@article{fdi:010054082,
  title = {{M}olecular characterization and evolution of a gene family encoding male-specific reproductive proteins in the {A}frican malaria vector {A}nopheles gambiae},
  author = {{M}ancini, {E}. and {B}aldini, {F}. and {T}ammaro, {F}. and {C}alzetta, {M}. and {S}errao, {A}. and {G}eorge, {P}. and {M}orlais, {I}sabelle and {M}asiga, {D}. and {S}harakhov, {I}. {V}. and {R}ogers, {D}. {W}. and {C}atteruccia, {F}. and della {T}orre, {A}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {D}uring copulation, the major {A}fro-tropical malaria vector {A}nopheles gambiae s.s. transfers male accessory gland ({MAG}) proteins to females as a solid mass (i.e. the "mating plug"). {T}hese proteins are postulated to function as important modulators of female post-mating responses. {T}o understand the role of selective forces underlying the evolution of these proteins in the {A}. gambiae complex, we carried out an evolutionary analysis of gene sequence and expression divergence on a pair of paralog genes called {A}g{A}cp34{A}-1 and {A}g{A}cp34{A}-2. {T}hese encode {MAG}-specific proteins which, based on homology with {D}rosophila, have been hypothesized to play a role in sperm viability and function. {R}esults: {G}enetic analysis of 6 species of the {A}. gambiae complex revealed the existence of a third paralog (68-78% of identity), that we named {A}g{A}cp34{A}-3. {FISH} assays showed that this gene maps in the same division (34{A}) of chromosome-3{R} as the other two paralogs. {I}n particular, immuno-fluorescence assays targeting the {C}-terminals of {A}g{A}cp34{A}-2 and {A}g{A}cp34{A}-3 revealed that these two proteins are localized in the posterior part of the {MAG} and concentrated at the apical portion of the mating plug. {W}hen transferred to females, this part of the plug lies in proximity to the duct connecting the spermatheca to the uterus, suggesting a potential role for these proteins in regulating sperm motility. {A}g{A}cp34{A}-3 is more polymorphic than the other two paralogs, possibly because of relaxation of purifying selection. {S}ince both unequal crossing-over and gene conversion likely homogenized the members of this gene family, the interpretation of the evolutionary patterns is not straightforward. {A}lthough several haplotypes of the three paralogs are shared by most {A}. gambiae s.l. species, some fixed species-specific replacements (mainly placed in the {N}- and {C}-terminal portions of the secreted peptides) were also observed, suggesting some lineage-specific adaptation. {C}onclusions: {P}rogress in understanding the signaling cascade in the {A}. gambiae reproductive pathway will elucidate the interaction of this {MAG}-specific protein family with their female counterparts. {T}his knowledge will allow a better evaluation of the relative importance of genes involved in the reproductive isolation and fertility of {A}. gambiae species and could help the interpretation of the observed evolutionary patterns.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}mc {E}volutionary {B}iology},
  volume = {11},
  numero = {},
  pages = {292},
  ISSN = {1471-2148},
  year = {2011},
  DOI = {10.1186/1471-2148-11-292},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010054082},
}