title: Evolution of the Dynein Heavy Chain Family in Ciliates.
abstract: Dynein heavy chains are motor proteins that comprise a large gene family found across eukaryotes. We have investigated this gene family in four ciliate species: Ichthyophthirius, Oxytricha, Paramecium, and Tetrahymena. Ciliates appear to encode more dynein heavy chain genes than most eukaryotes. Phylogenetic comparisons demonstrated that the last common ancestor of the ciliates that were examined expressed at least 14 types of dynein heavy chains with most of the expansion coming from the single-headed inner arm dyneins. Each of the dyneins most likely performed different functions within the cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, Indiana, 46634.
authors.forename: Vidyalakshmi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rajagopalan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, Indiana, 46634.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wilkes
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004398:Dyneins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016813:Oxytricha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010247:Paramecium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D013768:Tetrahymena / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004398:Dyneins
keywords: Ichthyophthirius; Oxytricha; Paramecium; Tetrahymena