ArticleBMC evolutionary biology2007
Inventing an arsenal: adaptive evolution and neofunctionalization of snake venom phospholipase A2 genes.
Article in BMC evolutionary biology, 2007. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 105 papers.
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105 citing papers in PubMed.
- Evolutionary innovation through fusion of sequences from across the tree of life.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026Article
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- Integrated co-expression analysis of host-parasite transcriptomes reveals mechanisms of host modulation in an ant-cestode system.BMC genomics · 2026Article
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- Transcriptomic Insights Into the Evolution of Snake Venom: Mechanisms, Diversity, and Adaptation.Scientifica · 2026Review
- Genome of venomous caterpillarProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- Unveiling the Evolutionary History of European Vipers and Their Venoms From a Multi-Omic Approach.Molecular ecology · 2025Article
- Evolution of Phospholipase A2 in Bees and Flies.Ecology and evolution · 2025Article
- Variations in "Functional Site" Residues and Classification of Three-Finger Neurotoxins in Snake Venoms.Toxins · 2025Review
- A Segregating Structural Variant Defines Novel Venom Phenotypes in the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.Molecular biology and evolution · 2025Article
- A lateral flow immunoassay-based survey reveals a low-frequency truncated Solenopsis invicta venom 2-like protein and unique Solenopsis invicta venom 2 protein genotypes inFrontiers in insect science · 2025Article
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- Revisiting the reaction pathways for phospholipid hydrolysis catalyzed by phospholipase A2 with QM/MM methods.Chemical science · 2024Article
- Tissue damaging toxins in snake venoms: mechanisms of action, pathophysiology and treatment strategies.Communications biology · 2024Review
- The genome of the ant Tetramorium bicarinatum reveals a tandem organization of venom peptides genes allowing the prediction of their regulatory and evolutionary profiles.BMC genomics · 2024Article
- Varying Modes of Selection Among Toxin Families in the Venoms of the Giant Desert Hairy Scorpions (Hadrurus).Journal of molecular evolution · 2023Article
- Evaluation of Neutralization Potential ofIndian journal of critical care medicine : peer-reviewed, official publication of Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine · 2023Article
- Adaptive evolution and co-evolution of chloroplast genomes in Pteridaceae species occupying different habitats: overlapping residues are always highly mutated.BMC plant biology · 2023Article
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45 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Abstract
backgroundGene duplication followed by functional divergence has long been hypothesized to be the main source of molecular novelty. Convincing examples of neofunctionalization, however, remain rare. Snake venom phospholipase A2 genes are members of large multigene families with many diverse functions, thus they are excellent models to study the emergence of novel functions after gene duplications.
resultsHere, I show that positive Darwinian selection and neofunctionalization is common in snake venom phospholipase A2 genes. The pattern of gene duplication and positive selection indicates that adaptive molecular evolution occurs immediately after duplication events as novel functions emerge and continues as gene families diversify and are refined. Surprisingly, adaptive evolution of group-I phospholipases in elapids is also associated with speciation events, suggesting adaptation of the phospholipase arsenal to novel prey species after niche shifts. Mapping the location of sites under positive selection onto the crystal structure of phospholipase A2 identified regions evolving under diversifying selection are located on the molecular surface and are likely protein-protein interactions sites essential for toxin functions.
conclusionThese data show that increases in genomic complexity (through gene duplications) can lead to phenotypic complexity (venom composition) and that positive Darwinian selection is a common evolutionary force in snake venoms. Finally, regions identified under selection on the surface of phospholipase A2 enzymes are potential candidate sites for structure based antivenin design.
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