Abstract
Centromeric protein A (CENP-A) is the epigenetic determinant of centromeres. This protein has been shown to be adaptively evolving in a number of animal and plant species. In a previous communication we were able to demonstrate that signs of adaptive evolution were detected in the comparison of CENP-A sequences from three percid fish species. In this study we isolated the CENP-A gene from eight additional species from the Percidae family. With these sequences and those previously obtained, we carried out a more robust statistical analysis of codon specific positive selection in CENP-A coding sequences of eleven percid species. We were able to demonstrate that at least two amino acid positions within the N-terminal tail are under strong positive selection and that one of these positions is potentially a substrate for phosphorylation. While nonsynonymous substitutions were detected in the histone fold domain, these were not statistically supported as resulting from positive selection.
Highlights
Centromeres appear to be epigenetically determined by the deposition of centromeric protein A (CENP-A) which is a histone H3 variant that replaces histone H3 in nucleosomes that form the basis of kinetochore assembly
In a previous communication [9] we compared Centromeric protein A (CENP-A) from three fish species in the percidae family and obtained a positive selection signal in the N-terminal tail. In this communication we present data from an expanded number of darter species in this family to permit a more robust statistical analysis of codon specific positive selection in CENP-A
One non-synonymous substitution site is present in the α1 helix of the histone fold domain (HFD) and one non-synonymous site is present in the C-terminal tail
Summary
Centromeres appear to be epigenetically determined by the deposition of centromeric protein A (CENP-A) which is a histone H3 variant that replaces histone H3 in nucleosomes that form the basis of kinetochore assembly (see reviews [1,2]). Adaptive variation has been hypothesized to be due to female meiotic drive where those centromeres that are able to attract a greater number of centromeric proteins will form a stronger kinetochore and be selected by preferential segregation into the egg. Imbalance of centromere strengths would lead to nondisjunction during spermatogenesis where centromeric proteins that suppress formation of the strong centromeres would be selected [7]. In a previous communication [9] we compared CENP-A from three fish species in the percidae family and obtained a positive selection signal in the N-terminal tail. In this communication we present data from an expanded number of darter species in this family to permit a more robust statistical analysis of codon specific positive selection in CENP-A. Species were selected to provide a range of close and distant evolutionary relationships (Figure 1) to assess if CENP-A variation could, potentially, lead to speciation in darters
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