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Variation in constraint versus positive selection as an explanation for evolutionary rate variation among anthocyanin genes.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Rausher, MD; Lu, Y; Meyer, K
Published in: Journal of molecular evolution
August 2008

It has been argued that downstream enzymes in metabolic pathways are expected to be subject to reduced selective constraint, while upstream enzymes, particularly those at pathway branch points, are expected to exhibit more frequent adaptive substitution than downstream enzymes. We examined whether these expectations are met for enzymes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway in Ipomoea. Previous investigations have demonstrated that downstream enzymes in this pathway have substantially higher rates of nonsynonymous substitution than upstream enzymes. We demonstrate here that the difference in rates between the most upstream enzyme (CHS) and the two most downstream enzymes (ANS and UFGT) is explained almost entirely by differences in levels of selective constraint. Adaptive substitutions were not detected in any of these genes. Our results are consistent with suggestions that constraint is greater on enzymes with greater connectivity.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of molecular evolution

DOI

EISSN

1432-1432

ISSN

0022-2844

Publication Date

August 2008

Volume

67

Issue

2

Start / End Page

137 / 144

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Anthocyanins
  • 3105 Genetics
  • 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
  • 0604 Genetics
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
 

Citation

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Rausher, M. D., Lu, Y., & Meyer, K. (2008). Variation in constraint versus positive selection as an explanation for evolutionary rate variation among anthocyanin genes. Journal of Molecular Evolution, 67(2), 137–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-008-9105-5
Rausher, Mark D., Yingqing Lu, and Kyle Meyer. “Variation in constraint versus positive selection as an explanation for evolutionary rate variation among anthocyanin genes.Journal of Molecular Evolution 67, no. 2 (August 2008): 137–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-008-9105-5.
Rausher MD, Lu Y, Meyer K. Variation in constraint versus positive selection as an explanation for evolutionary rate variation among anthocyanin genes. Journal of molecular evolution. 2008 Aug;67(2):137–44.
Rausher, Mark D., et al. “Variation in constraint versus positive selection as an explanation for evolutionary rate variation among anthocyanin genes.Journal of Molecular Evolution, vol. 67, no. 2, Aug. 2008, pp. 137–44. Epmc, doi:10.1007/s00239-008-9105-5.
Rausher MD, Lu Y, Meyer K. Variation in constraint versus positive selection as an explanation for evolutionary rate variation among anthocyanin genes. Journal of molecular evolution. 2008 Aug;67(2):137–144.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of molecular evolution

DOI

EISSN

1432-1432

ISSN

0022-2844

Publication Date

August 2008

Volume

67

Issue

2

Start / End Page

137 / 144

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Anthocyanins
  • 3105 Genetics
  • 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
  • 0604 Genetics
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology