Evolution of a complex locus: exon gain, loss and divergence at the Gr39a locus in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Gene families typically evolve by gene duplication followed by the adoption of new or altered gene functions. A different way to evolve new but related functions is alternative splicing of existing exons of a complex gene. The chemosensory gene families of animals are characterised by numerous loci of related function. Alternative splicing has only rarely been reported in chemosensory loci, for example in 5 out of around 120 loci in Drosophila melanogaster. The gustatory receptor gene Gr39a has four large exons that are alternatively spliced with three small conserved exons. Recently the genome sequences of eleven additional species of Drosophila have become available allowing us to examine variation in the structure of the Gr39a locus across a wide phylogenetic range of

SUBMITTER: Gardiner A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2204066 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature