Evolutionary history of the vertebrate mitogen activated protein kinases family.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) family pathway is implicated in diverse cellular processes and pathways essential to most organisms. Its evolution is conserved throughout the eukaryotic kingdoms. However, the detailed evolutionary history of the vertebrate MAPK family is largely unclear.

Methodology/principal findings

The MAPK family members were collected from literatures or by searching the genomes of several vertebrates and invertebrates with the known MAPK sequences as queries. We found that vertebrates had significantly more MAPK family members than invertebrates, and the vertebrate MAPK family originated from 3 progenitors, suggesting that a burst of gene duplication events had occurred after the divergence of vertebrates from invertebrates. Con

SUBMITTER: Li M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3202601 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature