Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Evolutionary analysis”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,495 records · Page 83Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

An integrated physical and genetic map of the nematode Pristionchus pacificus.

The free-living nematode Pristionchus pacificus is one of several species that have recently been developed as a satellite system for comparative functional studies in evolutionary developmental biology. Comparisons of developmental processes between P. pacificus and the well established model organism Caenorhabditis elegans at the cellular and genetic levels provide detailed insight into the molecular changes that shape evolutionary transitions. To facilitate genetic analysis and cloning of mutations in P. pacificus, we previously generated a BAC-based genetic linkage map for this organism. Here, we describe the construction of a physical map of the P. pacificus genome based on AFLP fingerprint analysis of 7747 BAC clones. Most of the SSCP markers used to generate the genetic linkage map were derived from BAC ends, so that the physical genome map and the genetic map can be integrated. The contigs that make up the physical map are evenly distributed over the genetic linkage map and no clustering is observed, indicating that the physical map provides a valid representation of the P. pacificus genome. The integrated genome map thus provides a framework for positional cloning and the study of genome evolution in nematodes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Hydrophobic cluster analysis reveals duplication in the external structure of human alpha-interferon receptor and homology with gamma-interferon receptor external domain.

Evidence is presented, based on sequence comparison according to Hydrophobic Cluster Analysis, of a structural and evolutionary relationship between the human alpha/beta-interferon receptor and the human and mouse gamma-interferon receptor. These results predict that the human alpha/beta-interferon receptor extracellular part is organised in two homologous subdomains connected by a proline linker. They also predict that both subdomains present some homologies to the external domain of mouse and human gamma interferon receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fish major histocompatibility complex genes: an expansion.

The advent of polymerase chain reaction technology has provoked a large amount of progress in the field of fish major histocompatibility complex (MHC) research. Many new teleost sequences have been reported in the last four years, including representatives of all classes of MHC genes. While the intron-exon structure of teleost MHC genes is now becoming clear, the organisation of the genes within the teleost MHC is still unclear. The sequences reported to date have been used for phylogenetic analysis and, due to their evolutionary position, are discussed in relation to hypotheses regarding the origin of the MHC. Teleost MHC gene sequences are also examined to see if conserved features of the both the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of higher vertebrate MHC genes are present. Differences in these features will reflect functional differences between teleost and mammalian MHC genes and may also have evolutionary implications.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

The origin of lysyl oxidase.

Lysyl oxidase initiates crosslink formation of the collagen and elastin extracellular matrix, thereby delimiting its expansive properties. Recently lysyl oxidase has been cloned from several species enabling the computation of the relative order of appearance of the various components of this enzyme system. Comparative evolutionary computer-assisted sequence analysis of the enzyme and its various substrates was undertaken to address this issue. These results support the ordered genesis of the collagen substrate-->lysyl oxidase enzyme-->elastin substrate.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Demonstration of clonal variation amongst O-antigen serotype variants of Escherichia coli O2 and O18 using DNA probes to the rfb region of the E. coli strain B41 (O101:K99/F41).

The confirmation at the DNA level of the existence of clonal variants within Escherichia coli O2 and O18 serotypes has been shown by Southern hybridization analysis of restriction endonuclease digested genomic DNA and subsequent probing with contiguous subclones of the E. coli O101 rfb region. The O101 rfb subclones are believed to represent a conserved region of DNA (Heuzenroeder et al. Molec. Microbiol, in press) and identify serotype variants by means of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) within homologous DNA of O2 and O18 E. coli. A number of different restriction enzymes have been used singly and in combination to digest the genomic DNA, thereby allowing construction of restriction maps of the region displaying homology to the O101 rfb region subclones. This analysis further substantiates previously defined evolutionary relationships between O2 and O18 E. coli. These simple probes appear to be able to provide the same clonal information as a battery of isoenzyme, outer membrane protein (OMP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) analyses.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed2005

Low-level illegitimate transcription of genes may be to silence the genes.

