Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions
Abstract The DNA methyltransferase 2 (DNMT2) protein is the most conserved member of the DNA methyltransferase family. Nevertheless, its substrate specificity is still controversial and elusive. The genomic role and determinants of DNA methylation are poorly understood in invertebrates, and several...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sociedade Brasileira de Genética
2018-03-01
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| Series: | Genetics and Molecular Biology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572018005005103&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818959202692890624 |
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| author | Gilberto Cavalheiro Vieira Marícia Fantinel D’Ávila Rebeca Zanini Maríndia Deprá Vera Lúcia da Silva Valente |
| author_facet | Gilberto Cavalheiro Vieira Marícia Fantinel D’Ávila Rebeca Zanini Maríndia Deprá Vera Lúcia da Silva Valente |
| author_sort | Gilberto Cavalheiro Vieira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The DNA methyltransferase 2 (DNMT2) protein is the most conserved member of the DNA methyltransferase family. Nevertheless, its substrate specificity is still controversial and elusive. The genomic role and determinants of DNA methylation are poorly understood in invertebrates, and several mechanisms and associations are suggested. In Drosophila, the only known DNMT gene is Dnmt2. Here we present our findings from a wide search for Dnmt2 homologs in 68 species of Drosophilidae. We investigated its molecular evolution, and in our phylogenetic analyses the main clades of Drosophilidae species were recovered. We tested whether the Dnmt2 has evolved neutrally or under positive selection along the subgenera Drosophila and Sophophora and investigated positive selection in relation to several physicochemical properties. Despite of a major selective constraint on Dnmt2, we detected six sites under positive selection. Regarding the DNMT2 protein, 12 sites under positive-destabilizing selection were found, which suggests a selection that favors structural and functional shifts in the protein. The search for new potential protein partners with DNMT2 revealed 15 proteins with high evolutionary rate covariation (ERC), indicating a plurality of DNMT2 functions in different pathways. These events might represent signs of molecular adaptation, with molecular peculiarities arising from the diversity of evolutionary histories experienced by drosophilids. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T11:37:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67b71e37a87c43c1a9c1165d05c12281 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1678-4685 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T11:37:54Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | Sociedade Brasileira de Genética |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Genetics and Molecular Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-67b71e37a87c43c1a9c1165d05c122812022-12-21T19:42:02ZengSociedade Brasileira de GenéticaGenetics and Molecular Biology1678-46852018-03-01010.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2017-0056S1415-47572018005005103Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactionsGilberto Cavalheiro VieiraMarícia Fantinel D’ÁvilaRebeca ZaniniMaríndia DepráVera Lúcia da Silva ValenteAbstract The DNA methyltransferase 2 (DNMT2) protein is the most conserved member of the DNA methyltransferase family. Nevertheless, its substrate specificity is still controversial and elusive. The genomic role and determinants of DNA methylation are poorly understood in invertebrates, and several mechanisms and associations are suggested. In Drosophila, the only known DNMT gene is Dnmt2. Here we present our findings from a wide search for Dnmt2 homologs in 68 species of Drosophilidae. We investigated its molecular evolution, and in our phylogenetic analyses the main clades of Drosophilidae species were recovered. We tested whether the Dnmt2 has evolved neutrally or under positive selection along the subgenera Drosophila and Sophophora and investigated positive selection in relation to several physicochemical properties. Despite of a major selective constraint on Dnmt2, we detected six sites under positive selection. Regarding the DNMT2 protein, 12 sites under positive-destabilizing selection were found, which suggests a selection that favors structural and functional shifts in the protein. The search for new potential protein partners with DNMT2 revealed 15 proteins with high evolutionary rate covariation (ERC), indicating a plurality of DNMT2 functions in different pathways. These events might represent signs of molecular adaptation, with molecular peculiarities arising from the diversity of evolutionary histories experienced by drosophilids.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572018005005103&lng=en&tlng=enDrosophilaDnmt2positive selectionepigeneticpositive-destabilizing selection |
| spellingShingle | Gilberto Cavalheiro Vieira Marícia Fantinel D’Ávila Rebeca Zanini Maríndia Deprá Vera Lúcia da Silva Valente Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions Genetics and Molecular Biology Drosophila Dnmt2 positive selection epigenetic positive-destabilizing selection |
| title | Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions |
| title_full | Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions |
| title_short | Evolution of DNMT2 in drosophilids: Evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein (pathways) interactions |
| title_sort | evolution of dnmt2 in drosophilids evidence for positive and purifying selection and insights into new protein pathways interactions |
| topic | Drosophila Dnmt2 positive selection epigenetic positive-destabilizing selection |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572018005005103&lng=en&tlng=en |
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