Evolution of regulatory elements producing a conserved gene expression pattern in Caenorhabditis

Evolution & Development
Xiaodong WangHelen M Chamberlin

Abstract

Natural selection acts at the level of function, not at the logistical level of how organisms achieve a particular function. Consequently, significant DNA sequence and regulatory differences can achieve the same function, such as a particular gene expression pattern. To investigate how regulatory features underlying a conserved function can evolve, we compared the regulation of a conserved gene expression pattern in the related species Caenorhabditis elegans and C. briggsae. We find that both C. elegans and C. briggsae express the ovo-related zinc finger gene lin-48 in the same pattern in hindgut cells. However, the regulation of this gene by the Pax-2/5/8 protein EGL-38 differs in two important ways. First, specific differences in the regulatory sequences of lin-48 result in the presence of two redundant EGL-38 response elements in C. elegans, whereas the redundancy is absent in C. briggsae. Second, there is a single egl-38 gene in C. briggsae. In contrast, the gene is duplicated in C. elegans, with only one copy retaining the ability to regulate lin-48 in vivo. These results illustrate molecular changes that can occur despite maintenance of conserved gene function in different species.

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Citations

Nov 19, 2009·Molecular Genetics and Genomics : MGG·Kristin R Armstrong, Helen M Chamberlin
Dec 24, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Ted O RiriePaul W Sternberg
Jan 17, 2008·Genes & Development·Chris J CretekosRichard R Behringer
May 25, 2006·Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics·Glenn A MastonMichael R Green
Nov 16, 2006·PLoS Biology·Sylvain Marcellini, Pat Simpson
Jun 27, 2014·PLoS Genetics·Antoine Barrière, Ilya Ruvinsky
Nov 3, 2009·Evolution & Development·Buqing YiRalf J Sommer
Oct 6, 2006·Developmental Biology·Vandana Rajakumar, Helen M Chamberlin
Nov 10, 2004·PLoS Biology·Audrey P GaschMichael B Eisen
Oct 6, 2006·Development·DonHa ParkHelen M Chamberlin

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