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Comparative analysis of the nonA region in Drosophila identifies a highly diverged 5' gene that may constrain nonA promoter evolution.

A genomic fragment from Drosophila virilis that contained all the no-on-transientA (nonA) coding information, plus several kilobases of upstream material, was identified. Comparisons of nonA sequences and the gene nonA-like in D. melanogaster, a processed duplication of nonA, suggest that it arose before the split between D. melanogaster and D. virilis. In both species, another gene that lies <350 bp upstream from the nonA transcription starts, and that probably corresponds to the lethal gene l(1)i19, was identified. This gene encodes a protein that shows similarities to GPI1, which is required for the biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI), a component for anchoring eukaryotic proteins to membranes, and so we have named it dGpi1. The molecular evolution of nonA and dGpi1 sequences show remarkable differences, with the latter revealing a level of amino acid divergence that is as high as that of transformer and with extremely low levels of codon bias. Nevertheless, in D. melanogaster hosts, the D. virilis fragment rescues the lethality associated with a mutation of l(1)i19e, as well as the viability and visual defects produced by deletion of nonA(-). The presence of dGpi1 sequences so close to nonA appears to have constrained the evolution of the nonA promoter.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The ergot alkaloid gene cluster in Claviceps purpurea: extension of the cluster sequence and intra species evolution.

The genomic region of Claviceps purpurea strain P1 containing the ergot alkaloid gene cluster [Tudzynski, P., Hölter, K., Correia, T., Arntz, C., Grammel, N., Keller, U., 1999. Evidence for an ergot alkaloid gene cluster in Claviceps purpurea. Mol. Gen. Genet. 261, 133-141] was explored by chromosome walking, and additional genes probably involved in the ergot alkaloid biosynthesis have been identified. The putative cluster sequence (extending over 68.5kb) contains 4 different nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes and several putative oxidases. Northern analysis showed that most of the genes were co-regulated (repressed by high phosphate), and identified probable flanking genes by lack of co-regulation. Comparison of the cluster sequences of strain P1, an ergotamine producer, with that of strain ECC93, an ergocristine producer, showed high conservation of most of the cluster genes, but significant variation in the NRPS modules, strongly suggesting that evolution of these chemical races of C. purpurea is determined by evolution of NRPS module specificity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Avoidance of inter-repeat recombination by sequence divergence and a mechanism of neutral evolution.

Eucaryotic genomes are loaded with diverse repeated sequences and are therefore threatened by rearrangements via inter-repeat crossovers and by gene-inactivating conversions between genes and their inactive pseudogenes. Such repeated DNA sequences are usually diverged and polymorphic. Sequence divergence by well-spread point mutations is a potent inhibitor of homologous recombination due to the loss of recombination initiation sites and to the editing of recombinational intermediates by the mismatch repair system. Evidence is reviewed suggesting that a germ line process can identify duplicated sequences by homologous pairing, modify them by methylation and mutate by C----T transitions. Since this process requires a minimum contiguous homology that is larger than the average exon size, it is proposed that fragmentation by intron inserts protects the coding sequences from inactivation by homologous interactions with their pseudogene sequences.

Animals↗

Comparative genomics in hemiascomycete yeasts: evolution of sex, silencing, and subtelomeres.

The recent release of sequences of several unexplored yeast species that cover an evolutionary range comparable to the entire phylum of chordates offers us a unique opportunity to investigate how genes involved in adaptation have been shaped by evolution. We have examined how three different sets of genes, all related to adaptative processes at the genomic level, have evolved in hemiascomycetes: (1) the mating-type genes that govern sexuality, (2) the silencing genes that are connected to regulation of mating-type cassettes and to telomere position effect, and (3) the gene families found repeated in subtelomeric regions. We report new combinations of mating-type genes and cassettes in hemiascomycetous species; we show that silencing proteins diverge rapidly. We have also found that in all species studied, subtelomeric gene families exist and are specific to each species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A genomic basis for the evolution of vertebrate transcription factors containing amino Acid runs.

We have previously shown that polyAla (A) tract-containing proteins frequently present runs of glycine (G), proline (P), and histidine (H) and that, in their ORFs, GC content at all codon positions is higher than that in the rest of the genome. In this study, we present new analyses of these human proteins/ORFs. We detected striking differences in codon usage for A, G, and P in and out of runs. After dividing the ORFs, we found that 5' halves were richer in runs than 3' halves. Afterward, when removing the runs, we observed that the run-rich halves (grouped irrespectively of their 5' or 3' position) had a marked statistical tendency to have more homo- and hetero-dicodons for A, G, P, and H than the run-poor halves. This suggests that, in addition to the necessary GC-rich genomic background, a specific codon organization is probably required to generate these coding repeats. Homo-dicodons may indeed provide primers for run formation through polymerase slippage. The compositional analysis of human HOX genes, the most polyAla-rich family, and their comparison with their zebrafish homologs, support these hypotheses and suggest possible effects of genomic environment on ORF evolution and organismal diversification.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evolutionary study on the Coxsackievirus A 24 variant causing acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis by oligonucleotide mapping analysis of RNA genome.

The evolution of the variant of Coxsackievirus A 24 (CA 24 v) which causes acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis was explored. Using 15 isolates obtained from Southeast Asia during the period 1970-1986, the genetic distance between isolates was estimated from pairwise comparison of nucleotide changes deduced from common spots on oligonucleotide maps of the isolates. From regression analysis of the genetic distance and the time of isolation of the isolates, the evolutionary rate of CA 24 v was estimated to be 3.44 x 10(-4)/nucleotide/month. The phylogenetic relationship of these isolates was explored using the neighbor-joining method and the modified unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA). The phylogenetic tree constructed indicates that CA 24 v appeared from one focal place in July 1968 +/- 25 months, very close to the time of the first world epidemic of, then newly recognized, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis.

Asia, Southeastern↗

Human evolution and the mitochondrial genome.

The use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) continues to dominate studies of human genetic variation and evolution. Recent work has re-affirmed the strict maternal inheritance of mtDNA, yielded new insights into the extent and nature of intra-individual variation, supported a recent African origin of human mtDNA, and amply demonstrated the utility of mtDNA in tracing population history and in analyses of ancient remains.

Animals↗

The composite genome of the legume symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti.

The scarcity of usable nitrogen frequently limits plant growth. A tight metabolic association with rhizobial bacteria allows legumes to obtain nitrogen compounds by bacterial reduction of dinitrogen (N2) to ammonium (NH4+). We present here the annotated DNA sequence of the alpha-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, the symbiont of alfalfa. The tripartite 6.7-megabase (Mb) genome comprises a 3.65-Mb chromosome, and 1.35-Mb pSymA and 1.68-Mb pSymB megaplasmids. Genome sequence analysis indicates that all three elements contribute, in varying degrees, to symbiosis and reveals how this genome may have emerged during evolution. The genome sequence will be useful in understanding the dynamics of interkingdom associations and of life in soil environments.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

Comparisons of two large phaeoviral genomes and evolutionary implications.

The evolution of viral genomes has recently attracted considerable attention. We compare the sequences of two large viral genomes, EsV-1 and FirrV-1, belonging to the family of phaeoviruses which infect different species of marine brown algae. Although their genomes differ substantially in size, these viruses share similar morphologies and similar latent infection cycles. In fact, sequence comparisons show that the viruses have more than 60% of their genes in common. However, the order of genes is completely different in the two genomes, suggesting that extensive recombinational events in addition to several large deletions had occurred during the separate evolutionary routes from a common ancestor. We investigated genes encoding components of signal transduction pathways and genes encoding replicative functions in more detail. We found that the two genomes possess different, although overlapping, sets of genes in both classes, suggesting that different genes from each class were lost, perhaps randomly, after the separate evolution from an ancestral genome. Random loss would also account for the fact that more than one-third of the genes in one viral genome has no counterparts in the other genome. We speculate that the ancestral genome belonged to a cellular organism that had once invaded a primordial brown algal host.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The type IC hsd loci of the enterobacteria are flanked by DNA with high homology to the phage P1 genome: implications for the evolution and spread of DNA restriction systems.

EcoR124l, EcoDXXl and Ecoprrl are the known members of the type IC family of DNA restriction and modification systems. The first three are carried on large, conjugative plasmids, while Ecoprrl is chromosomally encoded. The enzymes are coded by three genes, hsdR, hsdM and hsdS. Analysis of the DNA sequences upstream and downstream of the type IC hsd loci shows that all are highly homologous to each other and also to sequences present in the bacteriophage P1 genome. The upstream sequences include functional phd and doc genes, which encode an addiction system that stabilizes the P1 prophage state, and extend to and beyond pac, the site at which phage DNA packaging begins. Downstream of the hsd loci, P1 DNA sequences begin at exactly the same place for all of the systems. For EcoDXXl and Ecoprrl the P1 homology extends for thousands of base pairs while for EcoR124l and IS1 insertion and an associated deletion have removed most of the P1-homologous sequences. The significance of these results for the evolution of DNA restriction and modification systems is discussed.

Bacteriophage P1↗

Evolution of the chloroplast genome and polymorphic ITS regions in Allium subg. Melanocrommyum.

Relationships based on PCR-RFLPs of non-coding regions of cpDNA indicate that some of the largest subgenera of the genus Allium and five of the largest sections of the Central Asian subg. Melanocrommyum are artificial. Internested synapomorphic mutations without homoplasy were found only in the chloroplast genomes of plants of subg. Melanocrommyum that occur in the border region of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Eighteen of 49 plants surveyed were polymorphic for their ITS regions. Even plants that had identical chloroplast genomes were polymorphic for nuclear ribosomal regions. These individuals had markedly different frequencies of ITS variants that were detected with various restriction enzymes. The geographic partitioning of chloroplast haplotypes and the fact that the ITS variants could not be ordered hierarchically can readily be envisioned to result from gene flow. Processes such as concerted evolution and parallel morphological evolution may also be partly responsible for the disconcordance of mutations in the chloroplast and nuclear genome. However, the chimeric nature of the nuclear ribosomal regions indicates that concerted evolution is not the dominating process in Allium subg. Melanocrommyum.

