Understanding the molecular genetic basis of adaptations pro-
vides incomparable insight into the genetic mechanisms by
which evolutionary diversification takes place. Whether the
evolution of common traits in different lineages proceeds by
similar or unique mutations, and the degree to which phenotypic
evolution is controlled by changes in gene regulation as opposed
to gene function, are fundamental questions in evolutionary
biology that require such an understanding of genetic mechan-
isms 1–3 . Here we identify novel changes in the molecular structure
of a sodium channel expressed in snake skeletal muscle, tsNa V 1.4,
that are responsible for differences in tetrodotoxin (TTX) resist-
ance among garter snake populations coevolving with toxic
newts4 . By the functional expression of tsNa V 1.4, we show how
differences in the amino-acid sequence of the channel affect TTX
binding and impart different levels of resistance in four snake
populations. These results indicate that the evolution of a
physiological trait has occurred through a series of unique
functional changes in a gene that is otherwise highly conserved
among vertebrates.
%0 Journal Article
%1 geffeney2005evolutionary
%A Geffeney, Shana L.
%A Fujimoto, Esther
%A Brodie, Edmund D.
%A Brodie, Edmund D.
%A Ruben, Peter C.
%D 2005
%J Nature
%K garter_snakes ion_channels tetrodotoxin
%N 7034
%P 759--763
%R 10.1038/nature03444
%T Evolutionary diversification of TTX-resistant sodium channels in a predator--prey interaction
%U https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03444
%V 434
%X Understanding the molecular genetic basis of adaptations pro-
vides incomparable insight into the genetic mechanisms by
which evolutionary diversification takes place. Whether the
evolution of common traits in different lineages proceeds by
similar or unique mutations, and the degree to which phenotypic
evolution is controlled by changes in gene regulation as opposed
to gene function, are fundamental questions in evolutionary
biology that require such an understanding of genetic mechan-
isms 1–3 . Here we identify novel changes in the molecular structure
of a sodium channel expressed in snake skeletal muscle, tsNa V 1.4,
that are responsible for differences in tetrodotoxin (TTX) resist-
ance among garter snake populations coevolving with toxic
newts4 . By the functional expression of tsNa V 1.4, we show how
differences in the amino-acid sequence of the channel affect TTX
binding and impart different levels of resistance in four snake
populations. These results indicate that the evolution of a
physiological trait has occurred through a series of unique
functional changes in a gene that is otherwise highly conserved
among vertebrates.
@article{geffeney2005evolutionary,
abstract = {Understanding the molecular genetic basis of adaptations pro-
vides incomparable insight into the genetic mechanisms by
which evolutionary diversification takes place. Whether the
evolution of common traits in different lineages proceeds by
similar or unique mutations, and the degree to which phenotypic
evolution is controlled by changes in gene regulation as opposed
to gene function, are fundamental questions in evolutionary
biology that require such an understanding of genetic mechan-
isms 1–3 . Here we identify novel changes in the molecular structure
of a sodium channel expressed in snake skeletal muscle, tsNa V 1.4,
that are responsible for differences in tetrodotoxin (TTX) resist-
ance among garter snake populations coevolving with toxic
newts4 . By the functional expression of tsNa V 1.4, we show how
differences in the amino-acid sequence of the channel affect TTX
binding and impart different levels of resistance in four snake
populations. These results indicate that the evolution of a
physiological trait has occurred through a series of unique
functional changes in a gene that is otherwise highly conserved
among vertebrates.},
added-at = {2024-06-09T17:07:39.000+0200},
author = {Geffeney, Shana L. and Fujimoto, Esther and Brodie, Edmund D. and Brodie, Edmund D. and Ruben, Peter C.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/283ff81a9d59898652ce62d43c16a4fa4/peter.ralph},
doi = {10.1038/nature03444},
file = {Geffeney et al. - 2005 - Evolutionary diversification of TTX-resistant sodi.pdf:/Users/victoria/Zotero/storage/GJ7TJAPZ/Geffeney et al. - 2005 - Evolutionary diversification of TTX-resistant sodi.pdf:application/pdf},
interhash = {6877e0d0c5d288d0d90eb1fb5ae08efc},
intrahash = {83ff81a9d59898652ce62d43c16a4fa4},
issn = {0028-0836, 1476-4687},
journal = {Nature},
keywords = {garter_snakes ion_channels tetrodotoxin},
language = {en},
month = apr,
number = 7034,
pages = {759--763},
timestamp = {2024-06-09T17:07:39.000+0200},
title = {Evolutionary diversification of {TTX}-resistant sodium channels in a predator--prey interaction},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03444},
urldate = {2023-06-05},
volume = 434,
year = 2005
}