Insights into the Evolution of Shells and Love Darts of Land Snails Revealed from Their Matrix Proteins.

ABSTRACT: Over the past decade, many skeletal matrix proteins that are possibly related to calcification have been reported in various calcifying animals. Molluscs are among the most diverse calcifying animals and some gastropods have adapted to terrestrial ecological niches. Although many shell matrix proteins (SMPs) have already been reported in molluscs, most reports have focused on marine molluscs, and the SMPs of terrestrial snails remain unclear. In addition, some terrestrial stylommatophoran snails have evolved an additional unique calcified character, called a "love dart," used for mating behavior. We identified 54 SMPs in the terrestrial snail Euhadra quaesita, and found that they contain specific domains that are widely conserved in molluscan SMPs. However, our results also suggest that so

SUBMITTER: Shimizu K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6368272 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature