Pervasive and largely lineage-specific adaptive protein evolution in the dosage compensation complex of Drosophila melanogaster.
Dosage compensation refers to the equalization of X-linked gene transcription among heterogametic and homogametic sexes. In Drosophila, the dosage compensation complex (DCC) mediates the twofold hypertranscription of the single male X chromosome. Loss-of-function mutations at any DCC protein-coding gene are male lethal. Here we report a population genetic analysis suggesting that four of the five core DCC proteins--MSL1, MSL2, MSL3, and MOF--are evolving under positive selection in D. melanogaster. Within these four proteins, several domains that range in function from X chromosome localization to protein-protein interactions have elevated, D. melanogaster-specific, amino acid divergence.
Levine
Mia T
MT
Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. mialevine@ucdavis.edu
Holloway
Alisha K
AK
Arshad
Umbreen
U
Begun
David J
DJ
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics
D029721:Drosophila Proteins