Molecular synapomorphies resolve evolutionary relationships of extant jawed vertebrates
Open accessAbstract
The evolutionary relationships of gnathostomes (jawed vertebrates), which comprise chondrichthyans (cartilaginous fishes), lobe-finned fishes (coelacanths and lungfishes), tetrapods, and actinopterygians (ray-finned fishes), have been debated for almost a century. Phylogenetic analyses based on fossils, morphology, and molecular sequences have generated different models of relationships that remain unresolved. We identified 13 derived shared molecular markers (synapomorphies) that define clades in the vertebrate lineage and used them to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of extant jawed vertebrates. Our markers include the presence or absence of insertions and deletions in coding sequences, nuclear introns, and alternatively spliced transcripts. The synapomorphies identified by us are congruent with each other and give rise to a single phylogenetic tree. This tree confirms that chondrichthyans are basal to all living gnathostomes, that lungfishes (Dipnoi) are the closest living relatives of tetrapods, and that bichirs (Cladistia) are the living members of the most ancient family of ray-finned fishes. Our study also provides molecular evidence to support the monophyly of living tetrapods and teleosts.
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In teleosts, the RAG1 gene is divided into exons by either one or two introns.
“This is consistent with the observation that in teleosts, (bony fish) the RAG1 gene is divided into exons by either one or two introns.”
From RAG1 Core and V(D)J Recombination Signal Sequences Were Derived from Transib Transposons (2005) · cites this paper as [38]
The RAG1 core is split into separate exons at the amino acid position corresponding to position 460 in the human RAG1 gene.
“As a result, the RAG1 core is split into separate exons at the aa position that corresponds to position 460 in the human RAG1gene [29,34,38].”
From RAG1 Core and V(D)J Recombination Signal Sequences Were Derived from Transib Transposons (2005) · cites this paper as [38]
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RAG1 Core and V(D)J Recombination Signal Sequences Were Derived from Transib Transposons
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- Authors
- Venkatesh, B., Erdmann, M. V., & Brenner, S.
- Affiliations
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (SG)
- Corresponding author
- Venkatesh, Byrappa
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2001-09-11
- Volume
- 98
- Issue
- 20
- Pages
- 11382-11387
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC58738
- OpenAlex
- W1991578536
- Cited by
- 175
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 3.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Keywords
- gnathostomes, jawed vertebrates, synapomorphies, molecular markers, vertebrate phylogeny, Chondrichthyes, lungfish, tetrapods, Actinopterygii, coelacanth, bichir, Cladistia, monophyly, teleosts, alternative splicing, nuclear introns
- MeSH terms
- Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, DNA-Binding Proteins, Biological Evolution, Fishes, Fossils, Humans, Jaw, Molecular Sequence Data, Nuclear Proteins, Phylogeny, Pro-Opiomelanocortin, Vertebrates, Sequence Alignment, Genes, RAG-1, Sequence Deletion, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, Homeodomain Proteins, Evolution, Molecular, Transposases
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