Evolutionary Analysis of Bile Acid-Conjugating Enzymes Reveals a Complex Duplication and Reciprocal Loss History.

ABSTRACT: To fulfill their physiological functions, bile acids are conjugated with amino acids. In humans, conjugation is catalyzed by bile acid coenzyme A: amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT), an enzyme with a highly conserved catalytic triad in its active site. Interestingly, the conjugated amino acids are highly variable among mammals, with some species conjugating bile acids with both glycine and taurine, whereas others conjugate only taurine. The genetic origin of these bile acid conjugation differences is unknown. Here, we tested whether mutations in BAAT's catalytic triad could explain bile acid conjugation differences. Our comparative analysis of 118 mammals first revealed that the ancestor of placental mammals and marsupials possessed two genes, BAAT and BAATP1, that arose by a tandem dupli

SUBMITTER: Kirilenko BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6934887 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature