SRY-related (Sox) genes in the genome of European Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser sturio).
The Sox-gene family represents an ancient group of transcription factors involved in numerous developmental processes and sex determination in vertebrates. SOX proteins are characterized by a conserved high mobility group (HMG)-box domain, which is responsible for DNA binding and bending. We studied Sox genes in sturgeon, one of the most primitive groups of fishes characterized by a high chromosome number. Male and female genomes were screened for Sox genes using highly degenerate primers that amplified a broad range of HMG boxes. A total of 102 clones, representing 22 different sequences coding for 8 Sox genes, was detected and classified according to their orthologues. Sox2, Sox3, Sox4, Sox9, Sox11, Sox17, Sox19, and Sox21 were found in sturgeon; these genes represent Sox groups B, C, E, and F. In a phylogenetic analysis (neighbor-joining, maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony), these genes clustered with their mouse orthologues. In the case of Sox4, Sox17, and Sox21, we found evidence of gene duplication.
Hett
Anne Kathrin
AK
Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Berlin, Germany.
Ludwig
Arne
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics*; D020440:Gene Duplication; D016678:Genome; D024742:HMG-Box Domains / Q000235:genetics; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors