The evolutionary history of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene family in vertebrates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Stearoyl-CoA desaturases (SCDs) are key enzymes involved in de novo monounsaturated fatty acid synthesis. They catalyze the desaturation of saturated fatty acyl-CoA substrates at the delta-9 position, generating essential components of phospholipids, triglycerides, cholesterol esters and wax esters. Despite being crucial for interpreting SCDs roles across species, the evolutionary history of the SCD gene family in vertebrates has yet to be elucidated, in particular their isoform diversity, origin and function. This work aims to contribute to this fundamental effort.

Results

We show here, through comparative genomics and phylogenetics that the SCD gene family underwent an unexpectedly complex history of duplication and loss events. Paralogy analysis hints that SCD1

SUBMITTER: Castro LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3112091 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature