Multiple Barriers to the Evolution of Alternative Gene Orders in a Positive-Strand RNA Virus.

ABSTRACT: The order in which genes are organized within a genome is generally not conserved between distantly related species. However, within virus orders and families, strong conservation of gene order is observed. The factors that constrain or promote gene-order diversity are largely unknown, although the regulation of gene expression is one important constraint for viruses. Here we investigate why gene order is conserved for a positive-strand RNA virus encoding a single polyprotein in the context of its authentic multicellular host. Initially, we identified the most plausible trajectory by which alternative gene orders could evolve. Subsequently, we studied the accessibility of key steps along this evolutionary trajectory by constructing two virus intermediates: (1) duplication of a gene followe

SUBMITTER: Willemsen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4905534 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature