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On the use of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms for survival analysis.

This paper proposes and evaluates a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for survival analysis. One aim of survival analysis is the extraction of models from data that approximate lifetime/failure time distributions. These models can be used to estimate the time that an event takes to happen to an object. To use of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms for survival analysis has several advantages. They can cope with feature interactions, noisy data, and are capable of optimising several objectives. This is important, as model extraction is a multi-objective problem. It has at least two objectives, which are the extraction of accurate and simple models. Accurate models are required to achieve good predictions. Simple models are important to prevent overfitting, improve the transparency of the models, and to save computational resources. Although there is a plethora of evolutionary approaches to extract models for classification and regression, the presented approach is one of the first applied to survival analysis. The approach is evaluated on several artificial datasets and one medical dataset. It is shown that the approach is capable of producing accurate models, even for problems that violate some of the assumptions made by classical approaches.

Algorithms↗

Analysis of the evolutionary relationships of HIV-1 and SIVcpz sequences using bayesian inference: implications for the origin of HIV-1.

The most plausible origin of HIV-1 group M is an SIV lineage currently represented by SIVcpz isolated from the chimpanzee subspecies Pan troglodytes troglodytes. The origin of HIV-1 group O is less clear. Putative recombination between any of the HIV-1 and SIVcpz sequences was tested using bootscanning and Bayesian-scanning plots, as well as a new method using a Bayesian multiple change-point (BMCP) model to infer parental sequences and crossing-over points. We found that in the case of highly divergent sequences, such as HIV-1/SIVcpz, Bayesian scanning and BMCP methods are more appropriate than bootscanning analysis to investigate spatial phylogenetic variation, including estimating the boundaries of the regions with discordant evolutionary relationships and the levels of support of the phylogenetic clusters under study. According to the Bayesian scanning plots and BMCP method, there was strong evidence for discordant phylogenetic clustering throughout the genome: (1) HIV-1 group O clustered with SIVcpzANT/TAN in middle pol, and partial vif/env; (2) SIVcpzGab1 clustered with SIVcpzANT/TAN in 3'pol/vif, and middle env; (3) HIV-1 group O grouped with SIVcpzCamUS and SIVcpzGab1 in p17/p24; (4) HIV-1 group M was more closely related to SIVcpzCamUS in 3'gag/pol and in middle pol, whereas in partial gp120 group M clustered with group O. Conditionally independent phylogenetic analysis inferred by maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian methods further confirmed these findings. The discordant phylogenetic relationships between the HIV-1/SIVcpz sequences may have been caused by ancient recombination events, but they are also due, at least in part, to altered rates of evolution between parental SIVcpz lineages.

Animals↗

Analysis of pivotal-differential evolutionary patterns.

The numerical analysis of meiosis in hybrids between a wild allotetraploid and an autotetraploid of one of its putative diploid progenitors allows the identification of which genomes are pairing and also the verification of pivotal-differential evolution. This type of analysis should be applicable to all genera in which allopolyploid series exist.

Journal Article↗

The rat vitamin D binding protein (Gc-globulin) gene. Structural analysis, functional and evolutionary correlations.

The complete rat vitamin D binding protein (DBP) gene has been cloned and characterized. Genomic mapping suggests that there is only one copy of this gene in the haploid genome. The gene spans 35 kilobase pairs and contains 13 exons. All exons, exon/intron borders, and 2196 base pairs of 5'-flanking region have been sequenced. The transcription cap site, determined by primer extension analysis, is 62 base pairs upstream from the start of translation and predicts that an unusual TGTAAA motif may serve as a surrogate TATA. The promoter region contains about 50% nucleotide sequence similarity to the corresponding region of the partially characterized human DBP gene and is uniquely interrupted by a repetitive element. Although lacking in overall sequence similarity to the albumin (ALB) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) genes, the 5'-flanking region of the DBP gene contains a number of conserved segments which may correspond to critical proximal promoter elements in this gene family. The location of the introns in the coding region of the DBP gene is highly conserved when compared with the ALB and AFP genes. Detailed comparison of exon size and content confirms the previous prediction that the smaller size of the DBP protein results from loss of internal exons 12 and 13 from the DBP progenitor gene during its evolutionary divergence from ALB and AFP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Comparative genomic analysis identifies an evolutionary shift of vomeronasal receptor gene repertoires in the vertebrate transition from water to land.

Two evolutionarily unrelated superfamilies of G-protein coupled receptors, V1Rs and V2Rs, bind pheromones and "ordinary" odorants to initiate vomeronasal chemical senses in vertebrates, which play important roles in many aspects of an organism's daily life such as mating, territoriality, and foraging. To study the macroevolution of vomeronasal sensitivity, we identified all V1R and V2R genes from the genome sequences of 11 vertebrates. Our analysis suggests the presence of multiple V1R and V2R genes in the common ancestor of teleost fish and tetrapods and reveals an exceptionally large among-species variation in the sizes of these gene repertoires. Interestingly, the ratio of the number of intact V1R genes to that of V2R genes increased by approximately 50-fold as land vertebrates evolved from aquatic vertebrates. A similar increase was found for the ratio of the number of class II odorant receptor (OR) genes to that of class I genes, but not in other vertebrate gene families. Because V1Rs and class II ORs have been suggested to bind to small airborne chemicals, whereas V2Rs and class I ORs recognize water-soluble molecules, these increases reflect a rare case of adaptation to terrestrial life at the gene family level. Several gene families known to function in concert with V2Rs in the mouse are absent outside rodents, indicating rapid changes of interactions between vomeronasal receptors and their molecular partners. Taken together, our results demonstrate the exceptional evolutionary fluidity of vomeronasal receptors, making them excellent targets for studying the molecular basis of physiological and behavioral diversity and adaptation.

Animals↗

Cloning and structural analysis of a gene encoding a mouse mastocytoma proteoglycan core protein; analysis of its evolutionary relation to three cross hybridizing regions in the mouse genome.

Serglycin (SGC) is a Ser-Gly-repeat-containing protein, used as a proteoglycan core protein in the parietal yolk sac and in mast cells, where glycosaminoglycan side chains are attached to the serine residues of the repeat region. In this article, the structure of the gene SGC encoding mouse SGC is reported. The gene is divided into three exons, which are all contained within a region of approximately 13 kb. Nucleotide (nt) sequence analysis was carried out on a region of 1.2 kb upstream from the first exon. The region containing the two promoters (active in parietal yolk sac and in mast cells, respectively) was analyzed for the presence of recognition sites for known DNA-binding proteins. A number of sequences closely related to known recognition sites were found in both promoters, and one consensus octamer-binding site could be identified in the putative yolk-sac promoter. Multiple regions in the mouse genome hybridizing with DNA fragments covering the Ser-Gly repeat region have previously been described, and it has been suggested that these loci may represent other proteoglycan core proteins. Analysis of nt sequence was carried out on three out of the more than 15 of these regions present in the mouse genome. However, none of the clones analyzed was found to have any open reading frame in the region of cross-hybridization which possibly could code for a SGC protein. Instead, one of the clones was found to contain an exon encoding a highly basic protein, unrelated to SGC. Hence, no evidence was found for a multigene family of Ser-Gly-repeat-containing proteoglycan-encoding genes.

Aggrecans↗

A comparative analysis of the evolutionary patterning and mechanistic bases of lactate dehydrogenase thermal stability in porcelain crabs, genus Petrolisthes.

The kinetic properties of orthologous homologs (orthologs) of enzymes are typically correlated with environmental temperatures in species adapted to different thermal regimes, but correlations between adaptation temperature and enzyme thermal stability are less clear. Although the thermal stability of a protein is related chiefly to its primary structure (including post-translational modification), thermal stability can also be altered by extrinsic factors present in the intracellular milieu. Here, we present a comparative analysis of the thermal stability of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) orthologs from 22 congeneric species of porcelain crab (genera Petrolisthes and Allopetrolisthes) from a broad range of thermal habitats. Interspecific diversity of LDH stability is high: temperatures required for a 50 % loss of activity in 10 min ranged from 65 to 75.5 degrees C, corresponding to half-lives of less than 1 min to more than 3 h at 70 degrees C. Although stability is positively correlated with maximal habitat temperature in some sister taxa, phylogenetic comparative analysis incorporating all 22 species does not indicate that the interspecific diversity of LDH stability represents an adaptive response to current thermal habitats. Examination of the mechanistic bases of LDH stabilization indicates that differences in stability are related both to properties of the LDH molecule itself (intrinsic stability) and to the effects of extrinsic protein(s). Intrinsic differences were shown by the unfolding of structure during heating, as measured by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Stabilizing effects of extrinsic proteins are implied by the results of cellular fractionation experiments that removed low-molecular-mass solutes and proteins from the muscle homogenates. We conclude that the overall structural stability and functional properties of proteins can evolve independently and that in vivo protein-protein interactions can provide another means to regulate protein stability selectively.

Animals↗

Evolutionary and Functional Analysis of Caspase-8 and ASC Interactions to Drive Lytic Cell Death, PANoptosis.

Caspases are evolutionarily conserved proteins essential for driving cell death in development and host defense. Caspase-8, a key member of the caspase family, is implicated in nonlytic apoptosis, as well as lytic forms of cell death. Recently, caspase-8 has been identified as an integral component of PANoptosomes, multiprotein complexes formed in response to innate immune sensor activation. Several innate immune sensors can nucleate caspase-8-containing PANoptosome complexes to drive inflammatory lytic cell death, PANoptosis. However, how the evolutionarily conserved and diverse functions of caspase-8 drive PANoptosis remains unclear. To address this, we performed evolutionary, sequence, structural, and functional analyses to decode caspase-8's complex-forming abilities and its interaction with the PANoptosome adaptor ASC. Our study distinguished distinct subgroups within the death domain superfamily based on their evolutionary and functional relationships, identified homotypic traits among subfamily members, and captured key events in caspase evolution. We also identified critical residues defining the heterotypic interaction between caspase-8's death effector domain and ASC's pyrin domain, validated through cross-species analyses, dynamic simulations, and in vitro experiments. Overall, our study elucidated recent evolutionary adaptations of caspase-8 that allowed it to interact with ASC, improving our understanding of critical molecular associations in PANoptosome complex formation and the underlying PANoptotic responses in host defense and inflammation. These findings have implications for understanding mammalian immune responses and developing new therapeutic strategies for inflammatory diseases.

Caspase 8↗

Conformational changes in the globin family during evolution. 1. Analysis of the evolutionary role of insertions and deletions.

Conformational restrictions imposed on the fixation of insertions and deletions by the three-dimensional structure of globins during evolution are analyzed. An evolutionary tree for the primary structure of 38 taxonomically distant globins was constructed by a computer method. Based on this tree, the calculated fixation frequency of point mutations was 50-fold higher than that established jointly for deletions and insertions, and the fixation frequency of deletions was more than three times that established for insertions. It was also found that deletions and insertions are predominantly fixed in the interhelical sections and at the ends of the alpha-helices of the globin molecules. Conformational analysis of the packing of the alpha-helices in the spatial structure of globins demonstrated that the fixation of deletions and insertions in the center of an alpha-helix produces a marked distortion of their normal packing. The possible role of deletions and insertions in the evolution of protein families is discussed.

Animals↗

A comparative analysis of the evolutionary relationship between diet and enzyme targeting in bats, marsupials and other mammals.

The subcellular distribution of the enzyme alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT) in the livers of different mammals appears to be related to their natural diets. Thus, AGT tends to be mitochondrial in carnivores, peroxisomal in herbivores, and both mitochondrial and peroxisomal in omnivores. To what extent this relationship is an incidental consequence of phylogenetic structure or an evolutionarily meaningful adaptive response to changes in dietary selection pressure is unknown. In order to distinguish between these two possibilities, we have determined the subcellular distribution of AGT in the livers of 22 new mammalian species, including members of three orders not studied before. In addition, we have analysed the statistical relationship between AGT distribution and diet in all 77 mammalian species, from 12 different orders, for which the distribution is currently known. Our analysis shows that there is a highly significant correlation between AGT distribution and diet, independent of phylogeny. This finding is compatible with the suggestion that the variable intracellular targeting of AGT is an adaptive response to episodic changes in dietary selection pressure. To our knowledge, this is the first example of such a response being manifested at the molecular and cellular levels across the breadth of Mammalia.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Genomic sequences of murine gamma B- and gamma C-crystallin-encoding genes: promoter analysis and complete evolutionary pattern of mouse, rat and human gamma-crystallins.

