part of the reason that bats have evolved such extensive specializations is that they've been around for a while—fossil evidence dates back over 50 million years. But now, thanks to our ability to sequence genomes, some researchers have provided a new picture of how bats manage to adapt to such distinctive lifestyles. The DNA sequences suggest that all bats share some adaptations that help them cope with the metabolic demands of flight, while individual species have other adaptations that help them handle echolocation and hibernation.

The work was done by a large international consortium that involved everyone from the BGI (formerly Beijing Genomics Institute) to the Naval Medical Research Center. The team picked two different species of bat: an insectivorous hibernator called Myotis davidii and the black flying fox, Pteropus alecto. The latter feeds on fruit and nectar, and lacks the former's ability to echolocate.