Evolutionary convergence of sensory circuits in the pallium of amniotes
Eneritz Rueda-Alaña, Rodrigo Senovilla-Ganzo, Marco Grillo, Enrique Vázquez, Sergio Marco Salas, Tatiana Gallego‐Flores, Aitor Ordeñana-Manso, Artemis Ftara, Laura Escobar, Alberto Benguría, Ana Quintas, Ana Dopazo, Miriam Rábano, María dM Vivanco, Ana M. Aransay, Daniel Garrigos, Ángel Toval, José Luis Ferrán, Mats Nilsson, Juan Manuel Encinas, Maurizio De Pittà, Fernando García‐Moreno
Abstract
The amniote pallium contains sensory circuits that are structurally and functionally equivalent, yet their evolutionary relationship remains unresolved. We used birthdating analysis, single-cell RNA and spatial transcriptomics, and mathematical modeling to compare the development and evolution of known pallial circuits across birds (chick), lizards (gecko), and mammals (mouse). We reveal that neurons within these circuits' stations are generated at varying developmental times and brain regions across species and found an early developmental divergence in the transcriptomic progression of glutamatergic neurons. Our research highlights developmental distinctions and functional similarities in the sensory circuit between birds and mammals, suggesting the convergence of high-order sensory processing across amniote lineages.