How predictable are evolutionary paths?
One way to address this question is to examine cases of parallel evolution. A good example is insect specialization to cardenolide-containing host plants. Many insect herbivores have independently evolved insensitivity to cardenolides, which target Na+, K+-ATPase. Previous studies have documented the genetic basis of Na+, K+-ATPase cardenolide insensitivity in 5 insect orders (references at the bottom).
Some results
Here I add data for a sixth insect order, Orthoptera (see the header :-), and document high predictability at multiple levels, including:
Ongoing analysis
Conduct ligand-binding simulation to see if AA substitution or insertion can significantly change the binding affinity of ATPAse to cardenolides. This is in collaboration with Jamie Ding.
* references: 1) F. Holzinger, C. Frick, M. Wink, FEBS Lett.314, 477–80 (1992) 2) E. Labeyrie, S. Dobler, Mol. Biol. Evol. 21, 218–21 (2004). 3) Y. Zhen et al. Science 337, 1634–1637 (2012). 4) S. Dobler, S et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 109, 13040–5 (2012). 5) S. Dobler et al. Entomol Exp Appl 157, 30–39 (2015).
One way to address this question is to examine cases of parallel evolution. A good example is insect specialization to cardenolide-containing host plants. Many insect herbivores have independently evolved insensitivity to cardenolides, which target Na+, K+-ATPase. Previous studies have documented the genetic basis of Na+, K+-ATPase cardenolide insensitivity in 5 insect orders (references at the bottom).
Some results
Here I add data for a sixth insect order, Orthoptera (see the header :-), and document high predictability at multiple levels, including:
- parallel amino acid substitutions
- gene duplication
- divergence in gene expression
Ongoing analysis
Conduct ligand-binding simulation to see if AA substitution or insertion can significantly change the binding affinity of ATPAse to cardenolides. This is in collaboration with Jamie Ding.
* references: 1) F. Holzinger, C. Frick, M. Wink, FEBS Lett.314, 477–80 (1992) 2) E. Labeyrie, S. Dobler, Mol. Biol. Evol. 21, 218–21 (2004). 3) Y. Zhen et al. Science 337, 1634–1637 (2012). 4) S. Dobler, S et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 109, 13040–5 (2012). 5) S. Dobler et al. Entomol Exp Appl 157, 30–39 (2015).
