Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: Many homeobox genes show remarkable conservation between divergent animal phyla. In contrast, the ARGFX (Arginine-fifty homeobox) homeobox locus was identified in the human genome but is not present in mouse or invertebrates. Here we ask when and how this locus originated and examine its pattern of molecular evolution. RESULTS: Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses suggest that ARGFX originated by gene duplication from Otx1, Otx2 or Crx during early mammalian evolution, most likely on the stem lineage of the eutherians. ARGFX diverged extensively from its progenitor homeobox gene and its exons have been functional and subject to purifying selection through much of placental mammal radiation. Surprisingly, the coding region is disrupted in most mammalian genomes analysed, with human being the only mammal identified in which the full open reading frame is retained. Indeed, we describe a transcript from human testis that has the potential to encode the full deduced protein. CONCLUSIONS: The unusual pattern of evolution suggests that the ARGFX gene may encode a functional RNA or alternatively it may have 'flickered' between functional and non-functional states in the evolutionary history of mammals, particularly in the period when many mammalian lineages diverged within a relatively short time span.

Original publication

DOI

10.1186/1471-2148-10-182

Type

Journal article

Journal

BMC Evol Biol

Publication Date

17/06/2010

Volume

10

Keywords

Animals, Birds, Cloning, Molecular, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, Conserved Sequence, Evolution, Molecular, Fishes, Gene Duplication, Genes, Homeobox, Humans, Lizards, Mammals, Mutation, Phylogeny, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Synteny, Xenopus