Evolutionary and developmental analysis reveals KANK genes were co-opted for vertebrate vascular development.
Gene co-option, usually after gene duplication, in the evolution of development is found to contribute to vertebrate morphological innovations, including the endothelium-based vascular system. Recently, a zebrafish kank gene was found expressed in the vascular vessel primordium, suggesting KANK genes are a component of the developmental tool kit for the vertebrate vascular system. However, how the KANK gene family is involved in vascular vessel development during evolution remains largely unknown. First, we analyzed the molecular evolution of the KANK genes in metazoan, and found that KANK1, KANK2, KANK3 and KANK4 emerged in the lineage of vertebrate, consistent with the two rounds of vertebrate whole-genome duplications (WGD). Moreover, KANK genes were further duplicated in teleosts through the bony-fish specific WGD, while only kank1 and kank4 duplicates were retained in some of the examined fish species. We also found all zebrafish kank genes, except kank1b, are primarily expressed during embryonic vascular development. Compared to invertebrate KANK gene expression in the central nervous system, the vascular expression of zebrafish kank genes suggested KANK genes were co-opted for vertebrate vascular development. Given the cellular roles of KANK genes, our results suggest that this co-option may facilitate the evolutionary origin of vertebrate vascular vessels.
Department of Comparative Pathobiology;.725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Monica R
MR
Hensley
Department of Comparative Pathobiology;.725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Zhibin
Z
Cui
Department of Comparative Pathobiology;.725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Rhys F M
RF
Chua
Department of Comparative Pathobiology;.725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Stefanie
S
Simpson
Department of Comparative Pathobiology;.725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Nicole L
NL
Shammas
Purdue University Center for Cancer Research; 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.|Department of Basic Medical Sciences; 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907,USA.
Jer-Yen
JY
Yang
Department of Biological Sciences, 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907,USA.|Integrative Neuroscience Center; 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Yuk Fai
YF
Leung
Department of Comparative Pathobiology;.725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.|Purdue University Center for Cancer Research; 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.|Integrative Neuroscience Center; 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.|Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Diseases (PI4D), 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
GuangJun
G
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020440:Gene Duplication; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D010802:Phylogeny; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins