Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation
Reproductive proteins are often observed to be the most rapidly evolving elements within eukaryotic genomes. The major sperm protein (MSP) is unique to the phylum Nematoda and is required for proper sperm locomotion and fertilization. Here, we annotate the MSP gene family and analyze their molecular...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Oxford University Press
2018-01-01
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| Series: | G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://g3journal.org/lookup/doi/10.1534/g3.117.300281 |
| _version_ | 1818581162091610112 |
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| author | Katja R. Kasimatis Patrick C. Phillips |
| author_facet | Katja R. Kasimatis Patrick C. Phillips |
| author_sort | Katja R. Kasimatis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reproductive proteins are often observed to be the most rapidly evolving elements within eukaryotic genomes. The major sperm protein (MSP) is unique to the phylum Nematoda and is required for proper sperm locomotion and fertilization. Here, we annotate the MSP gene family and analyze their molecular evolution in 10 representative species across Nematoda. We show that MSPs are hyper-conserved across the phylum, having maintained an amino acid sequence identity of 83.5–97.7% for over 500 million years. This extremely slow rate of evolution makes MSPs some of the most highly conserved genes yet identified. However, at the gene family level, we show hyper-variability in both gene copy number and genomic position within species, suggesting rapid, lineage-specific gene family evolution. Additionally, we find evidence that extensive gene conversion contributes to the maintenance of sequence identity within chromosome-level clusters of MSP genes. Thus, while not conforming to the standard expectation for the evolution of reproductive proteins, our analysis of the molecular evolution of the MSP gene family is nonetheless consistent with the widely repeatable observation that reproductive proteins evolve rapidly, in this case in terms of the genomic properties of gene structure, copy number, and genomic organization. This unusual evolutionary pattern is likely generated by strong pleiotropic constraints acting on these genes at the sequence level, balanced against expansion at the level of the whole gene family. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:29:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e35f326605644df597cb25fdfcd3ba97 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2160-1836 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:29:06Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e35f326605644df597cb25fdfcd3ba972022-12-21T22:39:25ZengOxford University PressG3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics2160-18362018-01-018135336210.1534/g3.117.30028131Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservationKatja R. KasimatisPatrick C. PhillipsReproductive proteins are often observed to be the most rapidly evolving elements within eukaryotic genomes. The major sperm protein (MSP) is unique to the phylum Nematoda and is required for proper sperm locomotion and fertilization. Here, we annotate the MSP gene family and analyze their molecular evolution in 10 representative species across Nematoda. We show that MSPs are hyper-conserved across the phylum, having maintained an amino acid sequence identity of 83.5–97.7% for over 500 million years. This extremely slow rate of evolution makes MSPs some of the most highly conserved genes yet identified. However, at the gene family level, we show hyper-variability in both gene copy number and genomic position within species, suggesting rapid, lineage-specific gene family evolution. Additionally, we find evidence that extensive gene conversion contributes to the maintenance of sequence identity within chromosome-level clusters of MSP genes. Thus, while not conforming to the standard expectation for the evolution of reproductive proteins, our analysis of the molecular evolution of the MSP gene family is nonetheless consistent with the widely repeatable observation that reproductive proteins evolve rapidly, in this case in terms of the genomic properties of gene structure, copy number, and genomic organization. This unusual evolutionary pattern is likely generated by strong pleiotropic constraints acting on these genes at the sequence level, balanced against expansion at the level of the whole gene family.http://g3journal.org/lookup/doi/10.1534/g3.117.300281molecular evolutiongene family evolutionreproductive proteinsnematodes |
| spellingShingle | Katja R. Kasimatis Patrick C. Phillips Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics molecular evolution gene family evolution reproductive proteins nematodes |
| title | Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation |
| title_full | Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation |
| title_fullStr | Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation |
| title_short | Rapid Gene Family Evolution of a Nematode Sperm Protein Despite Sequence Hyper-conservation |
| title_sort | rapid gene family evolution of a nematode sperm protein despite sequence hyper conservation |
| topic | molecular evolution gene family evolution reproductive proteins nematodes |
| url | http://g3journal.org/lookup/doi/10.1534/g3.117.300281 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katjarkasimatis rapidgenefamilyevolutionofanematodespermproteindespitesequencehyperconservation AT patrickcphillips rapidgenefamilyevolutionofanematodespermproteindespitesequencehyperconservation |