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Scratching the Surface of an Itch: Molecular Evolution of Aculeata Venom Allergens.

Scratching the Surface of an Itch: Molecular Evolution of Aculeata Venom Allergens.

Authors :
Baumann, Kate
Dashevsky, Daniel
Sunagar, Kartik
Fry, Bryan
Source :
Journal of Molecular Evolution. Aug2018, Vol. 86 Issue 7, p484-500. 17p.
Publication Year :
2018

Abstract

Hymenopteran insects are infamous for their sting, and their ability to cause severe anaphylaxis and in some cases death. This allergic reaction is a result of allergens present in the venom. Hymenopterans have many common venom allergens, the most widespread of which include phospholipase A1, phospholipase A2, acid phosphatase, hyaluronidase, serine protease and antigen 5. While there have been studies that look at the phylogenetic histories of allergens within closely related species, to our knowledge, this is the first study using evolutionary analyses to compare across Hymenoptera the types of selection that are occurring on allergens. This research examined the publicly available sequences of six different groups of allergens and found that allergens had diverged and formed closely related clades which share greater sequence similarities. We also analysed the patterns of selection and found that they are predominately under the influence of negative selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00222844
Volume :
86
Issue :
7
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Journal of Molecular Evolution
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
131533144
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-018-9860-x