A Maximum Likelihood Method for Detecting Functional Divergence at Individual Codon Sites, with Application to Gene Family Evolution

The tailoring of existing genetic systems to new uses is called genetic co-option. Mechanisms of genetic co-option have been difficult to study because of difficulties in identifying functionally important changes. One way to study genetic co-option in protein-coding genes is to identify those amino acid sites that have experienced changes in selective pressure following a genetic co-option event. In this paper we present a maximum likelihood method useful for measuring divergent selective pressures and identifying the amino acid sites affected by divergent selection. The method is based on a codon model of evolution and uses the nonsynonymous-to-synonymous rate ratio () as a measure of selection on the protein, with =1, <1, and >1 indicating neutral evolution, purifying selection, and positive selection, respectively. The model allows variation in among sites, with a fraction of sites evolving under divergent selective pressures. Divergent selection is indicated by different s between clades, such as between paralogous clades of a gene family. We applied the codon model to duplication followed by functional divergence of (i) the and globin genes and (ii) the eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) genes. In both cases likelihood ratio tests suggested the presence of sites evolving under divergent selective pressures. Results of the and globin analysis suggested that divergent selective pressures might be a consequence of a weakened relationship between fetal hemoglobin and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. We suggest that empirical Bayesian identification of sites evolving under divergent selective pressures, combined with structural and functional information, can provide a valuable framework for identifying and studying mechanisms of genetic co-option. Limitations of the new method are discussed.     

The − 974C>A (rs3087459) gene polymorphism in the endothelin gene (EDN1) is associated with risk of developing acute coronary syndrome in Mexican patients

Endothelial dysfunction plays an essential role in the development and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) are considered important molecules in the endothelial dysfunction process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of eNOS and ET-1 (EDN1) gene polymorphisms as susceptibility markers for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Six polymorphisms (rs1799983, rs2070744, rs1800783, rs3087459, rs1800541, and rs5369) of eNOS and EDN1 genes were analyzed by 5′ exonuclease TaqMan genotyping assays in a group of 452 patients with ACS and 283 healthy controls. The results showed increased frequencies of the A allele of the END1-914 C>A (rs3087459) polymorphism in ACS patients when compared to controls (OR = 1.56, Pc = 0.01). Under an additive model, the “AA” genotype was associated with an increased risk of developing ACS, adjusted for gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia, alcohol consumption, smoking, and diabetes (OR = 1.56, p = 0.045). Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed one EDN1 haplotype (AT) with increased frequency in ACS patients when compared to healthy controls (OR = 1.65, Pc = 0.0015). The “AT” haplotype was associated with the risk of developing ACS after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors using multiple logistic analysis. In this case, the adjusted OR was 1.73 for the AT haplotype (Pc = 0.0018). In summary, resulting data suggest that the END1-914 C>A gene polymorphism could be involved in the risk of developing ACS in Mexican individuals.     

BMP4 is required for the initial expression of MITF in melanocyte precursor differentiation from embryonic stem cells

Although the differentiation of melanoblasts to melanocytes is known to depend on many distinct factors, it is still poorly understood which factors lead to the induction of melanoblasts. To determine which factors might induce melanoblasts, we examined a set of candidate factors for their ability to induce expression of MITF, a master regulator of melanoblast development, in an ES cell-based melanocyte differentiation system. It appears that BMP4 is capable of inducing MITF expression in stem cells. In contrast, a number of other factors normally implicated in the development of the melanocyte lineage, including WNT1, WNT3a, SCF, EDN3, IGF1, PDGF, and RA, cannot induce MITF expression. Nevertheless, BMP4 alone does not allow MITF-expressing precursors to become differentiated melanocytes, but the addition of EDN3 further promotes differentiation of the precursors into mature melanocytes. Our results support a model in which BMP4 induces MITF expression in pluripotent stem cells and EDN3 subsequently promotes differentiation of these MITF expressing cells along the melanocyte lineage.     

BsmI polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor gene are associated with diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes in the Han Chinese population

We investigated the relationship between BsmI/ApaI polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor gene and diabetic nephropathy in a Han Chinese population. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to test the genotype and allele frequency of BsmI and ApaI polymorphisms in 304 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM group) and 100 control individuals (ND group). The DM group was further divided into DN0 (no diabetic nephropathy), DN1 (diabetes with small amount of albuminuria), DN2 (diabetes with large amount of albuminuria), L/NDN (late-onset DN after 5 years/no DN over the whole follow-up period of 5 years) and EDN (early-onset diabetic nephropathy occurring within first year) subgroup. We found that (1) genotype and allele frequency of BsmI polymorphism had significant difference between DM and ND group; BB+Bb genotype and B allele frequency were significantly higher in DN2 group than in ND and DN0 group; the ApaI polymorphism and allele frequency did not show any difference between DM and ND group; (2) BsmI BB+Bb genotype and B allele frequency were significantly higher in EDN group than in L/NDN group; (3) among patients with nephropathy, albumin excretion rate (AER) in 24-hour urine was significantly higher in those with BB+Bb phenotype than in those with bb phenotype (P<0.01), (4) unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that BsmI BB+Bb genotype was not only correlated with type 2 diabetic nephropathy, but also correlated with early-onset type 2 diabetic nephropathy. We conclude that the allele B (BB or Bb genotype) in vitamin D receptor gene is correlated with large amount albuminuria in the Han Chinese population with type 2 diabetes, and is probably a risk factor for early-onset diabetic nephropathy.     

Endothelin 1 gene as a modifier in dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a myocardial disease of unknown etiology with left ventricular dilatation and impaired myocardial contractility leading to heart failure. It is considered to be a multifactorial disorder with the interplay of both genetic and environmental factors. One of the possible genes implicated in DCM is endothelin 1 (EDN1). The genetic variants of EDN1 may be involved in the pathophysiology of DCM hence the entire EDN1 gene was screened to examine for the possible genotypic associations with DCM. A total of 115 DCM patients and 250 control subjects were included in the present study. PCR based SSCP analysis was carried out followed by commercial sequencing. Screening of EDN1 revealed two common and two rare polymorphisms. Allelic and genotypic frequencies were estimated in patient and control groups by appropriate statistical tests. The heterozygotes of insertion variation (+ 138A) were found to exhibit four-fold increase risk to DCM (OR = 4.12, 95% CI 2.10–8.08; p = 0.0001). The two rare variants (G>A transition (rs150035515) at c.90 and C>T transition (rs149399492) at c.119) observed in the present study were found to be unique in DCM. The secondary mRNA structures of these variations were found to have less free energy than wild type. The haplotype analysis revealed 4A–T to be risk haplotype for DCM (OR 5.90, 95% CI 2.29–15.25, p = 0.0001). In conclusion, EDN1 polymorphisms (+ 138A, A30A, T40I) appear to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of DCM, as they influence the stability of protein. The increased EDN1 production may lead to constriction of coronary arteries, reducing coronary blood flow which may in turn increase the load on left ventricle, impairing contractility of the heart resulting in a DCM phenotype, an end stage of heart failure.