Retention of duplicated ITAM-containing transmembrane signaling subunits in the tetraploid amphibian species Xenopus laevis.

ABSTRACT: The ITAM-bearing transmembrane signaling subunits (TSS) are indispensable components of activating leukocyte receptor complexes. The TSS-encoding genes map to paralogous chromosomal regions, which are thought to arise from ancient genome tetraploidization(s). To assess a possible role of tetraploidization in the TSS evolution, we studied TSS and other functionally linked genes in the amphibian species Xenopus laevis whose genome was duplicated about 40 MYR ago. We found that X. laevis has retained a duplicated set of sixteen TSS genes, all except one being transcribed. Furthermore, duplicated TCRα loci and genes encoding TSS-coupling protein kinases have also been retained. No clear evidence for functional divergence of the TSS paralogs was obtained from gene expression and sequence analys

SUBMITTER: Guselnikov SV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4536121 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature