Molecular evolution of mammalian genes with epistatic interactions in fertilization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genes that encode proteins associated with sperm competition, fertilization, and sexual conflicts of interest are often among the most rapidly evolving parts of animal genomes. One family of sperm-expressed genes (Zp3r, C4bpa) in the mammalian gene cluster called the regulator of complement activation (RCA) encodes proteins that bind eggs and mediate reproductive success, and are therefore expected to show high relative rates of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution in response to sexual selection in comparison to other genes not involved in gamete binding at fertilization. We tested that working hypothesis by using phylogenetic models of codon evolution to identify episodes of diversifying positive selection. We used a comparative approach to quantify the evidence for e

SUBMITTER: Morgan CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6659299 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature