Molecular evolution and diversity of Conus peptide toxins, as revealed by gene structure and intron sequence analyses.

摘要: Cone snails, which are predatory marine gastropods, produce a cocktail of venoms used for predation, defense and competition. The major venom component, conotoxin, has received significant attention because it is useful in neuroscience research, drug development molecular diversity studies. In this study, we report the genomic characterization nine conotoxin gene superfamilies from 18 Conus species investigate relationships among structure, evolution diversity. I1, I2, M, O2, O3, P, S, T superfamily precursors all contain three exons two introns, while A members one intron. introns conserved within certain superfamily, also across different species, but divergent superfamilies. intronic sequences many simple repeat regulatory elements that may influence expression. Furthermore, due to unique structure conotoxins, base substitution rates number positively selected sites vary greatly exons. Many more point mutations trinucleotide indels were observed mature peptide exon than other addition, first example alternative splicing genes was found. These results suggest been shaped by indels, as well rare recombination or events, structures could have made contribution genes.