Skip Navigation


MBE Advance Access originally published online on February 4, 2003
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
20/2/168    most recent
msg030v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (9)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Barkman, T. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Barkman, T. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Mol. Biol. Evol. 20(2):168-172. 2003
DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msg030
© 2003 by the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. ISSN: 0737-4038

Evidence for Positive Selection on the Floral Scent Gene Isoeugenol-O-methyltransferase

Todd J. Barkman

Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Isoeugenol-O-methyltransferase (IEMT) is an enzyme involved in the production of the floral volatile compounds methyl eugenol and methyl isoeugenol in Clarkia breweri (Onagraceae). IEMT likely evolved by gene duplication from caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase followed by amino acid divergence, leading to the acquisition of its novel function. To investigate the selective context under which IEMT evolved, maximum likelihood methods that estimate variable dN/dS ratios among lineages, among sites, and among a combination of both lineages and sites were utilized. Statistically significant support was obtained for a hypothesis of positive selection driving the evolution of IEMT since its origin. Subsequent Bayesian analyses identified several sites in IEMT that have experienced positive selection. Most of these positions are in the active site of IEMT and have been shown by site-directed mutagenesis to have large effects on substrate specificity. Although the selective agent is unknown, the adaptive evolution of this gene may have resulted in increased effectiveness of pollinator attraction or herbivore repellence.

Key Words: Clarkia breweri • evolution of floral scent • gene duplication • maximum likelihood • positive selection


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ANN BOT (LOND)Home page
C. J. Majetic, R. A. Raguso, and T.-L. Ashman
The Impact of Biochemistry vs. Population Membership on Floral Scent Profiles in Colour Polymorphic Hesperis matronalis
Ann. Bot., December 1, 2008; 102(6): 911 - 922.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
Y. Zhao and R. J. Epstein
Programmed Genetic Instability: A Tumor-Permissive Mechanism for Maintaining the Evolvability of Higher Species through Methylation-Dependent Mutation of DNA Repair Genes in the Male Germ Line
Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2008; 25(8): 1737 - 1749.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
G. Scalliet, F. Piola, C. J. Douady, S. Rety, O. Raymond, S. Baudino, K. Bordji, M. Bendahmane, C. Dumas, J. M. Cock, et al.
From the Cover: Scent evolution in Chinese roses
PNAS, April 15, 2008; 105(15): 5927 - 5932.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
T. J. Barkman, T. R. Martins, E. Sutton, and J. T. Stout
Positive Selection for Single Amino Acid Change Promotes Substrate Discrimination of a Plant Volatile-Producing Enzyme
Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2007; 24(6): 1320 - 1329.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
M. R. Pie
The Influence of Phylogenetic Uncertainty on the Detection of Positive Darwinian Selection
Mol. Biol. Evol., December 1, 2006; 23(12): 2274 - 2278.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
J. Zhang
Frequent False Detection of Positive Selection by the Likelihood Method with Branch-Site Models
Mol. Biol. Evol., July 1, 2004; 21(7): 1332 - 1339.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.