Evidence for gene conversion in the amylase multigene family of Drosophila pseudoobscura |
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Authors: | Popadic A; Anderson WW |
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Institution: | Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-7223, USA. |
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Abstract: | The alpha-amylase (Amy) multigene family in Drosophila pseudoobscura is
located on the third chromosome, which is polymorphic for more than 40
inverted gene arrangements. The number of copies in this family ranges from
one to three, depending on the arrangement in question. A previous study of
the three Amy genes from the Standard (ST) arrangement suggested either
that duplicated copies (Amy2 and Amy3) are functionally constrained or that
they are undergoing gene conversion with Amy1. In order to elucidate
further the pattern of molecular evolution in this family, we cloned and
sequenced four additional Amy genes, two from the Santa Cruz (SC) and two
from the Chiricahua (CH) gene arrangement. Of the two alternatives, only
the hypothesis of gene conversion is supported by the sequence analysis.
The homogenization effect of gene conversion has been strongest in SC,
whose copies differ by only two nucleotides, less noticeable in ST, and
negligible in the CH. Furthermore, the action of gene conversion is
apparently localized, occurring only in the coding region. Interestingly,
these results concur with the findings of other workers for the duplicated
Amy genes in the Drosophila melanogaster group. Thus, the occurrence of
gene conversion in the Amy multigene family seems to be a common feature in
the Drosophila species studied so far.
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