Structural evolution of CatSper1 in rodents is influenced by sperm competition, with effects on sperm swimming velocity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Competition between spermatozoa from rival males for success in fertilization (i.e., sperm competition) is an important selective force driving the evolution of male reproductive traits and promoting positive selection in genes related to reproductive function. Positive selection has been identified in reproductive proteins showing rapid divergence at nucleotide level. Other mutations, such as insertions and deletions (indels), also occur in protein-coding sequences. These structural changes, which exist in reproductive genes and result in length variation in coded proteins, could also be subjected to positive selection and be under the influence of sperm competition. Catsper1 is one such reproductive gene coding for a germ-line specific voltage-gated calcium channel ess

SUBMITTER: Vicens A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4041144 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature