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Duplication and Sub/neofunctionalization of malvolio, an Insect Homolog of nramp, in the Subsocial Beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides

Elijah C. Mehlferber, Kyle M. Benowitz, Eilleen M. Roy-Zokan, Elizabeth C. McKinney, Christopher B. Cunningham, Allen J. Moore
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/135590
Elijah C. Mehlferber
*Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
†Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
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Kyle M. Benowitz
*Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
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Eilleen M. Roy-Zokan
*Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
‡Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
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Elizabeth C. McKinney
*Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
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Christopher B. Cunningham
*Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
§Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK SA2 8PP
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Allen J. Moore
*Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
†Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30606
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  • For correspondence: ajmoore@uga.edu
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ABSTRACT

Gene duplication has long been thought to play a facilitating role in evolution. With growing numbers of sequenced genomes, increasing numbers of duplicate genes are uncovered with unknown functions. Here we examine malvolio, a gene involved in heavy metal transport but that also affects behavior in honey bees and Drosophila. There is only one copy of malvolio in honey bees and Drosophila despite its different roles. A phylogenetic analysis in insects suggests that malvolio has duplicated multiple times in different orders. To test if the two copies might have different functions, we examined expression levels of malvolio in brain, fat bodies, Malpighian tubules, midgut, ovaries, testes and thoracic musculature in the beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We found that mvl1 was expressed in all tissues, with highest expression in fat bodies and relatively lower expression in testes, Malpighian tubules, and brain, and ovaries. Expression of mvl2 differed, with significant expression only seen in brain and midgut. Because malvolio has been implicated in behavior, and these beetles have highly developed parenting behavior, we next examined expression during different behavioral states including virgin, mating, preparing resources for offspring, feeding offspring and post care. We found differing expression patterns for the two copies, with mvl1 increasing in expression during resource preparation and feeding offspring, and mvl2 decreasing in these same states. Given these patterns of expression, we suggest that malvolio in N. vespilloides has experienced sub/neofunctionalization following its duplication, and is evolving differing and tissue-specific roles in behavior and physiology.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
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Posted May 09, 2017.
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Duplication and Sub/neofunctionalization of malvolio, an Insect Homolog of nramp, in the Subsocial Beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides
Elijah C. Mehlferber, Kyle M. Benowitz, Eilleen M. Roy-Zokan, Elizabeth C. McKinney, Christopher B. Cunningham, Allen J. Moore
bioRxiv 135590; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/135590
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Duplication and Sub/neofunctionalization of malvolio, an Insect Homolog of nramp, in the Subsocial Beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides
Elijah C. Mehlferber, Kyle M. Benowitz, Eilleen M. Roy-Zokan, Elizabeth C. McKinney, Christopher B. Cunningham, Allen J. Moore
bioRxiv 135590; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/135590

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