Unique adaptive evolution in snake proteins -- insight into vertebrate physiology
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 10:42
in Biology & Nature
Prior to the advent of large sequence datasets, it was assumed that innovation and divergence at the morphological and physiological level would be easily explained at the molecular level. Molecular explanations for physiological adaptations have, however, been rare. In a study published in PLoS ONE on Wednesday, May 21, Pollock and colleagues provide evidence that major macroevolutionary changes in snakes (e.g., physiological and metabolic adaptations and venom evolution) have been accompanied by massive functional redesign of core metabolic proteins.