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Cell Lineage Analyses and Gene Function Studies Using Twin-spot MARCM
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Ancient origins of complex neuronal genes
Matthew J McCoy1,2, Andrew Z Fire1,3
1Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|April 10, 2023
Summary
Ancient large genes, crucial for complex nervous systems, evolved before animal and neuron diversification. These genes, under purifying selection, grew larger and gained isoforms, driving evolutionary complexity.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Neuroscience
- Genomics
Background:
- The evolution of nervous systems is a fundamental biological question.
- Synaptic proteins are crucial for synapse formation and nervous system complexity.
- Large animal genes, often implicated in neurological disorders, are primarily expressed in neurons.
Conclusions:
- Large, multi-isoform genes represent a distinctive class with ancient origins.
- Intrinsic genomic properties like gene length offer flexibility for molecular evolution.
- The expansion and diversification of these genes contribute significantly to the evolution of organismal complexity, particularly in nervous systems.
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