The murine genes, gamma B-cry and gamma C-cry, encoding the gamma B- and gamma C-crystallins, were isolated from a genomic DNA library. The complete nucleotide (nt) sequences of both genes were determined from 661 and 711 bp, respectively, upstream from the first exon to the corresponding polyadenylation sites, comprising more than 2650 and 2890 bp, respectively. The new sequences were compared to the partial cDNA sequences available for the murine gamma B-cry and gamma C-cry, as well as to the corresponding genomic sequences from rat and man, at both the nt and predicted amino acid (aa) sequence levels. In the gamma B-cry promoter region, a canonical CCAAT-box, a TATA-box, putative NF-I and C/EBP sites were detected. An R-repeat is inserted 366 bp upstream from the transcription start point. In contrast, the gamma C-cry promoter does not contain a CCAAT-box, but some other putative binding sites for transcription factors (AP-2, UBP-1, LBP-1) were located by computer analysis. The promoter regions of all six gamma-cry from mouse, rat and human, except human psi gamma F-cry, were analyzed for common sequence elements. A complex sequence element of about 70-80 bp was found in the proximal promoter, which contains a gamma-cry-specific and almost invariant sequence (crygpel) of 14 nt, and ends with the also invariant TATA-box. Within the complex sequence element, a minimum of three further features specific for the gamma A-, gamma B- and gamma D/E/F-cry genes can be defined, at least two of which were recently shown to be functional. In addition to these four sequence elements, a subtype-specific structure of inverted repeats with different-sized spacers can be deduced from the multiple sequence alignment. A phylogenetic analysis based on the promoter region, as well as the complete exon 3 of all gamma-cry from mouse, rat and man, suggests separation of only five gamma-cry subtypes (gamma A-, gamma B-, gamma C-, gamma D- and gamma E/F-cry) prior to species separation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Developmental analysis of the evolutionary origin of vegetative propagules in Mimulus gemmiparus (Scrophulariaceae).

Mimulus gemmiparus (Scrophulariaceae), a rare endemic of Colorado, has a novel life history that depends on an unusual method of vegetative reproduction. The plants are functionally annuals; however, reproduction is asexual via propagules that have been termed gemmae. The morphological identity and the evolutionary antecedent of these propagules are unclear. We approached this problem through comparative developmental analyses of M. gemmiparus and the presumed progenitor species, Mimulus guttatus. In M. gemmiparus there are two meristems initiated in the axil of each leaf primordium. The distal meristem has the potential to produce either a lateral branch or a flower, and the proximal meristem becomes a vegetative propagule (the gemma) that is ultimately surrounded by an expanded, ensheathing petiole. The first leaves of the propagules are thickened and are the site of nutrient storage. Consequently, these propagules can be characterized morphologically as brood bulbils. Mimulus guttatus also has two meristems in each leaf axil; however, the proximal meristem typically remains dormant and serves no function in the life history of this species. Based on architectural and developmental correspondence, we hypothesize that the propagule of M. gemmiparus is homologous to the proximal meristem of M. guttatus. Comparative analysis shows that evolution of the bulbil has involved both the incorporation of features present in shoots of M. guttatus and the acquisition of novel features.

Journal Article↗

Structural conservation of the isolated zinc site in archaeal zinc-containing ferredoxins as revealed by x-ray absorption spectroscopic analysis and its evolutionary implications.

The zfx gene encoding a zinc-containing ferredoxin from Thermoplasma acidophilum strain HO-62 was cloned and sequenced. It is located upstream of two genes encoding an archaeal homolog of nascent polypeptide-associated complex alpha subunit and a tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. This gene organization is not conserved in several euryarchaeoteal genomes. The multiple sequence alignments of the zfx gene product suggest significant sequence similarity of the ferredoxin core fold to that of a low potential 8Fe-containing dicluster ferredoxin without a zinc center. The tightly bound zinc site of zinc-containing ferredoxins from two phylogenetically distantly related Archaea, T. acidophilum HO-62 and Sulfolobus sp. strain 7, was further investigated by x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The zinc K-edge x-ray absorption spectra of both archaeal ferredoxins are strikingly similar, demonstrating that the same zinc site is found in T. acidophilum ferredoxin as in Sulfolobus sp. ferredoxin, which suggests the structural conservation of isolated zinc binding sites among archaeal zinc-containing ferredoxins. The sequence and spectroscopic data provide the common structural features of the archaeal zinc-containing ferredoxin family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analysis, quantification, and evolutionary consequences of HIV-1 in vitro recombination.

HIV-1 recombination was studied in vitro by viral cocultivation of four combinations of strains of subtypes B, D, and F. Viral cocultivations were performed in MT-4 cells and maintained for 22 days. The parental and recombinant forms were quantified by a specific PCR system in an env fragment of 2500 nucleotides. On day 5, there was a close correlation between the proportion of recombination and the genetic distance between strains. In three of the four viral combinations studied, a steady increase in the proportion of recombinant genomes was observed over time. This rise coincided with the progressive loss of one of the parental strains, resulting in less diverse viral populations. Nucleotide sequencing of biological recombinant clones from the B/D cocultivation revealed a higher number of recombination events in pol than in env gene, and an increasing number of crossovers per clone with time.

