Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Dynamic evolution of the alpha (a) and beta (ß) keratins has accompanied integument diversification and the adaptation of birds into novel lifestyles

    Access Status
    Open access via publisher
    Authors
    Greenwold, M.
    Bao, W.
    Jarvis, E.
    Hu, H.
    Li, C.
    Gilbert, Thomas
    Zhang, G.
    Sawyer, R.
    Date
    2014
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Greenwold, M. and Bao, W. and Jarvis, E. and Hu, H. and Li, C. and Gilbert, T. and Zhang, G. et al. 2014. Dynamic evolution of the alpha (a) and beta (ß) keratins has accompanied integument diversification and the adaptation of birds into novel lifestyles. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 14: pp. 249-264.
    Source Title
    BMC Evolutionary Biology
    DOI
    10.1186/s12862-014-0249-1
    Additional URLs
    http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/14/249
    ISSN
    1471-2148
    School
    Department of Environment and Agriculture
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26862
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Background: Vertebrate skin appendages are constructed of keratins produced by multigene families. Alpha (a) keratins are found in all vertebrates, while beta (ß) keratins are found exclusively in reptiles and birds. We have studied the molecular evolution of these gene families in the genomes of 48 phylogenetically diverse birds and their expression in the scales and feathers of the chicken.Results: We found that the total number of a-keratins is lower in birds than mammals and non-avian reptiles, yet two a-keratin genes (KRT42 and KRT75) have expanded in birds. The ß-keratins, however, demonstrate a dynamic evolution associated with avian lifestyle. The avian specific feather ß-keratins comprise a large majority of the total number of ß-keratins, but independently derived lineages of aquatic and predatory birds have smaller proportions of feather ß-keratin genes and larger proportions of keratinocyte ß-keratin genes. Additionally, birds of prey have a larger proportion of claw ß-keratins. Analysis of a- and ß-keratin expression during development of chicken scales and feathers demonstrates that while a-keratins are expressed in these tissues, the number and magnitude of expressed ß-keratin genes far exceeds that of a-keratins.Conclusions: These results support the view that the number of a- and ß-keratin genes expressed, the proportion of the ß-keratin subfamily genes expressed and the diversification of the ß-keratin genes have been important for the evolution of the feather and the adaptation of birds into multiple ecological niches.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Molecular mechanism underlying aberrant expression of the connective tissue growth factor in paediatric pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
      Welch, Mathew D. (2011)
      Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common cancer diagnosed in children aged 1-14 years. There have been vast improvements in clinical outcomes for children diagnosed with ALL with cure rates of up to 90% ...
    • DNA methylation levels in candidate genes associated with chronological age in mammals are not conserved in a long-lived seabird
      De Paoli-Iseppi, R.; Polanowski, A.; McMahon, C.; Deagle, B.; Dickinson, J.; Hindell, M.; Jarman, Simon (2017)
      © 2017 De Paoli-Iseppi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided ...
    • Time to spread your wings: A review of the avian ancient DNA field
      Grealy, Alicia; Rawlence, N.; Bunce, Michael (2017)
      Ancient DNA (aDNA) has the ability to inform the evolutionary history of both extant and extinct taxa; however, the use of aDNA in the study of avian evolution is lacking in comparison to other vertebrates, despite birds ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.