The α-globin gene family of an Australian marsupial, Macropus eugenii: The long evolutionary history of the θ-globin gene and its functional status in mammals

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dc.contributor.authorCooper, S.
dc.contributor.authorWheeler, D.
dc.contributor.authorHope, R.
dc.contributor.authorDolman, G.
dc.contributor.authorSaint, K.
dc.contributor.authorGooley, A.
dc.contributor.authorHolland, R.
dc.date.issued2005
dc.descriptionCopyright Springer Science & Business Media B.V.
dc.description.abstractComparative evolutionary analyses of gene families among divergent lineages can provide information on the order and timing of major gene duplication events and evolution of gene function. Here we investigate the evolutionary history of the α-globin gene family in mammals by isolating and characterizing α-like globin genes from an Australian marsupial, the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses indicate that the tammar α -globin family consists of at least four genes including a single adult-expressed gene (α), two embryonic/neonatally expressed genes (ζ and ζ′), and θ -globin, each orthologous to the respective α-, ζ-, and θ-globin genes of eutherian mammals. The results suggest that the θ -globin lineage arose by duplication of an ancestral adult α-globin gene and had already evolved an unusual promoter region, atypical of all known α-globin gene promoters, prior to the divergence of the marsupial and eutherian lineages. Evolutionary analyses, using a maximum likelihood approach, indicate that θ -globin, has evolved under strong selective constraints in both marsupials and the lineage leading to human θ -globin, suggesting a long-term functional status. Overall, our results indicate that at least a four-gene cluster consisting of three α-like and one β-like globin genes linked in the order 5′–ζ–α–θ–ω–3′ existed in the common ancestor of marsupials and eutherians. However, results are inconclusive as to whether the two tammar ζ-globin genes arose by duplication prior to the radiation of the marsupial and eutherian lineages, with maintenance of exon sequences by gene conversion, or more recently within marsupials.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilitySteven J.B. Cooper, David Wheeler, Rory M. Hope, Gaynor Dolman, Kathleen M. Saint, Andrew A. Gooley and Robert A.B. Holland
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Molecular Evolution, 2005; 60(5):653-664
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s00239-004-0247-9
dc.identifier.issn0022-2844
dc.identifier.issn1432-1432
dc.identifier.orcidCooper, S. [0000-0002-7843-8438]
dc.identifier.orcidDolman, G. [0000-0001-7611-6841]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/27504
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-004-0247-9
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectMacropodidae
dc.subjectGlobins
dc.subjectDNA Primers
dc.subjectLikelihood Functions
dc.subjectSequence Analysis, DNA
dc.subjectEvolution, Molecular
dc.subjectPhylogeny
dc.subjectAmino Acid Sequence
dc.subjectBase Sequence
dc.subjectMultigene Family
dc.subjectModels, Genetic
dc.subjectMolecular Sequence Data
dc.subjectAustralia
dc.subjectPromoter Regions, Genetic
dc.subjectSelection, Genetic
dc.titleThe α-globin gene family of an Australian marsupial, Macropus eugenii: The long evolutionary history of the θ-globin gene and its functional status in mammals
dc.title.alternativeThe alpha-globin gene family of an Australian marsupial, Macropus eugenii: The long evolutionary history of the theta-globin gene and its functional status in mammals
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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