Adaptive diversification within a large family of recently duplicated, placentally expressed genes

Hughes, Austin L.; Green, Jonathan A.; Garbayo, J. M.; Roberts, R. Michael

doi:10.1073/pnas.97.7.3319

Cited by 110 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…A high degree of similarity is also observed in the UTR sequences, suggesting that these regions may also be functional. This analysis argues in favor of a high positive selection (39,43) and suggests that this retrogene encodes a functional protein.…”

Section: Snail-like Is An Encoding Gene Subjected Tomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1B. The nature of nucleotide substitutions in terms of the ratios of transitions (t)/transvections (T) and of synonymous (S, non-aa-changing)/non-synonymous (NS, aa-changing) variations can be used as an indicator of the degree of positive selection within the amino acid sequence (39). We found no difference between the intermediate and C-terminal regions with respect to t/T, but the percentage of NS changes was higher in the intermediate region.…”

Section: Analysis and Expression Of An Intronless Snail-like Retrotramentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biological Potential of a Functional Human SNAILRetrogene

Locascio¹,

Vega²,

Frutos

et al. 2002

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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Snail genes encode zinc finger transcription factors required for the development of vertebrate and invertebrate embryos. They trigger epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), thereby allowing epithelial cells to emigrate from their place of origin and form tissues such as the mesoderm and the neural crest. Snail genes are also involved in the EMTs responsible for the acquisition of invasiveness during tumor progression. This aspect of their activity is associated with their ability to directly repress E-cadherin transcription. Here we describe the existence of an active human Snail retrogene, inserted within an intron of a novel evolutionarily conserved gene and expressed in different human tissues and cell lines. Functional analyses in cell culture show that this retrogene maintains the potential to induce EMTs, conferring migratory and invasive properties to epithelial cells. In light of this data, we have renamed it SNAIL-like, a new player that must be considered in both physiological and pathological studies of SNAIL function in humans.

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Section: Snail-like Is An Encoding Gene Subjected Tomentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Analysis and Expression Of An Intronless Snail-like Retrotramentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological Potential of a Functional Human SNAILRetrogene

Locascio¹,

Vega²,

Frutos

et al. 2002

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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“…Phylogenetic studies have shown that PAGs segregate into one ancient group and a more recent group , Hughes et al 2000. The latter refers to modern molecules that appeared about 52 millions years ago, whereas the ancient group includes members that have probably existed for about 87 millions years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specific expression patterns and cell distribution of ancient and modern PAG in bovine placenta during pregnancy

Touzard¹,

Reinaud²,

Dubois³

et al. 2013

Reproduction

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Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) constitute a multigenic family of aspartic proteinases expressed in the trophoblast of the ruminant placenta. In Bos taurus, this family comprises 21 members segregated into ancient and modern phylogenetic groups. Ancient PAGs have been reported to be synthesized throughout the trophoblastic cell layer whereas modern PAGs are produced by binucleate cells of cotyledons. The aim of this study was to investigate modern and ancient PAGs during gestation in cotyledonary and intercotyledonary tissues. To obtain convincing and innovative results despite the high sequence identity shared between PAGs, we designed specific tools such as amplification primers and antibodies. Using real-time RT-PCR, we described the transcript expression of 16 bovine PAGs. Overall, PAGs are characterized by an increase in their expression during gestation. However, we demonstrated a segregation of modern PAGs in cotyledons and of ancient PAGs in the intercotyledonary chorion, except for the ancient PAG2 expressed in cotyledons. By raising specific antibodies against the modern PAG1 and ancient PAG11 and PAG2, we established the expression kinetics of the proteins using western blotting. Immunohistochemistry showed that PAGs were produced by specific cellular populations: PAG1 by binucleate cells in the whole trophoblastic layer, PAG11 was localized in binucleate cells of the intercotyledonary trophoblast and the chorionic plate of the cotyledon, while PAG2 was produced in mononucleate cells of the internal villi of the cotyledon. These results revealed a highly specific regulation of PAG expression and cell localization as a function of their phylogenetic status, suggesting distinct biological functions within placental tissues.

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“…It is perhaps not surprising that gene duplication has long been suggested to provide the raw materials on which adaptive evolution can act (6). Indeed, expansion of gene families is often a species-specific phenomenon, with certain gene families restricted to closely related species or single phylogenetic orders (7)(8)(9). Speciation itself could even be a natural outcome of gene duplications (3,10).…”

Section: Gene Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%