Promoter contribution to the testis-specific expression of Stellate gene family in Drosophila melanogaster

Most actin-related proteins (Arps) are highly conserved and carry out well-defined cellular functions in eukaryotes. However, many lineages like Drosophila and mammals encode divergent non-canonical Arps whose roles remain unknown. To elucidate the function of non-canonical Arps, we focus on Arp53D, which is highly expressed in testes and retained throughout Drosophila evolution. We show that Arp53D localizes to fusomes and actin cones, two germline-specific actin structures critical for sperm maturation, via a unique N-terminal tail. Surprisingly, we find that male fertility is not impaired upon Arp53D loss, yet population cage experiments reveal that Arp53D is required for optimal fitness in Drosophila melanogaster. To reconcile these findings, we focus on Arp53D function in ovaries and embryos where it is only weakly expressed. We find that under heat stress Arp53D-knockout (KO) females lay embryos with reduced nuclear integrity and lower viability; these defects are further exacerbated in Arp53D-KO embryos. Thus, despite its relatively recent evolution and primarily testis-specific expression, non-canonical Arp53D is required for optimal embryonic development in Drosophila.

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Structure and expression of a novel gene family showing male germline specific expression in Drosophila melanogaster

Insect Molecular Biology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2583.2006.00688.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 15 (6) ◽

pp. 813-822 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

F. Di Cara ◽

R. Morra ◽

D. Cavaliere ◽

A. Sorrentino ◽

A. De Simone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Gene Family ◽

Specific Expression ◽

Novel Gene ◽

Male Germline

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Birth of a new gene on the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1516543112 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 112 (40) ◽

pp. 12450-12455 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Antonio Bernardo Carvalho ◽

Beatriz Vicoso ◽

Claudia A. M. Russo ◽

Bonnielin Swenor ◽

Andrew G. Clark

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Autosomal Gene ◽

Specific Expression ◽

Linked Gene ◽

Y Chromosomes ◽

New Gene ◽

Recent Duplication ◽

Testis Specific Expression

Contrary to the pattern seen in mammalian sex chromosomes, where most Y-linked genes have X-linked homologs, the Drosophila X and Y chromosomes appear to be unrelated. Most of the Y-linked genes have autosomal paralogs, so autosome-to-Y transposition must be the main source of Drosophila Y-linked genes. Here we show how these genes were acquired. We found a previously unidentified gene (flagrante delicto Y, FDY) that originated from a recent duplication of the autosomal gene vig2 to the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster. Four contiguous genes were duplicated along with vig2, but they became pseudogenes through the accumulation of deletions and transposable element insertions, whereas FDY remained functional, acquired testis-specific expression, and now accounts for ∼20% of the vig2-like mRNA in testis. FDY is absent in the closest relatives of D. melanogaster, and DNA sequence divergence indicates that the duplication to the Y chromosome occurred ∼2 million years ago. Thus, FDY provides a snapshot of the early stages of the establishment of a Y-linked gene and demonstrates how the Drosophila Y has been accumulating autosomal genes.

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Testis-specific expression of a novel mouse defensin-like gene, Tdl

Mechanisms of Development ◽

10.1016/s0925-4773(02)00144-2 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 116 (1-2) ◽

pp. 217-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Miwako Yamamoto ◽

Yasuhisa Matsui

Keyword(s):

Specific Expression ◽

Testis Specific Expression

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Genome-wide identification of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) genes affecting adipocyte differentiation in cattle

BMC Genomics ◽

10.1186/s12864-021-07653-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Cuili Pan ◽