Allium↗

Organization and nucleotide sequence of a densovirus genome imply a host-dependent evolution of the parvoviruses.

The genome structure of a densovirus from a silkworm was determined by sequencing more than 85% of the complete genome DNA. This is the first report of the genome organization of an insect parvovirus deduced from the DNA sequence. In the viral genome, two large open reading frames designated 1 and 2 and one smaller open reading frame designated 3 were identified. The first two open reading frames shared the same strand, while the third was found in the complementary sequence. Computer analysis suggested that open reading frame 2 may encode all four structural proteins. The genome organization and a part of the nucleotide sequence were conserved among the insect densovirus, rodent parvoviruses, and a human dependovirus. These viruses may have diverged from a common ancestor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genome size variation and evolution in Veronica.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The amount of DNA per chromosome set is known to be a fairly constant characteristic of a species. Its interspecific variation is enormous, but the biological significance of this variation is little understood. Some of the characters believed to be correlated with DNA amount are alpine habitat, life history and breeding system. In the present study, the aim is to distinguish between direct causal connections and chance correlation of the amount of DNA in the genus Veronica. METHODS: Estimates of DNA amount were analysed for 42 members of Veroniceae in connection with results from a phylogenetic analysis of plastid trnL-F DNA sequences and tested correlations using standard statistical tests, phylogenetically independent contrasts and a model-based generalized least squares method to distinguish the phylogenetic effect on the results. KEY RESULTS: There appears to be a lower upper limit for DNA amount in annuals than in perennials. Most DNAC-values in Veroniceae are below the mean DNA C-value for annuals in angiosperms as a whole. However, the long-debated correlation of low genome size with annual life history is not significant (P = 0.12) using either standard statistical tests or independent contrasts, but it is significant with the generalized least squares method (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation of annual life history and low genome size found in earlier studies could be due to the association of annual life history and selfing, which is significantly correlated with low genome size using any of the three tests applied. This correlation can be explained by models showing a reduction in transposable elements in selfers. A significant correlation of higher genome sizes with alpine habitats was also detected.

DNA, Plant↗

Evolution of the core genome of Pseudomonas syringae, a highly clonal, endemic plant pathogen.

Pseudomonas syringae is a common foliar bacterium responsible for many important plant diseases. We studied the population structure and dynamics of the core genome of P. syringae via multilocus sequencing typing (MLST) of 60 strains, representing 21 pathovars and 2 nonpathogens, isolated from a variety of plant hosts. Seven housekeeping genes, dispersed around the P. syringae genome, were sequenced to obtain 400 to 500 nucleotides per gene. Forty unique sequence types were identified, with most strains falling into one of four major clades. Phylogenetic and maximum-likelihood analyses revealed a remarkable degree of congruence among the seven genes, indicating a common evolutionary history for the seven loci. MLST and population genetic analyses also found a very low level of recombination. Overall, mutation was found to be approximately four times more likely than recombination to change any single nucleotide. A skyline plot was used to study the demographic history of P. syringae. The species was found to have maintained a constant population size over time. Strains were also found to remain genetically homogeneous over many years, and when isolated from sites as widespread as the United States and Japan. An analysis of molecular variance found that host association explains only a small proportion of the total genetic variation in the sample. These analyses reveal that with respect to the core genome, P. syringae is a highly clonal and stable species that is endemic within plant populations, yet the genetic variation seen in these genes only weakly predicts host association.

Base Sequence↗

Dynamic genome organization and gene evolution by positive selection in geminivirus (Geminiviridae).

Geminiviruses (Geminiviridae) are a diverse group of plant viruses differing from other known plant viruses in possessing circular, single-stranded DNA. Current classification divides the family into three subgroups, defined in part by genome organization, insect vector, and plant host range. Previous phylogenetic assessments of geminiviruses have used DNA and/or amino acid sequences from the replication-associated and coat protein genes and have relied predominantly on distance analyses. We used amino acid and DNA sequence data from the replication-associated and coat protein genes from 22 geminivirus types in distance and parsimony analyses. Although the results of our analyses largely agree with those reported previously, we could not always predict viral relationships based on genome organization, plant host, or insect vector. Loss of correlation of these traits with phylogeny is likely due to improved sampling of geminivirus types. Unrooted parsimony trees suggest multiple independent origins for the monopartite genome. genome organization is therefore a dynamic character. Estimates of nonsynonymous and synonymous nucleotide substitutions for extant and inferred ancestral sequences were used to evaluate hypotheses that the replication-associated and coat protein sequences evolve to accommodate plant host and insect vector specificities, respectively. Results suggest that plant host specificity does not solely direct replication-associated protein-evolution but that coat protein sequence does evolve in response to insect vector specificity. Genome organization and, possibly, plant host specificity are not reliable taxonomic characters.

Animals↗