The same gene often detects hemoglobin

BMC Evolutionary Biology“Width =” 768 “height =” 480 “/>

Scientists from the University of St. Petersburg and the University of Rio de Janeiro, along with others from the University of St. Petersburg and the University of Paris and the University of Sorbonne, have demonstrated a variety of phenomena in a variety of ways. , It actually descends from the same gene transmitted to all by their last common ancestor. The findings were published on December 29, 2020 BMC Evolutionary Biology.

Having red blood is not uncommon for humans or mammals. This color comes from hemoglobin, a complex protein found in the circulatory system of vertebrates that has specialized proteins in transporting oxygen, but also in the annelids (a worm family whose most famous members are earthworms), mollusks (especially lake snails). Crustaceans (such as Daphnia) or ‘water fleas’). It was thought that for hemoglobin to appear in such different species, it must have been discovered several times during evolution. But recent research has shown that all these ‘independently’ born hemoglobins are actually derived from the same ancestral gene.

Institut Jack Monod (CNRS / University de Paris), Laboratory Matter at Systems Complex (CNRS / University de Paris), Station Biologic de Roscoff (CNRS / Sorbonne University), University of St. Petersburg Platinrais did this research on Dumerili, a small sea worm with red blood.

It is considered to be an animal that has evolved slowly, as its genetic characteristics are close to that of the marine ancestor of most animals, Urbilateria. Studying these worms by comparing them with other species of red has helped draw attention to the origin of hemoglobin.

This research focused on the broader family that includes hemoglobin: globins, proteins that store gases such as oxygen, oxygen and nitric oxide in almost all living organisms. But globins usually function inside cells because they do not circulate in the blood like hemoglobin.

This function shows that in all red blood cells, it is the same gene that makes a globin called ‘cytoglobin’ that has evolved independently to become a hemoglobin-encoding gene. These new rotating molecules made oxygen transport to their ancestors more efficient, becoming larger and more active.

Scientists now want to change the scale and continue this work by studying when and how the various specialized cells of the biliary vascular system emerged.