Distribution of events of positive selection and population differentiation in a metabolic pathway: the case of asparagine N-glycosylation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Asparagine N-Glycosylation is one of the most important forms of protein post-translational modification in eukaryotes. This metabolic pathway can be subdivided into two parts: an upstream sub-pathway required for achieving proper folding for most of the proteins synthesized in the secretory pathway, and a downstream sub-pathway required to give variability to trans-membrane proteins, and involved in adaptation to the environment and innate immunity. Here we analyze the nucleotide variability of the genes of this pathway in human populations, identifying which genes show greater population differentiation and which genes show signatures of recent positive selection. We also compare how these signals are distributed between the upstream and the downstream parts of the pat

SUBMITTER: Dall'Olio GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3426484 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature