Adaptive Evolution of Energy Metabolism-Related Genes in Hypoxia-Tolerant Mammals
| Autor: | Shixia Xu, Inge Seim, Yanzhi Liu, Ran Tian, Guang Yang, Daiqing Yin |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
lcsh:QH426-470 Cellular respiration Biology 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Molecular evolution positive selection Convergent evolution energy metabolism Genetics convergent evolution Gene Genetics (clinical) Original Research chemistry.chemical_classification adaptive evolution Phenotype Cell biology Amino acid hypoxia-tolerance lcsh:Genetics 030104 developmental biology chemistry Gluconeogenesis Molecular Medicine Adaptation 030217 neurology & neurosurgery |
| Zdroj: | Frontiers in Genetics Frontiers in Genetics, Vol 8 (2017) |
| ISSN: | 1664-8021 |
| Popis: | Animals that are able to sustain life under hypoxic conditions have long captured the imagination of biologists and medical practitioners alike. Although the associated morphological modifications have been extensively described, the mechanisms underlying the evolution of hypoxia tolerance are not well understood. To provide such insights, we investigated genes in four major energy metabolism pathways, and provide evidence of distinct evolutionary paths to mammalian hypoxia-tolerance. Positive selection of genes in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway mainly occurred in terrestrial hypoxia-tolerant species; possible adaptations to chronically hypoxic environments. The strongest candidate for positive selection along cetacean lineages was the citrate cycle signaling pathway, suggestive of enhanced aerobic metabolism during and after a dive. Six genes with cetacean-specific amino acid changes are rate-limiting enzymes involved in the gluconeogenesis pathway, which would be expected to enhance the lactate removal after diving. Intriguingly, 38 parallel amino acid substitutions in 29 genes were observed between hypoxia-tolerant mammals. Of these, 76.3% were radical amino acid changes, suggesting that convergent molecular evolution drives the adaptation to hypoxic stress and similar phenotypic changes. This study provides further insights into life under low oxygen conditions and the evolutionary trajectories of hypoxia-tolerant species. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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