title: Reevaluation of the evolutionary events within recA/RAD51 phylogeny.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recA/RAD51 gene family encodes a diverse set of recombinase proteins that affect homologous recombination, DNA-repair, and genome stability. The recA gene family is expressed across all three domains of life - Eubacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes - and even in some viruses. To date, efforts to resolve the deep evolutionary origins of this ancient protein family have been hindered by the high sequence divergence between paralogous groups (i.e. ~30% average pairwise identity).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Through large taxon sampling and the use of a phylogenetic algorithm designed for inferring evolutionary events in highly divergent paralogs, we obtained a robust, parsimonious and more refined phylogenetic history of the recA/RAD51 superfamily.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, our model for the evolution of recA/RAD51 family provides a better understanding of the ancient origin of recA proteins and the multiple events that lead to the diversification of recA homologs in eukaryotes, including the discovery of additional RAD51 sub-families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sree V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Chintapalli
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Jagadish
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: Loukia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hadjiyianni
authors.forename: Yoojin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: Casey A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Boosalis
authors.forename: Zhenhai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaofan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Andriy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anishkin
authors.forename: Damian B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: van Rossum
authors.forename: Randen L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D010802:Phylogeny; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D011938:Rec A Recombinases