Multiple regulatory changes contribute to the evolution of the Caenorhabditis lin-48 ovo gene.
Recent work points to the importance of changes in gene expression patterns in species-specific differences. Here, we investigate the evolution of the nematode lin-48 ovo gene. lin-48 is expressed in several cells in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae, but acts in the excretory duct cell only in C. elegans. We find the differences result both from alterations in the cis-regulatory sequences and in proteins that mediate lin-48 expression. One factor that contributes to the species differences is the bZip protein CES-2. Our results indicate the accumulation of several regulatory changes affecting one gene can contribute to evolutionary change.
Wang
Xiaodong
X
Department of Molecular Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
Chamberlin
Helen M
HM
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; C100663:CES-2 protein, C elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C434744:Lin-48 protein, C elegans; D014157:Transcription Factors