Spliceosomal intron insertions in genome compacted ray-finned fishes as evident from phylogeny of MC receptors, also supported by a few other GPCRs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Insertions of spliceosomal introns are very rare events during evolution of vertebrates and the mechanisms governing creation of novel intron(s) remain obscure. Largely, gene structures of melanocortin (MC) receptors are characterized by intron-less architecture. However, recently a few exceptions have been reported in some fishes. This warrants a systematic survey of MC receptors for understanding intron insertion events during vertebrate evolution.

Methodology/principal findings

We have compiled an extended list of MC receptors from different vertebrate genomes with variations in fishes. Notably, the closely linked MC2Rs and MC5Rs from a group of ray-finned fishes have three and one intron insertion(s), respectively, with conserved positions and intron phase. In

SUBMITTER: Kumar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3151243 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature