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Characterization of a putative hsp70 pseudogene transcribed in protoscoleces and adult worms of Echinococcus granulosus
- Source :
- Gene. 443:1-11
- Publication Year :
- 2009
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2009.
-
Abstract
- Searching for hsp70 genes in Echinococcus granulosus, a divergent cytoplasmic hsp70-like sequence (EgpsiHsp70) was isolated, possessing a small truncation in the region coding for the C-terminal glycine-rich linker and EEVD-Ct motif. Southern Blot analyses of E. granulosus, and in silico analyses of E. multilocularis indicate that this truncated sequence is repeated several times in both genomes, in some cases containing clear cut features of pseudogenization. Phylogenetic analyses and comparison of surrounding regions indicate that all these copies originated by successive genomic duplications of one originally truncated copy. These copies are diverging at an increased rate compared to functional cytoplasmic hsp70 genes, and ratios of non-synonymous over synonymous substitutions rates (dN/dS) point to a relaxation of sequence constraint, suggesting that these sequences are pseudogenes. Interestingly, RT-PCR demonstrates that EgpsiHsp70 is transcribed in protoscoleces and adult individuals of E. granulosus. We suggest that this sequence does not code for a functional polypeptide, although some features are unexpected for a sequence evolving under a strictly neutral mode. Transcription could either be vestigial or have a specific, non-coding function.
- Subjects :
- Genetics
Echinococcus granulosus
Transcription, Genetic
biology
Phylogenetic tree
Pseudogene
Molecular Sequence Data
Sequence alignment
General Medicine
biology.organism_classification
Phylogenetics
Animals
Echinococcus multilocularis
HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
Amino Acid Sequence
Sequence Alignment
Gene
Peptide sequence
Genes, Helminth
Pseudogenes
Southern blot
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 03781119
- Volume :
- 443
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Gene
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....9e80910636377efbe8c0f7db6875519a