Application of community phylogenetic approaches to understand gene expression: differential exploration of venom gene space in predatory marine gastropods.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Predatory marine gastropods of the genus Conus exhibit substantial variation in venom composition both within and among species. Apart from mechanisms associated with extensive turnover of gene families and rapid evolution of genes that encode venom components ('conotoxins'), the evolution of distinct conotoxin expression patterns is an additional source of variation that may drive interspecific differences in the utilization of species' 'venom gene space'. To determine the evolution of expression patterns of venom genes of Conus species, we evaluated the expression of A-superfamily conotoxin genes of a set of closely related Conus species by comparing recovered transcripts of A-superfamily genes that were previously identified from the genomes of these species. We modif

SUBMITTER: Chang D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4064522 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature