The protein of snake evolved to adapt

Before large data systems were formed, it was thought that morphological and physiological transformation and separation could easily be explained at the molecular level. However, the physiological adaptive changes have received very few answers so far.

In a study published in PLoS ONE Wednesday, May 21, Pollock and his colleagues brought a proof of macro evolutionary changes in snakes (adaptation of metabolism, birth functions). The process or evolution of venom): that process occurs in parallel with the large-scale functional reconstruction of metabolic protein molecules that play a central role.

Dr. David Pollock and professor of Molecular and Biochemical Genetics at Colorado Denver Medical University said: 'The results evolved at a very significant molecular level. It gives first priority to the process of rebuilding proteins to adapt. This represents the most impressive explosive protein evolution event in a conserved protein molecule that I know of. '

In the past ten years, scientists have shown that snakes have special abilities: they can regulate the development of the heart and the digestive system. They can survive in the extreme metabolic system among vertebrates. Thus snakes become an ideal model for studying organ development as well as regulating metabolism and physiology.

(Photo: dreamstime.com)

The reason why the snake became special has never been known at the molecular level. In this study, Pollock and colleagues have demonstrated that mitochondrial-encoded oxidative phosphorylation proteins in snakes undergo a special reconstruction process. This may explain why snakes have physiological functions and unique metabolism.

Amono acids are often not concentrated in these altered proteins affecting the key molecular functions such as proton transfer (creating proton density gradient that controls energy production in the cell). . In addition to promoting amino acid substitution, researchers have also obtained significant evolutionary evidence at the molecular level of convergence and co-evolution.

The function of oxidative metabolism proteins in vertebrates is still controversial largely due to difficulties in manipulating these membrane proteins in the laboratory. By combining molecular evolution analysis with protein structure data, the authors of the study showed important functions of protein coding for mitochondria (such as oxygen transport, electrons and protons via cytochrome C oxidase). ) has basically been transformed during the evolution of snakes.

Snakes have previously been thought to possess an ecological, physiological and metabolic system to study evolution. The results obtained today prove that idea. Snake species as a model research system can now expand research capabilities to the molecular level.

Dr Todd Castoe - the lead author of the paper - said: 'Snake is an invaluable source of research for structural biologists as well as biochemists. They can use relative genetic capital to establish hypotheses about COI and good oxidative phosphorylation functions on the transformation process, reconstructing these functions. "

Pollock said: 'We believe that the results will provide the most obvious, most impressive pattern of evolutionary adaptation in a central metabolic protein. The results also suggest that there may be a link between adaptive physiological function and molecular adaptation '.

'The manuscript is also an important milestone in molecular evolution and adaptation of vertebrate animals, opening clear directions for future research. Solid protein metabolism clarifies the understanding of this critical but elusive functional metabolism. "

Quote: Castoe TA, Jiang ZJ, Gu W, Wang ZO, Pollock DD (2008) - Adaptive evolution and reconstruction of the function of central metabolic protein in snakes.
PLoS ONE 3 (5): e2201.doi: 10.1371 / journal.pone.0002201