title: Molecular evolution of genes encoding ribonucleases in ruminant species.
abstract: Phylogenetic analysis, based on the primary structures of mammalian pancreatic-type ribonucleases, indicated that gene duplication events, which occurred during the evolution of ancestral ruminants, gave rise to the three paralogous enzymes present in the bovine species. Herein we report data that demonstrate the existence of the orthologues of the bovine pancreatic, seminal, and cerebral ribonucleases coding sequences in the genomes of giraffe and sheep. The "seminal" sequence is a pseudogene in both species. We also report an analysis of the transcriptional expression of ribonuclease genes in sheep tissues. The data presented support a model for positive selection acting on the molecular evolution of ruminant ribonuclease genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic and Biological Chemistry, University Federico II of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Confalone
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Beintema
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sasso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carsana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furia
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000235:genetics*; D012418:Ruminants / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017421:Sequence Analysis
chemical_list: D012260:Ribonucleases