Selective sweep of a newly evolved sperm-specific gene in Drosophila

The pattern of genetic variation across the genome of Drosophila melanogaster is consistent with the occurrence of frequent 'selective sweeps', in which new favourable mutations become incorporated into the species so quickly that linked alleles can 'hitchhike' and also become fi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1998-12, Vol.396 (6711), p.572-575
Main Authors: Nurminsky, D.I, Nurminskaya, M.V, De Aguiar, D, Hartl, D.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Annexins - genetics
Artificial Gene Fusion
Axonemal Dyneins
Base Sequence
Biological and medical sciences
Biology
DNA
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster - genetics
Drosophila Proteins
Dyneins - genetics
evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression Regulation
Genes
Genes, Insect
Genetic diversity
genomics
Humanities and Social Sciences
Insect Proteins - genetics
Insecta
Invertebrates
letter
Life cycle. Embryology. Development
Male
male reproductive functions
molecular evolution
Molecular Sequence Data
multidisciplinary
Mutation
Physiology. Development
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Proteins
Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics
reproduction
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Selection, Genetic
Sequence Deletion
Spermatozoa - metabolism
Testis - metabolism
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The pattern of genetic variation across the genome of Drosophila melanogaster is consistent with the occurrence of frequent 'selective sweeps', in which new favourable mutations become incorporated into the species so quickly that linked alleles can 'hitchhike' and also become fixed. Because of the hitchhiking of linked genes, it is generally difficult to identity the target of any putative selective sweep. Here, however, we identify a new gene in D. melanogaster that codes for a sperm-specific axonemal dynein subunit. The gene has a new testes-specific promoter derived from a protein-coding region in a gene encoding the cell-adhesion protein annexin X (AnnX), and it contains a new protein-coding exon derived from an intron in a gene encoding a cytoplasmic dynein intermediate chain (Cdic). The new transcription unit, designated Sdic (for sperm-specific dynein intermediate chain), has been duplicated about tenfold in a tandem array. Consistent with the selective sweep of this gene, the level of genetic polymorphism near Sdic is unusually low. The discovery of this gene supports other results that point to the rapid molecular evolution of male reproductive functions.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/25126