The evolution of the chicken sarcomeric myosin heavy chain multigene family

This manuscript describes the chicken sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MyHC) multigene family and how it differs from the sarcomeric MyHC multigene families of other vertebrates. Data is discussed that suggests the chicken fast MyHC multigene family has undergone recent expansion subsequent to the divergence of avians and mammals, and has been subjected to multiple gene conversion-like events. Similar to human and rodent MyHC multigene families, the chicken multigene family contains sarcomeric MyHC genes that are differentially regulated in developing embryonic, fetal, and neonatal muscles. However, unlike mammalian genes, chicken fast MyHC genes expressed in developing muscles are also expressed in mature muscle fibers as well. The potential significance of conserved and divergent sequences with the MyHC rod domain of five fast chicken isoforms that have been cloned and sequenced is also discussed.