A retrocopy of a gene can functionally displace the source gene in evolution.
The e(y)2 gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes the ubiquitous evolutionarily conserved co-activator of RNA polymerase II that is involved in transcription regulation of a high number of genes. The Drosophila e(y)2b gene, paralogue of the e(y)2 has been found. The analysis of structure of the e(y)2, e(y)2b and its orthologues from other species reveals that the e(y)2 gene derived as a result of retroposition of the e(y)2b during Drosophila evolution. The mRNA-derived retrogenes lack introns or regulatory regions; most of them become pseudogenes whereas some acquire tissue-specific functions. Here we describe the different situation: the e(y)2 retrogene performs the general function and is ubiquitously expressed, while the source gene is functional only in a small group of male germ cells. This must have resulted from retroposition into a transcriptionally favorable region of the genome.
Krasnov
Aleksey N
AN
Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Gene Biology, 119334 Moscow, Russia.
Kurshakova
Maria M
MM
Ramensky
Vasily E
VE
Mardanov
Pavel V
PV
Nabirochkina
Elena N
EN
Georgieva
Sofia G
SG
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005091:Exons; D017344:Genes, Insect; D023281:Genomics; D007438:Introns; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C423782:e(y)2 protein, Drosophila; C506263:e(y)2b protein, Drosophila