Coculture Techniques↗

Review: Analysis of the evolutionary convergence for high performance swimming in lamnid sharks and tunas.

Elasmobranchs and bony fishes have evolved independently for more than 400 million years. However, two Recent groups, the lamnid sharks (Family Lamnidae) and tunas (Family Scombridae), display remarkable similarities in features related to swimming performance. Traits separating these two groups from other fishes include a higher degree of body streamlining, a shift in the position of the aerobic, red, locomotor muscle that powers sustained swimming to a more anterior location in the body and nearer to the vertebral column, the capacity to conserve metabolic heat (i.e. regional endothermy), an increased gill surface area with a decreased blood-water barrier thickness, a higher maximum blood oxygen carrying capacity, and greater muscle aerobic and anaerobic enzyme activities at in vivo temperatures. The suite of morphological, physiological, and biochemical specializations that define "high-performance fishes" have been extensively characterized in the tunas. This review examines the convergent features of lamnid sharks and tunas in order to gain insight into the extent that comparable environmental selection pressures have led to the independent origin of similar suites of functional characteristics in these two distinctly different taxa. We propose that, despite differences between teleost and elasmobranch fishes, lamnid sharks and tunas have evolved morphological and physiological specializations that enhance their swimming performance relative to other sharks and most other high performance pelagic fishes.

Adaptation, Biological↗

Structural analysis reflects the evolutionary relationship between the human desmocollin gene family members.

Desmocollins, members of the desmosomal cadherin family, are known to play an important role in desmosomal intercellular adhesion. The human desmosomal cadherin cluster is located on chromosome 18q12, and consists of three desmoglein and three desmocollin genes. The cDNAs of all six of these genes have been cloned and sequenced, however, the exon-intron organization was reported for only one human desmocollin gene, DSC2. We elucidated the exon-intron structures of the DSC1 and DSC3 genes using PCR amplification of genomic DNA and direct sequencing of BAC clones. The results suggest a strong evolutionary conservation between the genomic organization of the desmocollin genes.

Adult↗

Analysis of an evolutionary species-area relationship.

Large islands typically have more species than comparable smaller islands. Ecological theories, the most influential being the equilibrium theory of island biogeography, explain the species-area relationship as the outcome of the effect of area on immigration and extinction rates. However, these theories do not apply to taxa on land masses, including continents and large islands, that generate most of their species in situ. In this case, species-area relationships should be driven by higher speciation rates in larger areas, a theory that has never been quantitatively tested. Here we show that Anolis lizards on Caribbean islands meet several expectations of the evolutionary theory. Within-island speciation exceeds immigration as a source of new species on all islands larger than 3,000 km2, whereas speciation is rare on smaller islands. Above this threshold island size, the rate of species proliferation increases with island area, a process that results principally from the positive effects of area on speciation rate. Also as expected, the slope of the species-area relationship jumps sharply above the threshold. Although Anolis lizards have been present on large Caribbean islands for over 30 million years, there are indications that the current number of species still falls below the speciation-extinction equilibrium.

Animals↗

Molecular analysis of the evolutionary significance of ultraviolet vision in vertebrates.

Many fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and some mammals use UV vision for such basic activities as foraging, mate selection, and communication. UV vision is mediated by UV pigments in the short wavelength-sensitive type 1 (SWS1) group that absorb light maximally (lambda max) at approximately 360 nm. Reconstructed SWS1 pigments of most vertebrate ancestors have lambda max values of approximately 360 nm, whereas the ancestral avian pigment has a lambda max value of 393 nm. In the nonavian lineage, UV vision in many modern species is inherited directly from the vertebrate ancestor, whereas violet vision in others has evolved by different amino acid replacements at approximately 10 specific sites. In the avian lineage, the origin of the violet pigment and the subsequent restoration of UV pigments in some species are caused by amino acid replacements F49V/F86S/L116V/S118A and S90C, respectively. The use of UV vision is associated strongly with UV-dependent behaviors of organisms. When UV light is not available or is unimportant to organisms, the SWS1 gene can become nonfunctional, as exemplified by coelacanth and dolphin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