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Drosophila mojoless, a retroposed GSK-3, has functionally diverged to acquire an essential role in male fertility.

Authors :
Kalamegham R
Sturgill D
Siegfried E
Oliver B
Source :
Molecular biology and evolution [Mol Biol Evol] 2007 Mar; Vol. 24 (3), pp. 732-42. Date of Electronic Publication: 2006 Dec 18.
Publication Year :
2007

Abstract

Retroposition is increasingly recognized as an important mechanism for the acquisition of new genes. We show that a glycogen synthase kinase-3 gene, shaggy (sgg), retroposed at least 50 MYA in the Drosophila genus to generate a new gene, mojoless (mjl). We have extensively analyzed the function of mjl and examined its functional divergence from the parental gene sgg in Drosophila melanogaster. Unlike Sgg, which is expressed in many tissues of both sexes, Mjl is expressed specifically in the male germ line, where it is required for male germ line survival. Our analysis indicates that mjl has acquired a specific function in the maintenance of male germ line viability. However, it has not completely lost its ancestral biochemical function and can partially compensate for loss of the parental gene sgg when ectopically expressed in somatic cells. We postulate that mjl has undergone functional diversification and is now under stabilizing selection in the Drosophila genus.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0737-4038
Volume :
24
Issue :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Molecular biology and evolution
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
17179138
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msl201