PUBLICATION

A new evolutionary model for the vertebrate actin family including two novel groups

Authors
Witjes, L., Van Troys, M., Vandekerckhove, J., Vandepoele, K., Ampe, C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-190929-5
Date
2019
Source
Molecular phylogenetics and evolution   141: 106632 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Acta4, Acte1, actin family, nomenclature, synteny, vertebrate actin evolution
MeSH Terms
  • Actins/genetics*
  • Animals
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Exons/genetics
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Muscle, Smooth/metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Species Specificity
  • Synteny/genetics
  • Vertebrates/genetics*
PubMed
31560986 Full text @ Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.
Abstract
Database surveys in the vertebrate model organisms: chicken (Gallus gallus), western clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis), anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) indicate that in some of these species the number of actin paralogues differs from the well-established six paralogues in mouse (Mus musculus). To investigate differential functions of actins and for establishing disease models it is important to know how actins in the different model organisms relate to each other and whether the vertebrate actin family is truly limited to six groups. Primarily through synteny analyses we discovered that the vertebrate actin family consists of eight instead of six orthologous actin groups for which we propose improved gene nomenclature. We also established that α-skeletal muscle, γ-enteric smooth muscle and γ-cytoplasmic actin genes originated prior to tetrapods contradicting an earlier and widely accepted model of actin evolution. Our findings allow a more reliable predictive classification of actin paralogues in (non-mammalian) vertebrates and contribute to a better understanding of actin evolution as basis for biomedical research on actin-related diseases.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping