title: Adaptive evolution of relish, a Drosophila NF-kappaB/IkappaB protein.
abstract: NF-kappaB and IkappaB proteins have central roles in regulation of inflammation and innate immunity in mammals. Homologues of these proteins also play an important role in regulation of the Drosophila immune response. Here we present a molecular population genetic analysis of Relish, a Drosophila NF-kappaB/IkappaB protein, in Drosophila simulans and D. melanogaster. We find strong evidence for adaptive protein evolution in D. simulans, but not in D. melanogaster. The adaptive evolution appears to be restricted to the IkappaB domain. A possible explanation for these results is that Relish is a site of evolutionary conflict between flies and their microbial pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Section of Integrative Biology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA. djbegun@mail.utexas.edu
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Begun
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whitley
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; C101626:Rel protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; C496563:IKKbeta protein, Drosophila