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Gene

Title:		Rapid turnover and species-specificity of vomeronasal pheromone receptor genes in mice and rats
Author(s):		Grus WE; Zhang J;
Address:		"Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 3003 Natural Science Building, 830 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA"
Journal Title:		Gene
Year:		2004
Volume:		340
Issue:		2
Page Number:		303 - 312
DOI:		10.1016/j.gene.2004.07.037
ISSN/ISBN:		0378-1119 (Print) 0378-1119 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Pheromones are used by individuals of the same species to elicit behavioral or physiological changes, and they are perceived primarily by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) in terrestrial vertebrates. VNO pheromone receptors are encoded by the V1r and V2r gene superfamilies in mammals. A comparison of the V1r and V2r repertoires between closely related species can provide significant insights into the evolutionary genetic mechanisms responsible for species-specific pheromone communications. A total of 137 putatively functional V1r genes of 12 families were previously identified from the mouse genome. We report the identification of 95 putatively functional V1r genes from the draft rat genome sequence. These genes map primarily to four blocks in two chromosomes. The rat V1r genes can be phylogenetically grouped into 10 families, which are shared with mouse, and 2 new families, which are rat-specific. Even in many shared families, gene numbers differ between the two species, apparently due to frequent gene duplication and pseudogenization after the separation of the two species. Molecular dating suggests that most of the rat V1r families emerged before or during the radiation of mammalian orders, but many duplications within families occurred as recently as in the past 10 million years (MY). Our results show that the evolution of the V1r repertoire is characterized by exceptionally fast gene turnover via gains and losses of individual genes, suggesting rapid and substantial changes in pheromone communication between species"
Keywords:		"Animals Chromosome Mapping Chromosomes, Mammalian/genetics DNA/chemistry/genetics Databases, Nucleic Acid Evolution, Molecular Gene Duplication Mice Molecular Sequence Data Phylogeny Rats Receptors, Odorant/*genetics Receptors, Pheromone/*genetics Sequenc;"
Notes:		"MedlineGrus, Wendy E Zhang, Jianzhi eng GM67030/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Netherlands 2004/10/12 Gene. 2004 Oct 13; 340(2):303-12. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2004.07.037"