Publication Date:
2005-09-10
Description:
Recent studies have shown multiple differences between humans and apes in sialic acid (Sia) biology, including Siglecs (Sia-recognizing-Ig-superfamily lectins). Comparisons with the chimpanzee genome indicate that human SIGLEC11 emerged through human-specific gene conversion by an adjacent pseudogene. Conversion involved 5 cent untranslated sequences and the Sia-recognition domain. This human protein shows reduced binding relative to the ancestral form but recognizes oligosialic acids, which are enriched in the brain. SIGLEC11 is expressed in human but not in chimpanzee brain microglia. Further studies will determine if this event was related to the evolution of Homo.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Hayakawa, Toshiyuki -- Angata, Takashi -- Lewis, Amanda L -- Mikkelsen, Tarjei S -- Varki, Nissi M -- Varki, Ajit -- R01GM32373/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2005 Sep 9;309(5741):1693.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16151003" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Animals
;
Biological Evolution
;
Brain/*metabolism
;
Exons
;
*Gene Conversion
;
Humans
;
Lectins/*genetics/metabolism
;
Membrane Proteins/*genetics/metabolism
;
Microglia/*metabolism
;
Pan troglodytes/genetics/metabolism
;
Phylogeny
;
Pongo pygmaeus/genetics/metabolism
;
Pseudogenes
;
Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
;
Sialic Acids/metabolism
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
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