Comparative Analysis of Epidermal Differentiation Genes of Crocodilians Suggests New Models for the Evolutionary Origin of Avian Feather Proteins.

ABSTRACT: The epidermis of amniotes forms a protective barrier against the environment and the differentiation program of keratinocytes, the main cell type in the epidermis, has undergone specific alterations in the course of adaptation of amniotes to a broad variety of environments and lifestyles. The epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) is a cluster of genes expressed at late stages of keratinocyte differentiation in both sauropsids and mammals. In the present study, we identified and analyzed the crocodilian equivalent of the EDC. The gene complement of the EDC of both the American alligator and the saltwater crocodile were determined by comparative genomics, de novo gene prediction and identification of EDC transcripts in published transcriptome data. We found that crocodilians have an organi

SUBMITTER: Holthaus KB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5827346 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature