Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication

Monday 12 December 2022

Research Centre:

Group Highlights

Our research group focuses on the study of vocal communication in mammals as a way to understand the biological basis of human speech and language and how this trait evolved.

Many species of mammal, including our primate cousins, have limited vocal repertoires. But a few mammals such as bats, whales and elephants use complex and varied vocalisations that share some characteristics with human speech, for example, the ability to learn vocalisations from other members of their social group.

Currently very little is known about the genetic basis for these sophisticated vocal behaviours in non-human mammals. Studying such species could provide clues about how human language evolved, and how language abilities are encoded in the brain and the genome.

Research

As part of our quest to understand the neurogenetic bases of vocal learning and social-vocal communication, we devote particular attention to the study of vocal learning and communication behaviour in bats. We use cutting-edge molecular techniques to identify genes and neural circuits that are important for vocal communication and learned vocalisations in this species. We also investigate the causes of language disorders in clinical populations to gain insight into the causes of these disorders, but also to understand the genetic factors underlying normal language development. Candidate genes identified in clinical populations are also explored in our animal models to understand what role they play and why their disruption leads to language-related disorders.

Group Members

Sonja Vernes
Stephen Hoerpel
Ine Alvarez van Tussenbroek
Nikita Groot
Laurent Delavaine
Meike Mai

Publications

Chapters

Genetic pathways implicated in speech and language
Vernes, S. C. & Fisher, S. E., 1 Dec 2013, Animal Models of Speech and Language Disorders. Springer, p. 13-40 28 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Articles

Chiropterans are a hotspot for horizontal transfer of DNA transposons in mammalia
Paulat, N. S., Storer, J. M., Moreno-Santillán, D. D., Osmanski, A. B., Sullivan, K. A. M., Grimshaw, J. R., Korstian, J., Halsey, M., Garcia, C. J., Crookshanks, C., Roberts, J., Smit, A. F. A., Hubley, R., Rosen, J., Teeling, E. C., Vernes, S. C., Myers, E., Pippel, M., Brown, T., Hiller, M., & 6 othersConsortium, Z., Rojas, D., Dávalos, L. M., Lindblad-Toh, K., Karlsson, E. K. & Ray, D. A., 1 May 2023, In: Molecular Biology and Evolution. 40, 5, 14 p., msad092.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

DNA methylation networks underlying mammalian traits
Haghani, A., Li, C. Z., Robeck, T. R., Zhang, J., Lu, A. T., Ablaeva, J., Acosta-Rodríguez, V. A., Adams, D. M., Alagaili, A. N., Almunia, J., Aloysius, A., Amor, N. M. S., Ardehali, R., Arneson, A., Baker, C. S., Banks, G., Belov, K., Bennett, N. C., Black, P., Blumstein, D. T., & 170 othersBors, E. K., Breeze, C. E., Brooke, R. T., Brown, J. L., Carter, G., Caulton, A., Cavin, J. M., Chakrabarti, L., Chatzistamou, I., Chavez, A. S., Chen, H., Cheng, K., Chiavellini, P., Choi, O-W., Clarke, S., Cook, J. A., Cooper, L. N., Cossette, M-L., Day, J., DeYoung, J., Dirocco, S., Dold, C., Dunnum, J. L., Ehmke, E. E., Emmons, C. K., Emmrich, S., Erbay, E., Erlacher-Reid, C., Faulkes, C. G., Fei, Z., Ferguson, S. H., Finno, C. J., Flower, J. E., Gaillard, J-M., Garde, E., Gerber, L., Gladyshev, V. N., Goya, R. G., Grant, M. J., Green, C. B., Hanson, M. B., Hart, D. W., Haulena, M., Herrick, K., Hogan, A. N., Hogg, C. J., Hore, T. A., Huang, T., Izpisua Belmonte, J. C., Jasinska, A. J., Jones, G., Jourdain, E., Kashpur, O., Katcher, H., Katsumata, E., Kaza, V., Kiaris, H., Kobor, M. S., Kordowitzki, P., Koski, W. R., Krützen, M., Kwon, S. B., Larison, B., Lee, S-G., Lehmann, M., Lemaître, J-F., Levine, A. J., Li, X., Li, C., Lim, A. R., Lin, D. T. S., Lindemann, D. M., Liphardt, S. W., Little, T. J., Macoretta, N., Maddox, D., Matkin, C. O., Mattison, J. A., McClure, M., Mergl, J., Meudt, J. J., Montano, G. A., Mozhui, K., Munshi-South, J., Murphy, W. J., Naderi, A., Nagy, M., Narayan, P., Nathanielsz, P. W., Nguyen, N. B., Niehrs, C., Nyamsuren, B., O'Brien, J. K., Ginn, P. OT., Odom, D. T., Ophir, A. G., Osborn, S., Ostrander, E. A., Parsons, K. M., Paul, K. C., Pedersen, A. B., Pellegrini, M., Peters, K. J., Petersen, J. L., Pietersen, D. W., Pinho, G. M., Plassais, J., Poganik, J. R., Prado, N. A., Reddy, P., Rey, B., Ritz, B. R., Robbins, J., Rodriguez, M., Russell, J., Rydkina, E., Sailer, L. L., Salmon, A. B., Sanghavi, A., Schachtschneider, K. M., Schmitt, D., Schmitt, T., Schomacher, L., Schook, L. B., Sears, K. E., Seifert, A. W., Shafer, A. B. A., Shindyapina, A. V., Simmons, M., Singh, K., Sinha, I., Slone, J., Snell, R. G., Soltanmohammadi, E., Spangler, M. L., Spriggs, M., Staggs, L., Stedman, N., Steinman, K. J., Stewart, D. T., Sugrue, V. J., Szladovits, B., Takahashi, J. S., Takasugi, M., Teeling, E. C., Thompson, M. J., Van Bonn, B., Vernes, S. C., Villar, D., Vinters, H. V., Vu, H., Wallingford, M. C., Wang, N., Wilkinson, G. S., Williams, R. W., Yan, Q., Yao, M., Young, B. G., Zhang, B., Zhang, Z., Zhao, Y., Zhao, P., Zhou, W., Zoller, J. A., Ernst, J., Seluanov, A., Gorbunova, V., Yang, X. W., Raj, K. & Horvath, S., 11 Aug 2023, In: Science. 381, 6658, eabq5693.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Genotype-phenotype correlation in contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP-2) developmental disorder
D'Onofrio, G., Accogli, A., Severino, M., Caliskan, H., Kokotović, T., Blazekovic, A., Jercic, K. G., Markovic, S., Zigman, T., Goran, K., Barišić, N., Duranovic, V., Ban, A., Borovecki, F., Ramadža, D. P., Barić, I., Fazeli, W., Herkenrath, P., Marini, C., Vittorini, R., & 30 othersGowda, V., Bouman, A., Rocca, C., Alkhawaja, I. A., Murtaza, B. N., Rehman, M. M. U., Al Alam, C., Nader, G., Mancardi, M. M., Giacomini, T., Srivastava, S., Alvi, J. R., Tomoum, H., Matricardi, S., Iacomino, M., Riva, A., Scala, M., Madia, F., Pistorio, A., Salpietro, V., Minetti, C., Rivière, J-B., Srour, M., Efthymiou, S., Maroofian, R., Houlden, H., Vernes, S. C., Zara, F., Striano, P. & Nagy, V., 14 May 2023, In: Human Genetics. 17 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

How genomics can help biodiversity conservation
European Reference Genome Atlas Consortium, Theissinger, K., Fernandes, C., Formenti, G., Bista, I., Berg, P. R., Bleidorn, C., Bombarely, A., Crottini, A., Gallo, G. R., Godoy, J. A., Jentoft, S., Malukiewicz, J., Mouton, A., Oomen, R. A., Paez, S., Palsbøll, P. J., Pampoulie, C., Ruiz-López, M. J., Secomandi, S., & 12 othersSvardal, H., Theofanopoulou, C., de Vries, J., Waldvogel, A-M., Zhang, G., Jarvis, E. D., Bálint, M., Ciofi, C., Waterhouse, R. M., Mazzoni, C. J., Höglund, J. & Vernes, S., Jul 2023, In: Trends in Genetics. 39, 7, p. 545-559 15 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

The genome sequence of Molossus nigricans (Chiroptera, Molossidae; Miller, 1902)
Simmons, N. B., Ingala, M. R., Pieri, M., Volkert, T. L., Singh, L. N., Philip, P., Lindsey, L. L., Zhang, N., Gray, J. L., O'Toole, B. P., Mai, M., Teeling, E. C., Vernes, S. C., Bat Biology Foundation & Bat1K Consortium, 5 May 2023, In: Wellcome Open Research. 8, 13 p., 198.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

The genome sequence of the Soprano Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Leach, 1825)
Ruedi, M., Vernes, S., Teeling, E. & Mai, M., 21 Aug 2023, In: Wellcome Open Research. 8:360.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

The genome sequence of the northern bat, Eptesicus nilssonii (Keyserling & Blasius, 1839)
van der Kooij, J., Vernes, S., Teeling, E., Mai, M., Johannessen, L. E. & Gundersen, G., 22 Aug 2023, In: Wellcome Open Research. 8, 362, 8:362.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Universal DNA methylation age across mammalian tissues
Lu, A. T., Fei, Z., Haghani, A., Robeck, T. R., Zoller, J. A., Li, C. Z., Lowe, R., Yan, Q., Zhang, J., Vu, H., Ablaeva, J., Acosta-Rodriguez, V. A., Adams, D. M., Almunia, J., Aloysius, A., Ardehali, R., Arneson, A., Baker, C. S., Banks, G., Belov, K., & 168 othersBennett, N. C., Black, P., Blumstein, D. T., Bors, E. K., Breeze, C. E., Brooke, R. T., Brown, J. L., Carter, G. G., Caulton, A., Cavin, J. M., Chakrabarti, L., Chatzistamou, I., Chen, H., Cheng, K., Chiavellini, P., Choi, O. W., Clarke, S. M., Cooper, L. N., Cossette, M. L., Day, J., DeYoung, J., DiRocco, S., Dold, C., Ehmke, E. E., Emmons, C. K., Emmrich, S., Erbay, E., Erlacher-Reid, C., Faulkes, C. G., Ferguson, S. H., Finno, C. J., Flower, J. E., Gaillard, J. M., Garde, E., Gerber, L., Gladyshev, V. N., Gorbunova, V., Goya, R. G., Grant, M. J., Green, C. B., Hales, E. N., Hanson, M. B., Hart, D. W., Haulena, M., Herrick, K., Hogan, A. N., Hogg, C. J., Hore, T. A., Huang, T., Izpisua Belmonte, J. C., Jasinska, A. J., Jones, G., Jourdain, E., Kashpur, O., Katcher, H., Katsumata, E., Kaza, V., Kiaris, H., Kobor, M. S., Kordowitzki, P., Koski, W. R., Krützen, M., Kwon, S. B., Larison, B., Lee, S. G., Lehmann, M., Lemaitre, J. F., Levine, A. J., Li, C., Li, X., Lim, A. R., Lin, D. T. S., Lindemann, D. M., Little, T. J., Macoretta, N., Maddox, D., Matkin, C. O., Mattison, J. A., McClure, M., Mergl, J., Meudt, J. J., Montano, G. A., Mozhui, K., Munshi-South, J., Naderi, A., Nagy, M., Narayan, P., Nathanielsz, P. W., Nguyen, N. B., Niehrs, C., O'Brien, J. K., O'Tierney Ginn, P., Odom, D. T., Ophir, A. G., Osborn, S., Ostrander, E. A., Parsons, K. M., Paul, K. C., Pellegrini, M., Peters, K. J., Pedersen, A. B., Petersen, J. L., Pietersen, D. W., Pinho, G. M., Plassais, J., Poganik, J. R., Prado, N. A., Reddy, P., Rey, B., Ritz, B. R., Robbins, J., Rodriguez, M., Russell, J., Rydkina, E., Sailer, L. L., Salmon, A. B., Sanghavi, A., Schachtschneider, K. M., Schmitt, D., Schmitt, T., Schomacher, L., Schook, L. B., Sears, K. E., Seifert, A. W., Seluanov, A., Shafer, A. B. A., Shanmuganayagam, D., Shindyapina, A. V., Simmons, M., Singh, K., Sinha, I., Slone, J., Snell, R. G., Soltanmaohammadi, E., Spangler, M. L., Spriggs, M. C., Staggs, L., Stedman, N., Steinman, K. J., Stewart, D. T., Sugrue, V. J., Szladovits, B., Takahashi, J. S., Takasugi, M., Teeling, E. C., Thompson, M. J., Van Bonn, B., Vernes, S. C., Villar, D., Vinters, H. V., Wallingford, M. C., Wang, N., Wayne, R. K., Wilkinson, G. S., Williams, C. K., Williams, R. W., Yang, X. W., Yao, M., Young, B. G., Zhang, B., Zhang, Z., Zhao, P., Zhao, Y., Zhou, W., Zimmermann, J., Ernst, J., Raj, K. & Horvath, S., 10 Aug 2023, In: Nature Aging.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Using machine learning to decode animal communication
Rutz, C., Bronstein, M., Raskin, A., Vernes, S. C., Zacarian, K. & Blasi, D. E., 14 Jul 2023, In: Science. 381, 6654, p. 152-155 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

ARHGEF39, a gene implicated in developmental language disorder, activates RHOA and is involved in cell de-adhesion and neural progenitor cell proliferation
Anijs, M., Devanna, P. & Vernes, S. C., 25 Jul 2022, In: Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 15, 941494.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Papers

Universal DNA methylation age across mammalian tissues (vol 3, pg 1144, 2023)
Lu, AT., Fei, Z., Haghani, A., Robeck, TR., Zoller, JA., Li, CZ., Lowe, R., Yan, Q., Zhang, J., Vu, H., Ablaeva, J., Acosta-Rodriguez, VA., Adams, DM., Almunia, J., Aloysius, A., Ardehali, R., Arneson, A., Baker, CS., Banks, G., Belov, K., & 168 othersBennett, NC., Black, P., Blumstein, DT., Bors, EK., Breeze, CE., Brooke, RT., Brown, JL., Carter, GG., Caulton, A., Cavin, JM., Chakrabarti, L., Chatzistamou, I., Chen, H., Cheng, K., Chiavellini, P., Choi, OW., Clarke, SM., Cooper, LN., Cossette, ML., Day, J., Deyoung, J., Dirocco, S., Dold, C., Ehmke, EE., Emmons, CK., Emmrich, S., Erbay, E., Erlacher-Reid, C., Faulkes, CG., Ferguson, SH., Finno, CJ., Flower, JE., Gaillard, JM., Garde, E., Gerber, L., Gladyshev, VN., Gorbunova, V., Goya, RG., Grant, MJ., Green, CB., Hales, EN., Hanson, MB., Hart, DW., Haulena, M., Herrick, K., Hogan, AN., Hogg, CJ., Hore, TA., Huang, T., Belmonte, JCI., Jasinska, AJ., Jones, G., Jourdain, E., Kashpur, O., Katcher, H., Katsumata, E., Kaza, V., Kiaris, H., Kobor, MS., Kordowitzki, P., Koski, WR., Kruetzen, M., Kwon, SB., Larison, B., Lee, SG., Lehmann, M., Lemaitre, JF., Levine, AJ., Li, CZ., Li, X., Lim, AR., Lin, DTS., Lindemann, DM., Little, TJ., Macoretta, N., Maddox, D., Matkin, CO., Mattison, JA., Mcclure, M., Mergl, J., Meudt, JJ., Montano, GA., Mozhui, K., Munshi-South, J., Naderi, A., Nagy, M., Narayan, P., Nathanielsz, PW., Nguyen, NB., Niehrs, C., O'Brien, JK., Ginn, PO., Odom, DT., Ophir, AG., Osborn, S., Ostrander, EA., Parsons, KM., Paul, KC., Pellegrini, M., Peters, KJ., Pedersen, AB., Petersen, JL., Pietersen, DW., Pinho, GM., Plassais, J., Poganik, JR., Prado, NA., Reddy, P., Rey, B., Ritz, BR., Robbins, J., Rodriguez, M., Russell, J., Rydkina, E., Sailer, LL., Salmon, AB., Sanghavi, A., Schachtschneider, KM., Schmitt, D., Schmitt, T., Schomacher, L., Schook, LB., Sears, KE., Seifert, AW., Seluanov, A., Shafer, ABA., Shanmuganayagam, D., Shindyapina, AV., Simmons, M., Singh, K., Sinha, I., Slone, J., Snell, RG., Soltanmaohammadi, E., Spangler, ML., Spriggs, MC., Staggs, L., Stedman, N., Steinman, KJ., Stewart, DT., Sugrue, VJ., Szladovits, B., Takahashi, JS., Takasugi, M., Teeling, EC., Thompson, MJ., Van Bonn, B., Vernes, SC., Villar, D., Vinters, HV., Wallingford, MC., Wang, N., Wayne, RK., Wilkinson, GS., Williams, CK., Williams, RW., Yang, XW., Yao, M., Young, BG., Zhang, B., Zhang, Z., Zhao, P., Zhao, Y., Zhou, W., Zimmermann, J., Ernst, J., Raj, K. & Horvath, S., 6 Sept 2023, (E-pub ahead of print). 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

DNA methylation predicts age and provides insight into exceptional longevity of bats (vol 12, 1615, 2021)
Wilkinson, GS., Adams, DM., Haghani, A., Lu, AT., Zoller, J., Breeze, CE., Arnold, BD., Ball, HC., Carter, GG., Cooper, LN., Dechmann, DKN., Devanna, P., Fasel, NJ., Galazyuk, AV., Günther, L., Hurme, E., Jones, G., Knörnschild, M., Lattenkamp, EZ., Li, CZ., & 16 othersMayer, F., Reinhardt, JA., Medellin, RA., Nagy, M., Pope, B., Power, ML., Ransome, RD., Teeling, EC., Vernes, SC., Zamora-Mejías, D., Zhang, J., Faure, PA., Greville, LJ., Herrera, MLG., Flores-Martínez, JJ. & Horvath, S., 7 Sept 2022. 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

Contact

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