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Genetics

Title:		Evolution of the integral membrane desaturase gene family in moths and flies
Author(s):		Knipple DC; Rosenfield CL; Nielsen R; You KM; Jeong SE;
Address:		"Department of Entomology, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva, New York 14456, USA. dck2@cornell.edu"
Journal Title:		Genetics
Year:		2002
Volume:		162
Issue:		4
Page Number:		1737 - 1752
DOI:		10.1093/genetics/162.4.1737
ISSN/ISBN:		0016-6731 (Print) 0016-6731 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Lepidopteran insects use sex pheromones derived from fatty acids in their species-specific mate recognition system. Desaturases play a particularly prominent role in the generation of structural diversity in lepidopteran pheromone biosynthesis as a result of the diverse enzymatic properties they have evolved. These enzymes are homologous to the integral membrane desaturases, which play a primary role in cold adaptation in eukaryotic cells. In this investigation, we screened for desaturase-encoding sequences in pheromone glands of adult females of eight lepidopteran species. We found, on average, six unique desaturase-encoding sequences in moth pheromone glands, the same number as is found in the genome database of the fly, Drosophila melanogaster, vs. only one to three in other characterized eukaryotic genomes. The latter observation suggests the expansion of this gene family in insects before the divergence of lepidopteran and dipteran lineages. We present the inferred homology relationships among these sequences, analyze nonsynonymous and synonymous substitution rates for evidence of positive selection, identify sequence and structural correlates of three lineages containing characterized enzymatically distinct desaturases, and discuss the evolution of this sequence family in insects"
Keywords:		"Amino Acid Motifs Amino Acid Sequence Animals Conserved Sequence DNA, Complementary/genetics Drosophila Proteins/chemistry/genetics/metabolism Drosophila melanogaster/*enzymology/*genetics/metabolism Evolution, Molecular Fatty Acid Desaturases/chemistry/*;"
Notes:		"MedlineKnipple, Douglas C Rosenfield, Claire-Lise Nielsen, Rasmus You, Kyung Man Jeong, Seong Eun eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 2003/01/14 Genetics. 2002 Dec; 162(4):1737-52. doi: 10.1093/genetics/162.4.1737"