Zhaoxiong Lei ◽

Shuzhe Wang ◽

Xingping Wang ◽

Dawei Wei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Family ◽

Expression Analysis ◽

Adipocyte Differentiation ◽

Bos Taurus ◽

Adipogenic Differentiation ◽

Critical Role ◽

Bos Indicus ◽

Specific Expression ◽

Genome Wide ◽

A Genome

Abstract Background Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are protein kinases regulating important cellular processes such as cell cycle and transcription. Many CDK genes also play a critical role during adipogenic differentiation, but the role of CDK gene family in regulating bovine adipocyte differentiation has not been studied. Therefore, the present study aims to characterize the CDK gene family in bovine and study their expression pattern during adipocyte differentiation. Results We performed a genome-wide analysis and identified a number of CDK genes in several bovine species. The CDK genes were classified into 8 subfamilies through phylogenetic analysis. We found that 25 bovine CDK genes were distributed in 16 different chromosomes. Collinearity analysis revealed that the CDK gene family in Bos taurus is homologous with Bos indicus, Hybrid-Bos taurus, Hybrid Bos indicus, Bos grunniens and Bubalus bubalis. Several CDK genes had higher expression levels in preadipocytes than in differentiated adipocytes, as shown by RNA-seq analysis and qPCR, suggesting a role in the growth of emerging lipid droplets. Conclusion In this research, 185 CDK genes were identified and grouped into eight distinct clades in Bovidae, showing extensively homology. Global expression analysis of different bovine tissues and specific expression analysis during adipocytes differentiation revealed CDK4, CDK7, CDK8, CDK9 and CDK14 may be involved in bovine adipocyte differentiation. The results provide a basis for further study to determine the roles of CDK gene family in regulating adipocyte differentiation, which is beneficial for beef quality improvement.

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Expression of a gene duplication encoding conserved sperm tail proteins is translationally regulated in Drosophila melanogaster.

Molecular and Cellular Biology ◽

10.1128/mcb.13.3.1708 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1708-1718 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

M Schäfer ◽

D Börsch ◽

A Hülster ◽

U Schäfer

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Gene Family ◽

Translational Control ◽

Germ Line ◽

Gene Families ◽

Homologous Gene ◽

Male Sterile ◽

Sperm Tail ◽

Repetitive Motif ◽

Carboxy Terminal

We have analyzed a locus of Drosophila melanogaster located at 98C on chromosome 3, which contains two tandemly arranged genes, named Mst98Ca and Mst98Cb. They are two additional members of the Mst(3)CGP gene family by three criteria. (i) Both genes are exclusively transcribed in the male germ line. (ii) Both transcripts encode a protein with a high proportion of the repetitive motif Cys-Gly-Pro. (iii) Their expression is translationally controlled; while transcripts can be detected in diploid stages of spermatogenesis, association with polysomes can be shown only in haploid stages of sperm development. The genes differ markedly from the other members of the gene family in structure; they do not contain introns, they are of much larger size, and they have the Cys-Gly-Pro motifs clustered at the carboxy-terminal end of the encoded proteins. An antibody generated against the Mst98Ca protein recognizes both Mst98C proteins in D. melanogaster. In a male-sterile mutation in which spermiogenesis is blocked before individualization of sperm, both of these proteins are no longer synthesized. This finding provides proof of late translation for the Mst98C proteins and thereby independent proof of translational control of expression. Northern (RNA) and Western immunoblot analyses indicate the presence of homologous gene families in many other Drosophila species. The Mst98C proteins share sequence homology with proteins of the outer dense fibers in mammalian spermatozoa and can be localized to the sperm tail by immunofluorescence with an anti-Mst98Ca antibody.

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The glutathione S-transferase D genes. A divergently organized, intronless gene family in Drosophila melanogaster

Journal of Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1016/s0021-9258(18)98410-3 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 268 (13) ◽

pp. 9737-9746

Author(s):

Y.P. Toung ◽

T.S. Hsieh ◽

C.P. Tu

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Gene Family ◽

Glutathione S Transferase ◽

Intronless Gene

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Reciprocal recombination and the evolution of the ribosomal gene family of Drosophila melanogaster.

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/122.3.617 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 122 (3) ◽

pp. 617-624 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S M Williams ◽

J A Kennison ◽

L G Robbins ◽

C Strobeck

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Gene Family ◽

Ribosomal Rna ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Ribosomal Gene ◽

Gene Region ◽

Ribosomal Rna Gene ◽

Reciprocal Recombination ◽

Y Chromosomes ◽

Length Polymorphisms

Abstract The role of reciprocal recombination in the coevolution of the ribosomal RNA gene family on the X and Y chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster was assessed by determining the frequency and nature of such exchange. In order to detect exchange events within the ribosomal RNA gene family, both flanking markers and restriction fragment length polymorphisms within the tandemly repeated gene family were used. The vast majority of crossovers between flanking markers were within the ribosomal RNA gene region, indicating that this region is a hotspot for heterochromatic recombination. The frequency of crossovers within the ribosomal RNA gene region was approximately 10(-4) in both X/X and X/Y individuals. In conjunction with published X chromosome-specific and Y chromosome-specific sequences and restriction patterns, the data indicate that reciprocal recombination alone cannot be responsible for the observed variation in natural populations.

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