Rapid evolution through gene duplication and subfunctionalization of the testes-specific alpha4 proteasome subunits in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Gene duplication is an important mechanism for acquiring new genes and creating genetic novelty in organisms. Evidence suggests that duplicated genes are retained at a much higher rate than originally thought and that functional divergence of gene copies is a major factor promoting their retention in the genome. We find that two Drosophila testes-specific alpha4 proteasome subunit genes (alpha4-t1 and alpha4-t2) have a higher polymorphism within species and are significantly more diverged between species than the somatic alpha4 gene. Our data suggest that following gene duplication, the alpha4-t1 gene experienced relaxed selective constraints, whereas the alpha4-t2 gene experienced positive selection acting on several codons. We report significant heterogeneity in evolutionary rates among

SUBMITTER: Torgerson DG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1448786 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature