Widespread gene conversion of alpha-2-fucosyltransferase genes in mammals.

ABSTRACT: The alpha-2-fucosyltransferases (alpha2FTs) are enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of alpha2fucosylated glycan structures. In mammalian genomes, there are three alpha2FT genes located in tandem-FUT1, FUT2, and Sec1-each contained within a single exon. It has been suggested that these genes originated from two successive duplications, with FUT1 being generated first and FUT2 and Sec1 second. Despite gene conversion being considered the main mechanism of concerted evolution in gene families, previous studies of primates alpha2FTs failed to detect it, although the occurrence of gene conversion between FUT2 and Sec1 was recently reported in a human allele. The primary aim of our work was to initiate a broader study on the molecular evolution of mammalian alpha2FTs. Sequence comparison leads

SUBMITTER: Abrantes J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2706377 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature