Evolution of structural and functional diversification among plant Argonautes
Ravi K Singh1, Shree P Pandey1
1a Department of Biological Sciences ; Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata ; West Bengal , India.
Argonaute proteins (AGOs) are key to gene silencing. Their evolution in plants, from unicellular algae to complex species, involved duplication events and diversification, leading to distinct conformational and functional differences.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Evolutionary genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Argonautes (AGOs) are essential effector proteins of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC).
- Small-RNA mediated gene silencing is a crucial post-transcriptional regulatory process in eukaryotes.
- The number and diversity of AGO proteins vary significantly across plant species, ranging from 4 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to 18 in Oryza sativa.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary expansion and diversification of the Argonaute (AGO) gene family in plants.
- To test the hypothesis that AGOs evolved into four classes after the divergence of unicellular green algae through gene duplication.
- To explore the correlation between the evolution of multicellularity and AGO diversification in plants.
Main Methods:
- Comparative sequence analysis of plant AGO proteins.
- Structural analysis of AGO proteins from diverse plant lineages, including unicellular algae and mosses.
- Examination of genetic data to understand gene duplication events and evolutionary history.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests that the four major classes of plant AGOs originated after the divergence of unicellular green algae, likely through ancestral gene duplication.
- Comparative analysis revealed significant conformational differences between AGOs from lower and higher plants.
- Functional divergence was observed in key sites of AGO proteins, correlating with their evolutionary trajectory.
Conclusions:
- The Argonaute (AGO) gene family in plants underwent significant expansion and diversification driven by gene duplication events early in their evolutionary history.
- The evolution of multicellularity in plants appears to coincide with the diversification of AGO proteins.
- Distinct structural and functional differences among AGOs highlight their specialized roles in gene regulation across different plant lineages.
More Related Videos
09:33An Efficient Method for Quantitative, Single-cell Analysis of Chromatin Modification and Nuclear Architecture in Whole-mount Ovules in Arabidopsis
Published on: June 19, 2014
07:28High-throughput, Robust and Highly Time-flexible Method for Surface Sterilization of Arabidopsis Seeds
Published on: October 4, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
Gene Duplication and Divergence
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
Introduction to Plant Diversity
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes
Non-vascular Seedless Plants
