title: A possible mode of protein evolution. Role of the anti-sense strand in the generation of new proteins.
abstract: The possibility that a new functional protein may be generated during evolution by using the anti-sense strands of pre-existing genes is proposed. Sequence similarity between the anti-sense strand of one gene and the sense strand of another gene may provide evidence for this generation. The computer search for the "sense/anti-sense" strand similarities between nucleotide sequences for receptors and sequences available in a database was carried out. This type of similarity was found for various receptor genes, such as the low density lipoprotein receptor, lymphocyte receptor for IgE, asialoglycoprotein receptor (hepatic lectin), T-cell receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, insulin receptor and estrogen receptor genes. Sequence similarities between the sense strands of receptor genes were also found. These results may suggest that the repertoire of proteins was increased by the utilization of the anti-sense or sense strands of pre-existing genes.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011506:Proteins; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012313:RNA