Accelerated Evolution of Limb-Related Gene Hoxd11 in the Common Ancestor of Cetaceans and Ruminants (Cetruminantia).

ABSTRACT: Reduced numbers of carpal and tarsal bones (wrist and ankle joints) are extensively observed in the clade of Cetacea and Ruminantia (Cetruminantia). Homebox D11 (Hoxd11) is one of the important genes required for limb development in mammals. Mutations in Hoxd11 can lead to defects in particular bones of limbs, including carpus and tarsus. To test whether evolutionary changes in Hoxd11 underlie the loss of these bones in Cetruminantia, we sequenced and analyzed Hoxd11 coding sequences and compared them with other 5' HoxA and HoxD genes in a taxonomic coverage of Cetacea, Ruminantia and other mammalian relatives. Statistical tests on the Hoxd11 sequences found an accelerated evolution in the common ancestor of cetaceans and ruminants, w

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7003097 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature