A novel gene family controls species-specific morphological traits in Hydra.
A novel gene family controls species-specific morphological traits in Hydra.
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一个新型的基因家族控制着九头蛇中物种特异性的形态特征。
DOI：
10.1371/journal.pbio.0060278
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发表时间：
2008-11-18
期刊：
影响因子：
9.8
通讯作者：
Bosch, Thomas C. G.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Khalturin, Konstantin;Anton-Erxleben, Friederike;Sassmann, Sylvia;Wittlieb, Joerg;Hemmrich, Georg;Bosch, Thomas C. G.
了解形态多样性进化背后的分子事件是生物学的一个重大挑战。在这里，为了确定表达与物种特异性形态相关的基因，我们比较了两个密切相关的水螅物种的转录组。我们发现触须形成的物种特异性差异与分类上限制性基因编码小分泌蛋白的表达有关。我们表明，功能的获得引起形态的变化，反映了物种之间观察到的表型差异。这些结果表明，“新”基因可能参与了物种特异性形态特征的产生。近亲动物的大部分基因是相同的，只有微小的形态差异才能让我们把它们区分开来。这些差异的遗传基础可能涉及转录因子（“调节”基因）在空间和时间活动上的微小变化，而转录因子在整个动物王国中惊人地保守。然而，每一群动物也都有一小部分基因，这些基因在密切相关的物种之间是极其不同的，甚至是独一无二的。这样的基因被称为“新颖的”、“孤儿的”或“分类上受限的”。它们的功能和起源往往是模糊的。我们已经发现，一个新的基因家族负责两种密切相关的淡水水螅（Hydra）之间的形态差异。一种由新基因编码的分泌蛋白调节触须的发育方式。我们的数据表明，新的基因可能在新的形态特征的创造中发挥作用，从而代表了进化如何在属水平上起作用的一种方式。新基因的出现可能反映了进化过程，使动物能够以最佳方式适应不断变化的环境条件和新的栖息地。“新”基因参与了基础后生水螅形态多样性的进化。
Understanding the molecular events that underlie the evolution of morphological diversity is a major challenge in biology. Here, to identify genes whose expression correlates with species-specific morphologies, we compared transcriptomes of two closely related Hydra species. We find that species-specific differences in tentacle formation correlate with expression of a taxonomically restricted gene encoding a small secreted protein. We show that gain of function induces changes in morphology that mirror the phenotypic differences observed between species. These results suggest that “novel” genes may be involved in the generation of species-specific morphological traits. Closely related animal species share most of their genes, and only minor morphological differences allow us to tell them apart. The genetic basis for these differences may involve minor changes in the spatial and temporal activity of transcription factors—“regulator” genes—which are surprisingly conserved throughout the animal kingdom. However, every group of animals also has a small proportion of genes that are extremely variable among closely related species or even unique. Such genes are referred to as “novel,” “orphan,” or “taxonomically restricted.” Their functions and origins are often obscure. We have found that a family of novel genes is responsible for morphological differences between two closely related species of fresh water polyps called Hydra. A secreted protein encoded by a novel gene regulates the way in which tentacles develop. Our data indicate that novel genes may play a role in the creation of novel morphological features, thus representing one way how evolution works at the genus level. Appearance of novel genes may reflect evolutionary processes that allow animals to adapt in the best way to changing environmental conditions and new habitats. "Novel" genes are involved in the evolution of morphological diversity in the basal metazoanHydra.
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