title: Evidence for the coevolution of axon guidance molecule Netrin and its receptor Frazzled.
abstract: Coevolution of a ligand and its receptor is critical for maintaining their function in different species, but how ligand and its receptor coevolve is poorly understood. The axon guidance molecule Netrin and its receptor Frazzled (Fra) are useful to study the mechanisms of ligand-receptor coevolution. Here, we have applied codon substitution models to identify positive selection of the netrin and fra genes. The sites under positive selection in netrin and fra were detected in same lineage, such as nematode, dipteran, hymenopteran, hemichordate, and teleost. Several amino acid residues that are under positive selection were identified in the interaction domains. Here we provide evidence that positive selection is essential for the coevolution of Netrin and Fra during central nervous system evolution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: huanglsdau@126.com.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: zhxicgz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: yuqsdau@163.com.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: wzcui88@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei-Zheng
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: liuqingxin@sdau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qing-Xin
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D000075388:Netrin-1; D010802:Phylogeny; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000075388:Netrin-1
keywords: Molecular evolution; PAML; Phylogenetic tree; Positive selection