Vertebrate Evolution: Mammals

2021 ◽  
pp. 209-228
Author(s):  
Jonathan Bard
Keyword(s):  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusaku Ogita ◽  
Kei Tamura ◽  
Shuuji Mawaribuchi ◽  
Nobuhiko Takamatsu ◽  
Michihiko Ito

Abstract Background Four ohnologous genes (sox1, sox2, sox3, and sox15) were generated by two rounds of whole-genome duplication in a vertebrate ancestor. In eutherian mammals, Sox1, Sox2, and Sox3 participate in central nervous system (CNS) development. Sox15 has a function in skeletal muscle regeneration and has little functional overlap with the other three ohnologs. In contrast, the frog Xenopus laevis and zebrafish orthologs of sox15 as well as sox1-3 function in CNS development. We previously reported that Sox15 is involved in mouse placental development as neofunctionalization, but is pseudogenized in the marsupial opossum. These findings suggest that sox15 might have evolved with divergent gene fates during vertebrate evolution. However, knowledge concerning sox15 in other vertebrate lineages than therian mammals, anuran amphibians, and teleost fish is scarce. Our purpose in this study was to clarify the fate and molecular evolution of sox15 during vertebrate evolution. Results We searched for sox15 orthologs in all vertebrate classes from agnathans to mammals by significant sequence similarity and synteny analyses using vertebrate genome databases. Interestingly, sox15 was independently pseudogenized at least twice during diversification of the marsupial mammals. Moreover, we observed independent gene loss of sox15 at least twice during reptile evolution in squamates and crocodile-bird diversification. Codon-based phylogenetic tree and selective analyses revealed an increased dN/dS ratio for sox15 compared to the other three ohnologs during jawed vertebrate evolution. Conclusions The findings revealed an asymmetric evolution of sox15 among the four ohnologs during vertebrate evolution, which was supported by the increased dN/dS values in cartilaginous fishes, anuran amphibians, and amniotes. The increased dN/dS value of sox15 may have been caused mainly by relaxed selection. Notably, independent pseudogenizations and losses of sox15 were observed during marsupial and reptile evolution, respectively. Both might have been caused by strong relaxed selection. The drastic gene fates of sox15, including neofunctionalization and pseudogenizations/losses during amniote diversification, might be caused by a release from evolutionary constraints.


Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 156 (3) ◽  
pp. 1249-1257
Author(s):  
Ilya Ruvinsky ◽  
Lee M Silver ◽  
Jeremy J Gibson-Brown

Abstract The duplication of preexisting genes has played a major role in evolution. To understand the evolution of genetic complexity it is important to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the genome. A widely held view suggests that the vertebrate genome evolved via two successive rounds of whole-genome duplication. To test this model we have isolated seven new T-box genes from the primitive chordate amphioxus. We find that each amphioxus gene generally corresponds to two or three vertebrate counterparts. A phylogenetic analysis of these genes supports the idea that a single whole-genome duplication took place early in vertebrate evolution, but cannot exclude the possibility that a second duplication later took place. The origin of additional paralogs evident in this and other gene families could be the result of subsequent, smaller-scale chromosomal duplications. Our findings highlight the importance of amphioxus as a key organism for understanding evolution of the vertebrate genome.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1190
Author(s):  
Yuqi Huang ◽  
Minghao Sun ◽  
Lenan Zhuang ◽  
Jin He

Androgen-inducible genes (AIGs), which can be regulated by androgen level, constitute a group of genes characterized by the presence of the AIG/FAR-17a domain in its protein sequence. Previous studies on AIGs demonstrated that one member of the gene family, AIG1, is involved in many biological processes in cancer cell lines and that ADTRP is associated with cardiovascular diseases. It has been shown that the numbers of AIG paralogs in humans, mice, and zebrafish are 2, 2, and 3, respectively, indicating possible gene duplication events during vertebrate evolution. Therefore, classifying subgroups of AIGs and identifying the homologs of each AIG member are important to characterize this novel gene family further. In this study, vertebrate AIGs were phylogenetically grouped into three major clades, ADTRP, AIG1, and AIG-L, with AIG-L also evident in an outgroup consisting of invertebrsate species. In this case, AIG-L, as the ancestral AIG, gave rise to ADTRP and AIG1 after two rounds of whole-genome duplications during vertebrate evolution. Then, the AIG family, which was exposed to purifying forces during evolution, lost or gained some of its members in some species. For example, in eutherians, Neognathae, and Percomorphaceae, AIG-L was lost; in contrast, Salmonidae and Cyprinidae acquired additional AIG copies. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate AIGs, which can be employed for future functional characterization of AIGs.


Nature ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 342 (6248) ◽  
pp. 342-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alec L. Panchen
Keyword(s):  

BioScience ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 250-251
Author(s):  
Philip R. Bjork ◽  
Charles A. Long
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Blake V. DICKSON ◽  
Stephanie E. PIERCE

ABSTRACTThe fin-to-limb transition is heralded as one of the most important events in vertebrate evolution. Over the last few decades our understanding of how limbs evolved has significantly increased; but, hypotheses for why limbs evolved are still rather open. Fishes that engage their fins to ‘walk' along substrate may provide some perspective. The charismatic frogfishes are often considered to have the most limb-like fins, yet we still know little about their underlying structure. Here we reconstruct the pectoral fin musculoskeletal anatomy of the scarlet frogfish to identify adaptations that support fin-assisted walking behaviours. The data are compared to three additional anglerfish species: the oval batfish, which represents an independent acquisition of fin-assisted walking; and two pelagic deep-sea swimmers, the triplewart seadevil and ghostly seadevil. Our results clearly show broad musculoskeletal differences between the pectoral fins of swimming and walking anglerfish species. The frogfish and batfish have longer and more robust fins; larger, differentiated muscles; and better developed joints, including a reverse ball-and-socket glenoid joint and mobile ‘wrist'. Further, the frogfish and batfish show finer-scale musculoskeletal differences that align with their specific locomotor ecologies. Within, we discuss the functional significance of these anatomical features in relation to walking, the recurring evolution of similar adaptations in other substrate locomoting fishes, as well as the selective pressures that may underlie the evolution of limbs.


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