Analysis of vertebrate genomes suggests a new model for clade B serpin evolution.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The human genome contains 13 clade B serpin genes at two loci, 6p25 and 18q21. The three genes at 6p25 all conform to a 7-exon gene structure with conserved intron positioning and phasing, however, at 18q21 there are two 7-exon genes and eight genes with an additional exon yielding an 8-exon structure. Currently, it is not known how these two loci evolved, nor which gene structure arose first--did the 8-exon genes gain an exon, or did the 7-exon genes lose one? Here we use the genomes of diverse vertebrate species to plot the emergence of clade B serpin genes and to identify the point at which the two genomic structures arose.

Results

Analysis of the chicken genome indicated the presence of a single clade B serpin gene locus, containing orthologues of both human l

SUBMITTER: Kaiserman D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1308813 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature