Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation.

ABSTRACT: Reproductive proteins are often observed to be the most rapidly evolving elements within eukaryotic genomes. The major sperm protein (MSP) is unique to the phylum Nematoda and is required for proper sperm locomotion and fertilization. Here, we annotate the MSP gene family and analyze their molecular evolution in 10 representative species across Nematoda. We show that MSPs are hyper-conserved across the phylum, having maintained an amino acid sequence identity of 83.5-97.7% for over 500 million years. This extremely slow rate of evolution makes MSPs some of the most highly conserved genes yet identified. However, at the gene family level, we show hyper-variability in both gene copy number and genomic position within species, suggesting rapid, lineage-specific gene family evolution. Addition

SUBMITTER: Kasimatis KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5765362 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature