Large Gene Family Expansions and Adaptive Evolution for Odorant and Gustatory Receptors in the Pea Aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum

Gaining insight into the mechanisms of chemoreception in aphids is of primary importance for both integrative studies on the evolution of host plant specialization and applied research in pest control management because aphids rely on their sense of smell

Expansion of the Actin Gene Family in Amphioxus

肌动蛋白是一种分布广泛而且在进化上十分保守的蛋白,是构成细胞骨架的关键组分.肌动蛋白通常被分成肌肉型和胞质型两种类型,各自行使着不同的功能.在此,作者对弗罗里达文昌鱼基因组中的肌动蛋白基因家族进行了系统分析,发现文昌鱼中该基因家族成员多达30多个,其中很多都是连锁分布的.基因结构趋于多样,分别包含2～7个外显子.进化分析的结果显示,文昌鱼的肌动蛋白基因家族可能通过串联重复而发生了扩增.作者还克隆了厦门文昌鱼两个不同的肌肉犁肌动蛋白基因,并比较了它们在文昌鱼早期胚胎中的表达图式.结果显示,这两个基因在表达上有着细微的差别,提示文昌鱼肌动蛋白基因家族成员在功能上的分化.上述结果将有助于阐明肌动蛋白基因家族及其功能在脊索动物中的演化.

Molecular evolution of growth hormone gene family in old world monkeys and hominoids

Growth hormone is a classic molecule in the study of the molecular clock hypothesis as it exhibits a relatively constant rate of evolution in most mammalian orders except primates and artiodactyls, where dramatically enhanced rate of evolution (25-50-fold) has been reported. The rapid evolution of primate growth hormone occurred after the divergence of tarsiers and simians, but before the separation of old world monkeys (OWM) from new world monkeys (NWM). Interestingly, this event of rapid sequence evolution coincided with multiple duplications of the growth hormone gene, suggesting gene duplication as a possible cause of the accelerated sequence evolution. Here we determined 21 different GH-like sequences from four species of OWM and hominoids. Combining with published sequences from OWM and hominoids, our analysis demonstrates that multiple gene duplications and several gene conversion events both occurred in the evolutionary history of this gene family in OWM/hominoids. The episode of recent duplications of CSH-like genes in gibbon is accompanied with rapid sequence evolution likely resulting from relaxation of purifying selection. GHN genes in both hominoids and OWM are under strong purifying selection. In contrast, CSH genes in both lineages are probably not. GHV genes in OWM and hominoids evolved at different evolutionary rates and underwent different selective constraints. Our results disclosed the complex history of the primate growth hormone gene family and raised intriguing questions on the consequences of these evolutionary events. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular evolution of the keratin associated protein gene family in mammals, role in the evolution of mammalian hair

Background: Hair is unique to mammals. Keratin associated proteins (KRTAPs), which contain two major groups: high/ultrahigh cysteine and high glycine-tyrosine, are one of the major components of hair and play essential roles in the formation of rigid and

Identification and molecular evolution of cow CENP-A gene family

The centromere protein A (CENP-A), a histone H3-like protein, provides an essential role for chromosomal segregation during mitosis and meiosis. In this study we identified ten new CENP-A-like genes (excluding the original CENP-A gene) in cow by searching

Origin and evolution of the RIG-I like RNA helicase gene family

Background: The DExD/H domain containing RNA helicases such as retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) are key cytosolic pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) for detecting nucleotide pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) of invading viruses. The RIG-I and MDA5 proteins differentially recognise conserved PAMPs in double stranded or single stranded viral RNA molecules, leading to activation of the interferon system in vertebrates. They share three core protein domains including a RNA helicase domain near the C terminus (HELICc), one or more caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARDs) and an ATP dependent DExD/H domain. The RIG-I/MDA5 directed interferon response is negatively regulated by laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2) and is believed to be controlled by the mitochondria antiviral signalling protein (MAVS), a CARD containing protein associated with mitochondria. Results: The DExD/H containing RNA helicases including RIG-I, MDA5 and LGP2 were analysed in silico in a wide spectrum of invertebrate and vertebrate genomes. The gene synteny of MDA5 and LGP2 is well conserved among vertebrates whilst conservation of the gene synteny of RIG-I is less apparent. Invertebrate homologues had a closer phylogenetic relationship with the vertebrate RIG-Is than the MDA5/LGP2 molecules, suggesting the RIG-I homologues may have emerged earlier in evolution, possibly prior to the appearance of vertebrates. Our data suggest that the RIG-I like helicases possibly originated from three distinct genes coding for the core domains including the HELICc, CARD and ATP dependent DExD/H domains through gene fusion and gene/domain duplication. Furthermore, presence of domains similar to a prokaryotic DNA restriction enzyme III domain (Res III), and a zinc finger domain of transcription factor (TF) IIS have been detected by bioinformatic analysis. Conclusion: The RIG-I/MDA5 viral surveillance system is conserved in vertebrates. The RIG-I like helicase family appears to have evolved from a common ancestor that originated from genes encoding different core functional domains. Diversification of core functional domains might be fundamental to their functional divergence in terms of recognition of different viral PAMPs.

Independent origin of the growth hormone gene family in New World monkeys and Old World monkeys/hominoids

The growth hormone (GH) gene family represents an erratic and complex evolutionary pattern, involving many evolutionary events, such as multiple gene duplications, positive selection, the birth-and-death process and gene conversions. In the present study, we cloned and sequenced GH-like genes from three species of New World monkeys (NWM). Phylogenetic analysis strongly suggest monophyly for NWM GH-like genes with respect to those of Old World monkeys (OWM) and hominoids, indicating that independent gene duplications have occurred in NWM GH-like genes. There are three main clusters of genes in putatively functional NWM GH-like genes, according to our gene tree. Comparison of the ratios of nonsynonymous and synonymous substitutions revealed that these three clusters of genes evolved under different kinds of selective pressures. Detailed analysis of the evolution of pseudogenes showed that the evolutionary pattern of this gene family in platyrrhines is in agreement with the so-called birth-and-death process.

Identification of an additional two-cysteine containing type I interferon in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss provides evidence of a major gene duplication event within this gene family in teleosts

Multiple type I interferons (IFNs) have recently been identified in salmonids, containing two or four conserved cysteines. In this work, a novel two-cysteine containing (2C) IFN gene was identified in rainbow trout. This novel trout IFN gene (termed IFN5) formed a phylogenetic group that is distinct from the other three salmonid IFN groups sequenced to date and had a close evolutionary relationship with IFNs from advanced fish species. Our data demonstrate that two subgroups are apparent within each of the 2C and 4C type I IFNs, an evolutionary outcome possibly due to two rounds of genome duplication events that have occurred within teleosts. We have examined gene expression of the trout 2C type I IFN in cultured cells following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, phytohaemagglutinin, polyI:C or recombinant IFN, or after transfection with polyI:C. The kinetics of gene expression was also studied after viral infection. Analysis of the regulatory elements in the IFN promoter region predicted several binding sites for key transcription factors that potentially play an important role in mediating IFN5 gene expression.

A Profound Role for the Expansion of Trypsin-Like Serine Protease Family in the Evolution of Hematophagy in Mosquito

The trypsin-like serine protease (Tryp_SPc) family is ubiquitous in animals and plays diverse roles, especially in the digestive system, in different phyla. In the mosquito, some Tryp_SPc proteases make important contributions to the digestion of the bloo

Sox genes in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) with their implications for genome duplication and evolution

The Sox gene family is found in a broad range of animal taxa and encodes important gene regulatory proteins involved in a variety of developmental processes. We have obtained clones representing the HMG boxes of twelve Sox genes from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), one of the four major domestic carps in China. The cloned Sox genes belong to group B1, B2 and C. Our analyses show that whereas the human genome contains a single copy of Sox4, Sox11 and Sox14, each of these genes has two co-orthologs in grass carp, and the duplication of Sox4 and Sox11 occurred before the divergence of grass carp and zebrafish, which support the "fish-specific whole-genome duplication" theory. An estimation for the origin of grass carp based on the molecular clock using Sox1, Sox3 and Sox11 genes as markers indicates that grass carp (subfamily Leuciscinae) and zebrafish (subfamily Danioninae) diverged approximately 60 million years ago. The potential uses of Sox genes as markers in revealing the evolutionary history of grass carp are discussed.

落叶松属的分子进化与生物地理学

　　松科植物的核基因组十分庞大，基因常形成复杂的基因家族，核rDNA ITS 区在基因组内和基因组间存在广泛的长度和序列变异，但染色体数目和核型却高度保守，几乎均为二倍体(2n＝24)，与被子植物频繁的多倍化和高度均一的ITS区形成鲜明对比;叶绿体、线粒体和核基因组分别为父系、母系及双亲遗传，这种独特的遗传体系组合为系统发育重建研究提供了便利条件。因此，松科植物不仅是阐明基因树/物种树这一理论问题的理想试材，而且是基因和基因组进化及核rDNA致同进化机制研究的好材料。此外，松科植物的进化历史悠久，很多类群经历了多次重大的地质历史事件，并呈各种间断分布格局，其生物地理学问题受到广泛关注。本文对落叶松属所有物种(L. lyallii除外)和大部分变种的叶绿体基因组trnT-trnF区、低拷贝核4CL基因家族 (4-香豆酸辅酶A连接酶基因)及多拷贝核rDNA ITS区进行了序列分析，重建了该属的系统发育并揭示了其地理分布格局的形成过程，同时基于克隆和基因谱系分析，探讨了核4CL和rDNA ITS这两个基因家族的进化式样及规律。 　　1. 叶绿体trnT-trnF区和核rDNA ITS区的研究结果表明：落叶松属的种间遗传分化程度很低，北美的种类构成一个单系分支，并为欧亚种类的姐妹群。短苞鳞的欧亚落叶松组和长苞鳞的欧亚红杉组之间的分化较早，接近欧亚和北美种类间的分化时间。换句话说，苞鳞长短的分化在落叶松属中至少发生过两次，其中一次在落叶松属分化的初期，另一次在北美的种类中。结合化石、地史及气候资料，我们推测：落叶松属的共同祖先通过白令陆桥扩散，并形成欧亚和北美两支,然后在不同的板块上独立进化。落叶松组的泛北极分布是冰期后的回迁形成的，而红杉组的物种在第三纪全球气温降低时向南迁移，进而形成东亚－北美间断分布，特别是欧亚红杉组的祖先曾伴随青藏高原的隆升而发生辐射分化。 　　2. 在落叶松属4CL基因家族的研究中共获得44个差异的克隆，除华北落叶松外，其它种类均含2-4个成员。系统发育分析表明： 4CL基因频繁发生重复/丢失，并导致谱系拣选。该基因在落叶松属的共同祖先中发生一次重复，形成4clA和4clB，4clA再次发生基因重复形成4clA1和4clA2。重复产生的这两对并系基因拷贝在进化速率上呈显著差异，其中一个拷贝的进化速率明显加快，可能与进化制约的减弱或功能分化有关。结合其它核基因的研究结果，我们推测频繁的基因重复/丢失可能是形成和维持松科植物庞大核基因组的重要机制之一。 　　3. 对落叶松属101个nrDNA ITS克隆进行了序列及分子进化分析，发现极少数克隆存在较大的长度及（或）序列变异，并可能为假基因或重组体，其它克隆间的序列分化水平较低。因而，落叶松属核rDNA的致同进化速率比松科中两个古老的属（松属和云杉属）快。该致同进化速率的加快可能与落叶松属年轻的进化历史及染色体上较少的rDNA位点数目有关。由于一些特异克隆含嵌合序列及极高的序列变异，推测它们可能来源于物种进化过程中染色体重排形成的小位点(minor loci)或为孤独基因(orphons)。此外，我们发现nrDNA ITS克隆的分布式样与落叶松属的分化及地理分布格局的形成有密切关系：在欧亚红杉组中，克隆常按分类群（物种或变种）形成单系分支，表明这些类群的分化曾伴随着强烈的nrDNA ITS奠基者效应;相反，在欧亚落叶松组中，所有物种的克隆均混杂在一起，说明这些物种的分化时间较晚或在冰期后回迁的过程中曾发生频繁的种间基因交流。

植物14-3-3基因家族的进化和功能分析

14-3-3蛋白家族结构非常保守，被认为广泛存在于所有真核生物的各组织器官中。已有研究表明，14-3-3蛋白可以和上百种蛋白进行相互作用,作为许多细胞进程的重要调节因子参与植物生长发育、细胞周期调节、细胞凋亡和信号转导等多个调控网络。植物14-3-3蛋白家族包括两大类：Epsilon group和Non-epsilon group。我们对这两类蛋白序列进行了进一步的分析，发现这两类蛋白有明显的更小亚类分布，并且不同的亚类包含有不同的模体。从对水稻和拟南芥中的14-3-3基因的分析结果来看，这两类基因在染色体上的分布以及外显子数目明显不同，我们认为这两类蛋白有着不同的进化历史。达尔文正选择在蛋白进化过程中起着很重要的作用，我们对两类蛋白受到的正选择进行分析，分别发现了一些受到正选择的位点，这些位点可能在两类蛋白的进化过程中起着关键作用。水稻是最主要的粮食作物之一，水稻14-3-3基因包含8个成员：GF14a、GF14b、GF14c、GF14d、GF14e、GF14f、GF14g和GF14h。我们选取其中的OsGF14c作为研究对象，对水稻14-3-3的功能做一定探讨。OsGF14c基因位于水稻8号染色体上，cDNA全长1154bp,编码256个氨基酸。序列分析表明该基因与酵母同源基因BMH2有71%的同源性，我们将OsGF14c转入BMH2缺陷型酵母中，发现可以互补酵母14-3-3缺陷的表型。同时对OsGF14c所做的酵母双杂交实验表明，蛋白本身在体外可以形成同源二聚体。GFP融合基因稳定表达结果显示，OsGF14c定位在细胞质中。为了更好的研究该基因的功能，我们通过构建的过表达载体异源转化拟南芥，得到纯合体后我们进行了一系列的胁迫和激素处理。激素、PEG8000、LiCl和甘露醇处理的植株均未表现出明显的表型，而NaCl、KCl处理后的植株表现出盐敏感的表型。

啮齿目泌乳刺激素基因家族的分子进化研究

在大鼠基因组数据库中搜索得到两个泌乳刺激素基因家族的新成员.进一步分析显示该基因家族起源于啮齿目和其他哺乳动物分歧之后,而且大部分基因座位的重排在大、小鼠分歧之前已经完成.但PL-Ⅰ和PL-Ⅱ基因簇却是例外,它们在基因树上以物种特异的方式聚类.结合基因转换的检验、染色体上相对位置比较和基因重复时间估计的结果,认为啮齿目PL-Ⅰ和PL-Ⅱ基因是物种特异的,它们由一系列在大、小鼠分歧之后发生的基因重复事件形成.结果还揭示了在啮齿目泌乳刺激素基因家族进化过程中持续不断的发生了基因重复和基因分化事件.