PMID: 9526509Apr 4, 1998Paper

Molecular evolution of cdc2 pseudogenes in spruce (Picea)

Plant Molecular Biology
A KvarnhedenP Engström

Abstract

The p34cdc2 protein and other cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDK) are important regulators of eukaryotic cell cycle progression. We have previously cloned a functional cdc2 gene from Picea abies and found it to be part of a family of related sequences, largely consisting of pseudogenes. We now report on the isolation of partial cdc2 pseudogenes from Picea engelmannii and Picea sitchensis, as well as partial functional cdc2 sequences from P. engelmannii, P. sitchensis and Pinus contorta. A high level of conservation between species was detected for these sequences. Phylogenetic analyses of pseudogene and functional cdc2 sequences, as well as the presence of shared insertions or deletions, support the division of most of the cdc2 pseudogenes into two subfamilies. New cdc2 pseudogenes appear to have been formed in Picea at a much higher rate than they have been obliterated by neutral mutations. The pattern of nucleotide changes in the cdc2 pseudogenes, as compared to a presumed ancestral functional cdc2 gene, was similar to that previously found in mammalian pseudogenes, with a strong bias for the transitions C to T and G to A, and the transversions C to A and G to T.

Citations

Jul 30, 2008·Journal of Molecular Evolution·Maria Rosario García-Gil
Nov 15, 2011·BMC Genomics·Wenxuan LiuDaniel G Peterson

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cell Checkpoints & Regulators

Cell cycle checkpoints are a series of complex checkpoint mechanisms that detect DNA abnormalities and ensure that DNA replication and repair are complete before cell division. They are primarily regulated by cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, and the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome. Here is the latest research.