title: Adaptive evolution of scorpion sodium channel toxins.
abstract: Gene duplication followed by positive Darwinian selection is an important evolutionary event at the molecular level, by which a gene can gain new functions. Such an event might have occurred in the evolution of scorpion sodium channel toxin genes (alpha- and beta-groups). To test this hypothesis, a robust statistical method from Yang and co-workers based on the estimation of the nonsynonymous-to-synonymous rate ratio (omega = d(N)/ d(S)) was performed. The results provide clear statistical evidence for adaptive molecular evolution of scorpion alpha- and beta-toxin genes. A good match between the positively selected sites (evolutionary epitopes) and the putative bioactive surface (functional epitopes) indicates that these sites are most likely involved in functional recognition of sodium channels. Our results also shed light on the importance of the B-loop in the functional diversification of scorpion alpha- and beta-toxins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Leuven, E. Van Evenstraat 4, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Shunyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bosmans
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tytgat
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020440:Gene Duplication; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012605:Scorpions / Q000737:chemistry*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase