The Discovery and Evolutionary Analysis of Divergent Homologs Involved in Cattle Immune and Reproductive Biology

Abstract

Ten divergent homologs were identified using a subtractive bioinformatic analysis of 12,614 cattle placenta ESTs followed by comparative, evolutionary and gene expression studies. Eight have not been identified previously. These were named: CSSMST1, CIST1, HAVCRNDP, PRP8, PRP9, PRP11, SECTM1A and SECTM1B. Nucleotide substitution analysis provided evidence for positive selection in members of the PRP gene family, SECTM1A and SECTM1B. Gene expression profiles, motif predictions, and annotations of homologous sequences indicate immunological and reproductive functions of the divergent homologs. The genes identified in this experiment are thus of evolutionary and physiological importance and may have a role in placental adaptations.