A genomic perspective on the evolution of pinniped lipid metabolism and lactation traits
Simon J. Goodman, University of Leeds
November 14, 2025 | 15h30 | Hybrid Seminar (Zoom Link; Passcode: 332211)
Pinnipeds (seals, fur seals, sea lions and walrus) are a monophyletic carnivore lineage whose terrestrial ancestors recolonised marine environments around 30 million years ago. They are an important mammalian example of how the evolution of radical morphological and physiological adaptions facilitate exploitation of novel niches. A key feature of pinniped annual life histories is spatiotemporal partitioning of foraging and breeding, enabled by blubber for energy storage and high fat milks (up to 60% fat in some species) to support pup development. Pinnipeds have thus evolved some of the most extreme lipid and lactation physiology of any mammalian group. In this talk I will explore how genomic, molecular evolution, and transcriptomic analyses are yielding insights into some of the genes and mechanisms that might underpin key pinniped lipid metabolism and lactation traits. The results are relevant to understanding the drivers of marine mammal evolution and vulnerability to environmental change, and may also have future potential to inform pathways and targets of biomedical interest.
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