In yeast and plants, low level transcription of a gene is recently revealed to be required to repress the gene. It may account for the widely low level illegitimate transcriptions of tissue-specific genes reported in mammalian cells. This hypothetical link gives insight into both analysis of transcription-associated evolutionary events and further interpretation of the mechanism of small RNA-mediated transcriptional repression.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

A new multi-domain member of the cystatin superfamily expressed by Fasciola hepatica.

Cystatins are cysteine protease inhibitors that are widespread in the plant and animal kingdoms. Cystatins are expressed by helminth parasites that may employ these proteins to regulate parasite cysteine protease activity and to modulate host immune responses. Here, we describe the cloning of a cDNA encoding a high molecular weight protein of Fasciola hepatica that contains two domains with significant identity to the cardinal cystatin signatures and four domains with degenerated cystatin signatures. This is the first report of a multi-domain cystatin in an invertebrate species. While cystatins are divided into three evolutionary related families, our phylogenetic analysis shows that all cystatin domains within this protein, like several other helminth cystatins, belong to the cystatin family 2. The DNA region encoding the domain 4 that is the best conserved at the level of its cystatin signatures was expressed in Drosophila cells and a recombinant protein was produced and purified. This protein was a potent inhibitor of the papain and of the major cysteine protease of F. hepatica, the cathepsin L1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

The Darwinian concept of stress: benefits of allostasis and costs of allostatic load and the trade-offs in health and disease.

Why do we get the stress-related diseases we do? Why do some people have flare ups of autoimmune disease, whereas others suffer from melancholic depression during a stressful period in their life? In the present review possible explanations will be given by using different levels of analysis. First, we explain in evolutionary terms why different organisms adopt different behavioral strategies to cope with stress. It has become clear that natural selection maintains a balance of different traits preserving genes for high aggression (Hawks) and low aggression (Doves) within a population. The existence of these personality types (Hawks-Doves) is widespread in the animal kingdom, not only between males and females but also within the same gender across species. Second, proximate (causal) explanations are given for the different stress responses and how they work. Hawks and Doves differ in underlying physiology and these differences are associated with their respective behavioral strategies; for example, bold Hawks preferentially adopt the fight-flight response when establishing a new territory or defending an existing territory, while cautious Doves show the freeze-hide response to adapt to threats in their environment. Thus, adaptive processes that actively maintain stability through change (allostasis) depend on the personality type and the associated stress responses. Third, we describe how the expression of the various stress responses can result in specific benefits to the organism. Fourth, we discuss how the benefits of allostasis and the costs of adaptation (allostatic load) lead to different trade-offs in health and disease, thereby reinforcing a Darwinian concept of stress. Collectively, this provides some explanation of why individuals may differ in their vulnerability to different stress-related diseases and how this relates to the range of personality types, especially aggressive Hawks and non-aggressive Doves in a population. A conceptual framework is presented showing that Hawks, due to inefficient management of mediators of allostasis, are more likely to be violent, to develop impulse control disorders, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden death, atypical depression, chronic fatigue states and inflammation. In contrast, Doves, due to the greater release of mediators of allostasis (surplus), are more susceptible to anxiety disorders, metabolic syndromes, melancholic depression, psychotic states and infection.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2006

Ancient signals: comparative genomics of plant MAPK and MAPKK gene families.

MAPK signal transduction modules play crucial roles in regulating many biological processes in plants, and their components are encoded by highly conserved genes. The recent availability of genome sequences for rice and poplar now makes it possible to examine how well the previously described Arabidopsis MAPK and MAPKK gene family structures represent the broader evolutionary situation in plants, and analysis of gene expression data for MPK and MKK genes in all three species allows further refinement of those families, based on functionality. The Arabidopsis MAPK nomenclature appears sufficiently robust to allow it to be usefully extended to other well-characterized plant systems.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2006

Phylogeny and evolution of old world arenaviruses.

The intention of this study was to investigate the genomics, phylogeny and evolution of the Old World arenaviruses based on sequence data representing the four viral genes. To achieve this aim, we sequenced the complete S and L RNA segments of Ippy virus (IPPYV), Mobala virus (MOBV) and Mopeia virus (MOPV). Full-length sequences of the NP, GPC, Z and L genes were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and to compare resulting tree topologies. Each of the five Old World arenavirus species (namely Lassa virus [LASV], IPPYV, MOBV, MOPV and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus [LCMV]) are monophyletic; seven selected strains of LASV showed a similar topology regardless of the gene under analysis; IPPYV rooted the three other African arenaviruses; the four African arenaviruses are rooted by the ubiquitous LCMV; and the tree topologies of the three African arenaviruses other than LASV are identical regardless of the gene used for analysis. No evidence for significant evolutionary events such as intra- or intersegmental recombination was obtained.

Arenaviruses, Old World↗
PubMed2003

Gene arrangements and branching orders of gram-positive bacteria.

The availability of complete genomic sequence data allows one to develop new methods of reconstructing phylogenetic trees. A simple method of reconstructing branching orders based on gene transposition (or lateral transfer) is presented. It is argued that specific gene arrangements on four different genomes could determine a branching order. A computer search for such gene arrangements was carried out against gene order data of completely sequenced Gram-positive bacteria. Gene arrangements around ribosomal protein S4 gene, murC (UDP-N-acetylmuramate:alanine ligase) gene and dnaE (DNA polymerase III alpha chain) gene each suggest a branching order in which actinobacteria with a high genomic G+C content first branched off from other Gram-positives with a low G+C content and then a split occurred between Mycoplasma species and a group closely related to Bacillus subtilis. A recently sequenced thermophilic bacterium Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis is suggested to have branched off from the lineage leading to the low G+C Gram-positives prior to the split between the Mycoplasma and Bacillus groups. By contrast to the indel analysis in which a single evolutionary event of insertion or deletion of a signature sequence is assumed, the present method does not necessarily require such a parsimonious assumption of gene transposition.

DNA Polymerase III↗
PubMed2001

Hexuronyl C5-epimerases in alginate and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis.

The sugar residues in most polysaccharides are incorporated as their corresponding monomers during polymerization. Here we summarize the three known exceptions to this rule, involving the biosynthesis of alginate, and the glycosaminoglycans, heparin/heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. Alginate is synthesized by brown seaweeds and certain bacteria, while glycosaminoglycans are produced by most animal species. In all cases one of the incorporated sugar monomers are being C5-epimerized at the polymer level, from D-mannuronic acid to L-guluronic acid in alginate, and from D-glucuronic acid to L-iduronic acid in glycosaminoglycans. Alginate epimerization modulates the mechanical properties of seaweed tissues, whereas in bacteria it seems to serve a wide range of purposes. The conformational flexibility of iduronic acid units in glycosaminoglycans promotes apposition to, and thus functional interactions with a variety of proteins at cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix. In the bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii the alginates are being epimerized at the cell surface or in the extracellular environment by a family of evolutionary strongly related modular type and Ca(2+)-dependent epimerases (AlgE1-7). Each of these enzymes introduces a specific distribution pattern of guluronic acid residues along the polymer chains, explaining the wide structural variability observed in alginates isolated from nature. Glycosaminoglycans are synthesized in the Golgi system, through a series of reactions that include the C5-epimerization reaction along with extensive sulfation of the polymers. The single, Ca(2+)-independent, epimerase in heparin/heparan sulfate biosynthesis and the Ca(2+)-dependent dermatan sulfate epimerase(s) also generate variable epimerization patterns, depending on other polymer-modification reactions. The alginate and heparin epimerases appear unrelated at the amino acid sequence level, and have probably evolved through independent evolutionary pathways; however, hydrophobic cluster analysis indicates limited similarity. Seaweed alginates are widely used in industry, while heparin is well established in the clinic as an anticoagulant.

Alginates↗
PubMed2004

Low genetic diversity among isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans: evidence for recent worldwide dispersion from a single common ancestor.

The genetic variation of Duddingtonia flagrans, which has become a promising biocontrol agent of animal parasitic nematodes, was investigated in a worldwide collection of 22 isolates. We analysed the sequence variation in four nuclear genes, tubA (beta-tubulin), CMD1 (calmodulin), EF1alpha (translation elongation factor 1alpha), and PII (extracellular serine protease). 1428 aligned base pairs (bp) were analysed from the four genes, including 709 bp of introns. In addition, the variations in three anonymous genomic regions comprising 1155 bp were examined. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in the seven loci, none of them in the protein encoding genes. The genetic variation was significantly higher in the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora, the closest evolutionary relative to D. flagrans. Analysis of 12 isolates of A. oligospora revealed 30 SNPs in tubA, CMD1, EF1alpha and PII. The genetic variation in the isolates of D. flagrans was further examined using AFLP analysis. Five primer combinations were used to detect 159 bands, of which 94 (59.1%) were polymorphic. A neighbour-joining tree based on the AFLP data showed no clear association between genotype and geographical origin. Furthermore, the AFLP data suggest that D. flagrans is mainly clonal and no recombination could be detected, not even within the same country. The low genetic variation in D. flagrans suggests that this fungus has recently diverged from a single progenitor. Based on estimations of mutation rates, it was calculated that this most recent common ancestor lived about 16,000-23,000 years ago.

Ascomycota↗
PubMedDate not supplied

VSMP: a novel variable selection and modeling method based on the prediction.

The use of numerous descriptors that are indicative of molecular structure and topology is becoming more common in quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR). How to choose the adequate descriptors for QSAR studies is important but difficult because there are no absolute rules to govern this choice. A variety of variable selection techniques including stepwise, partial least squares/principal component analysis (PLS/PCA), neural network, and evolutionary algorithm such as genetic algorithm have been applied to this common problem. All-subsets regression (ASR) is capable of finding out the best variable subset from among a large pool. In this paper, a novel variable selection and modeling method based on the prediction, for short VSMP, has been developed. Here two controllable parameters, the interrelation coefficient between the pairs of the independent variables (r(int)) and the correlation coefficient (q(2)) obtained using the leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation technique, are introduced into the ASR to improve its performances. This technique differs from the other variable selection procedures related to the ASR by two main features: (1) The search of various optimal subset search is controlled by the statistic q(2) or root-mean-square error (RMSEP) in the LOO cross-validation step rather than the correlation coefficient obtained in the modeling step (r(2)). (2) The searching speed of all optimal subsets is expedited by the statistic r(int) together with q(2). A comparison of the results of the VSMP applied to the Selwood data set (n = 31 compounds, m = 53 descriptors) with those obtained from alternative algorithms shows the good performance of the technique.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

Evolutionary distinctiveness of the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle.

The endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi) nests almost exclusively at a single locality in the western Gulf of Mexico, whereas the olive ridley (L. olivacea) nests globally in warm oceans. Morphological similarities between kempi and olivacea, and a geographical distribution that "...makes no sense at all under modern conditions of climate and geography", raise questions about the degree of evolutionary divergence between these taxa. Analysis of mitochondrial (mt) DNA restriction sites shows that Kemp's ridley is distinct from the olive ridley in matriarchal phylogeny, and that the two are sister taxa with respect to other marine turtles. Separation of olive and the Kemp's ridley lineages may date to formation of the Isthmus of Panama, whereas the global spread of the olive ridley lineage occurred recently. In contrast to recent examples in which molecular genetic assessments challenged systematic assignments underlying conservation programmes, our mtDNA data corroborate the taxonomy of an endangered form.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the porcupine fish (Diodon hystrix).

The porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix), a coral reef teleost, is widely distributed in tropical/subtropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans, and Mediterranean Sea. It shares easily recognizable features with pufferfish, such as body inflation and spines. Additionally, its culinary value makes D. hystrix a highly desirable species in many tropical coastal regions, with considerable market potential. However, lack of a high-quality genome hindered further studies on its reproduction, molecular biology, and genomic improvement. Here, we assembled the chromosome-scale genome using PacBio HiFi, ultra-long reads, and Hi-C. Of the 713.62 Mb genome, 98.63% anchored to 23 chromosomes (scaffold N50: 31.52 Mb) with 39.82% repetitive sequences. The assembled genome achieved a BUSCO completeness score of 97.7%, with 23,171 protein-coding genes predicted, 22,221 of which were functionally annotated. Phylogenetic analysis identified D. hystrix's evolutionary relationships with other species in the Tetraodontiformes. In summary, the high-quality genome of D. hystrix sheds light on valuable insights into genome size evolution, and provides a valuable resource for exploiting genomic study and breeding applications in this species.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Structure and sequence determinants required for the RNA editing of ADAR2 substrates.

ADAR2 is a double-stranded RNA-specific adenosine deaminase involved in the editing of mammalian RNAs by the site-specific conversion of adenosine to inosine. We have demonstrated previously that ADAR2 can modify its own pre-mRNA, leading to the creation of a proximal 3'-splice junction containing a non-canonical adenosine-inosine (A-I) dinucleotide. Alternative splicing to this proximal acceptor shifts the reading frame of the mature mRNA transcript, resulting in the loss of functional ADAR2 expression. Both evolutionary sequence conservation and mutational analysis support the existence of an extended RNA duplex within the ADAR2 pre-mRNA formed by base-pairing interactions between regions approximately 1.3-kilobases apart in intron 4 and exon 5. Characterization of ADAR2 pre-mRNA transcripts isolated from adult rat brain identified 16 editing sites within this duplex region, and sites preferentially modified by ADAR1 and ADAR2 have been defined using both tissue culture and in vitro editing systems. Statistical analysis of nucleotide sequences surrounding edited and non-edited adenosine residues have identified a nucleotide sequence bias correlating with ADAR2 site preference and editing efficiency. Among a mixed population of ADAR substrates, ADAR2 preferentially favors its own transcript, yet mutation of a poor substrate to conform to the defined nucleotide bias increases the ability of that substrate to be modified by ADAR2. These data suggest that both sequence and structural elements are required to define adenosine moieties targeted for specific ADAR2-mediated deamination.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed2006

Quaternary structure and cleavage specificity of a poxvirus holliday junction resolvase.

Recently, poxviruses were found to encode a protein with signature motifs present in the RuvC family of Holliday junction (HJ) resolvases, which have a key role in homologous recombination in bacteria. The vaccinia virus homolog A22 specifically cleaved synthetic HJ DNA in vitro and was required for the in vivo resolution of viral DNA concatemers into unit-length genomes with hairpin telomeres. It was of interest to further characterize a poxvirus resolvase in view of the low sequence similarity with RuvC, the absence of virus-encoded RuvA and RuvB to interact with, and the different functions of the viral and bacterial resolvases. Because purified A22 aggregated severely, studies were carried out with maltose-binding protein fused to A22 as well as to RuvC. Using gel filtration, chemical cross-linking, analytical ultracentrifugation, and light scattering, we demonstrated that A22 and RuvC are homodimers in solution. Furthermore, the dimeric form of the resolvase associated with HJ DNA, presumably facilitating the symmetrical cleavage of such structures. Like RuvC, A22 symmetrically cleaved fixed HJ junctions as well as junctions allowing strand mobility. Unlike RuvC and other members of the family, however, the poxvirus enzyme exhibited little cleavage sequence specificity. Structural and enzymatic similarities of poxvirus, bacterial, and fungal mitochondrial HJ resolvases are consistent with their predicted evolutionary relationship based on sequence analysis. The absence of a homologous resolvase in mammalian cells makes these microbial enzymes excellent potential therapeutic targets.

Carrier Proteins↗