Population Genomic Analysis of a Pitviper Reveals Microevolutionary Forces Underlying Venom Chemistry.

ABSTRACT: Venoms are among the most biologically active secretions known, and are commonly believed to evolve under extreme positive selection. Many venom gene families, however, have undergone duplication, and are often deployed in doses vastly exceeding the LD50 for most prey species, which should reduce the strength of positive selection. Here, we contrast these selective regimes using snake venoms, which consist of rapidly evolving protein formulations. Though decades of extensive studies have found that snake venom proteins are subject to strong positive selection, the greater action of drift has been hypothesized, but never tested. Using a combination of de novo genome sequencing, population genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, we compare the two modes of evolution in the pitviper, Proto

SUBMITTER: Aird SD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5737360 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature