Comparative Genomics Identifies Epidermal Proteins Associated with the Evolution of the Turtle Shell.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of reptiles, birds, and mammals was associated with the origin of unique integumentary structures. Studies on lizards, chicken, and humans have suggested that the evolution of major structural proteins of the outermost, cornified layers of the epidermis was driven by the diversification of a gene cluster called Epidermal Differentiation Complex (EDC). Turtles have evolved unique defense mechanisms that depend on mechanically resilient modifications of the epidermis. To investigate whether the evolution of the integument in these reptiles was associated with specific adaptations of the sequences and expression patterns of EDC-related genes, we utilized newly available genome sequences to determine the epidermal differentiation gene complement of turtles. The EDC of the western

SUBMITTER: Holthaus KB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4760078 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature