Insulin has not only made major contributions to the field of clinical medicine but has also played central roles in the advancement of fundamental molecular biology, including evolution. Insulin is ...essential for the health of vertebrate species, yet its function has been modified in species-specific manners. With the advent of genome sequencing, large numbers of insulin coding sequences have been identified in genomes of diverse vertebrates and have revealed unexpected changes in the numbers of genes within genomes and in their sequence that likely impact biological function. The presence of multiple insulin genes within a genome potentially allows specialization of an insulin gene. Discovery of changes in proteolytic processing suggests that the typical two-chain hormone structure is not necessary for all of inulin's biological activities.
•Ins1 originated as an inserted aberrant partially processed Ins transcript.•Ins1 and Ins2 genes in mice and rats experience similar levels of constraint.•Insr, Gcg, Gcgr, Glp1r, and Glp2r are single ...copy genes in diverse rodents.•Evolutionary rates for Insr genes vary in rodents.•GLP-1 receptor genes experience stronger selection.
Insulin and glucagon are important hormones for regulating blood glucose levels. Rodents are useful models for understanding human physiology, however, differences exist between rodents and humans. Here I examined the evolution of the genes encoding insulin (Ins) and glucagon (Gcg, which also encodes GLP-1 and GLP-2) and the receptors for these hormones (Insr, Gcgr, Glp1r, and Glp2r). Our results show that the insulin 1 gene (Ins1) that originated by retroposition in some rodents such as mice, experienced selective constraints that are as strong as those acting upon the Ins2 gene found in the locus-of-origin. Previous studies had shown that the insulin hormones and genes in hystricomorph rodents, such as the guinea pig, have altered function and selective constraints, respectively. Here I show that the insulin receptor genes in hystricomorph rodents also experienced changes in evolutionary rates, but that these changes did not alter sites involved in hormone binding. While glucagon, but not GLP-1 and GLP-2, in hystricomorph rodents also show increased rates of sequence evolution, no changes in the evolution of the glucagon receptor gene (Gcgr) was seen. Intriguingly, the GLP2 receptor gene (Glp2r) in mice-like rodents evolved more rapidly than those in hystricomorph rodents. When the rates of evolution of the genes encoding the receptors for proglucagon-derived peptides, which are all G-protein coupled receptors, were compared, the GLP-1 receptor gene (Glp1r) was found to display increased levels of sequence constraint compared to the Gcgr and Glp2r genes.
•Insulin is a single copy gene in most mammals.•Insulin in some mammals has altered proteolytic processing.•Insulin from two species of Chiroptera likely have altered insulin receptor binding.
...Disruption of insulin signaling in humans leads to diabetes yet changes in insulin function is tolerated in some species. Taking advantage of the large number of publicly available mammalian genome sequences I identified insulin gene (Ins) in the genomes of 151 of 156 mammalian species with well-annotated genomes, of which 141 had complete Ins coding sequences. Complete Ins coding sequences were identified from 8 additional species that lack complete genomes. Duplicated Ins genes were found in 12 rodents (9 with complete genomes) resulting in the identification of a total of 161 complete mammalian Ins coding sequences. While all 161 proinsulin protein sequences were predicted to have functional signal peptides, which should allow secretion of the hormone, unexpectedly, substitutions were found at prohormone convertase processing sites in sequences from 6 species, 2 from Chiroptera (Myotis brandtii and M. lucifugus) and 4 from Afrotheria (Chrysochloris asiatica, Echinops telfairi, Elephantulus edwardii, and Orycteropus afer). Both basic residues at the C-peptide-A-chain junction in the bats M. brandtii and M. lucifugas are replaced, which should prevent processing. Replacements of a single basic residue are found at the B-chain-C-peptide junction, in the two bats, and at the C-peptide-A-chain junction, in 4 species of Afrotheria, processing sites that suggest impaired processing. In addition, a large number of substitutions at sites that interact with the insulin receptor were found in the insulin sequences from M. brandtii and M. lucifugas suggesting a change in biological function.
The origin and evolution of the domestic dog remains a controversial question for the scientific community, with basic aspects such as the place and date of origin, and the number of times dogs were ...domesticated, open to dispute. Using whole genome sequences from a total of 58 canids （12 gray wolves, 27 primitive dogs from Asia and Africa, and a collection of 19 diverse breeds from across the world）, we find that dogs from southern East Asia have significantly higher genetic diversity compared to other populations, and are the most basal group relating to gray wolves, indicating an ancient origin of domestic dogs in southern East Asia 33 000 years ago. Around 15 000 years ago, a subset of ancestral dogs started migrating to the Middle East, Africa and Europe, arriving in Europe at about 10 000 years ago. One of the out of Asia lineages also migrated back to the east, creating a series of admixed populations with the endemic Asian lineages in northern China before migrating to the New World. For the first time, our study unravels an extraordinary journey that the domestic dog has traveled on earth.
The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy and safety of glyburide as a treatment for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared to insulin.
A meta-analysis was conducted to ...compare the management of gestational diabetes with glyburide and insulin. Studies fulfilling all of the following inclusion criteria were included in this meta-analysis: subjects were women with gestational diabetes requiring drug treatment; the comparison treatment included glyburide vs insulin; one or more outcomes (maternal or neonatal) should be provided in the individual study; the study design should be a randomized control trial. Exclusion criteria: non-RCT studies; non-human data. PubMed, Embase and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception until 10 October 2016.
Ten randomized control trials involving 1194 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included. 13 primary outcomes (6 maternal, 7 neonatal) and 26 secondary outcomes (9 maternal, 17 neonatal) were detected and analyzed in this study. Glyburide significantly increased the risk of any neonatal hypoglycemia risk ratio (RR), 1.89; 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 1.26 to 2.82; p = 0.002. Sensitivity analysis confirmed robustness of this result RR, 2.29; 95%CI, 1.49 to 3.54; p = 0.0002. No differences were observed between the two groups with respect to birth weights mean difference (MD), 79; 95%CI, -64 to 221.99; p = 0.28 and the risk of macrosomia RR, 1.69; 95%CI, 0.57 to 5.08; p = 0.35.
For women with gestational diabetes, no differences in maternal short term outcomes were observed in those treated with glyburide or insulin. However, the incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia was higher in the glyburide group compared to the insulin group.
Conservation scientists emphasize the importance of maintaining a connected network of protected areas to prevent ecosystems and populations from becoming isolated, reduce the risk of extinction, and ...ultimately sustain biodiversity. Keeping protected areas connected in a network is increasingly recognized as a conservation priority in the current era of rapid climate change. Models that identify suitable linkages between core areas have been used to prioritize potentially important corridors for maintaining functional connectivity. Here, we identify the most "natural" (i.e., least human-modified) corridors between large protected areas in the contiguous Unites States. We aggregated results from multiple connectivity models to develop a composite map of corridors reflecting agreement of models run under different assumptions about how human modification of land may influence connectivity. To identify which land units are most important for sustaining structural connectivity, we used the composite map of corridors to evaluate connectivity priorities in two ways: (1) among land units outside of our pool of large core protected areas and (2) among units administratively protected as Inventoried Roadless (IRAs) or Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs). Corridor values varied substantially among classes of "unprotected" non-core land units, and land units of high connectivity value and priority represent diverse ownerships and existing levels of protections. We provide a ranking of IRAs and WSAs that should be prioritized for additional protection to maintain minimal human modification. Our results provide a coarse-scale assessment of connectivity priorities for maintaining a connected network of protected areas.
The mammalian proglucagon gene (
) encodes three glucagon like sequences, glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and glucagon-like peptide-2 that are of similar length and share sequence ...similarity, with these hormones having cell surface receptors, glucagon receptor (Gcgr), GLP-1 receptor (Glp1r), and GLP-2 receptor (Glp2r), respectively. Gcgr, Glp1r, and Glp2r are all class B1 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Despite their sequence and structural similarity, analyses of sequences from rodents have found differences in patterns of sequence conservation and evolution. To determine whether these were rodent-specific traits or general features of these genes in mammals I analyzed coding and protein sequences for proglucagon and the receptors for proglucagon-derived peptides from the genomes of 168 mammalian species. Single copy genes for each gene were found in almost all genomes. In addition to glucagon sequences within Hystricognath rodents (e.g., guinea pig), glucagon sequences from a few other groups (e.g., pangolins and some bats) as well as changes in the proteolytic processing of GLP-1 in some bats are suggested to have functional effects. GLP-2 sequences display increased variability but accepted few substitutions that are predicted to have functional consequences. In parallel, Glp2r sequences display the most rapid protein sequence evolution, and show greater variability in amino acids at sites involved in ligand interaction, however most were not predicted to have a functional consequence. These observations suggest that a greater diversity in biological functions for proglucagon-derived peptides might exist in mammals.
•Genes for GIP (Gip) and its receptor (Gipr) emerged early in vertebrate evolution.•Exendin and Exendin receptor (Grlr) emerged early in vertebrate evolution.•Gip and Gipr have been lost in some ...vertebrate classes.•In some vertebrates GIP might use receptors other than Gipr.
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is a product of the Gip gene and acts as an incretin hormone in mammals. Gip is most closely related to the proglucagon (Gcg) and Exendin genes and diverged from these very early in vertebrate evolution. In mammals, GIP acts through its specific receptor, encoded by the Gipr gene, which belongs to a subfamily of 7-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) genes that also includes those for the proglucagon-derived peptides (Gcgr, Glp1r, and Glp2r), and the receptor for Exendin (Grlr). Gip, Gipr, Exendin, and Grlr genes are found in species from most vertebrate classes. While most species that have a Gip gene also have a Gipr gene, two classes of vertebrates, cartilaginous fish and birds, retain conserved Gip genes but lack Gipr genes. This raises the possibility the GIP signals through other receptors in some vertebrates. Exendin genes and the gene for its receptor, Grlr, are also found in diverse vertebrates, with the notable exception of mammals. Both GIP and Exendin likely have important roles in vertebrate physiology, but their roles are either dispensable or can be replaced by other hormones.
Monitoring the appearance and progression of tumors are important for improving the survival rate of patients with ovarian cancer. This study aims to examine circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in ...epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients to evaluate their clinical significance in comparison to the existing biomarker CA125.
Immuomagnetic bead screening, targeting epithelial antigens on ovarian cancer cells, combined with multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (Multiplex RT-PCR) was used to detect CTCs in 211 samples of peripheral blood (5 ml) from 109 EOC patients. CTCs and CA125 were measured in serial from 153 blood and 153 serum samples from 51 patients and correlations with treatment were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of tumor-associated proteins in tumor tissues and compared with gene expression in CTCs from patients.
CTCs were detected in 90% (98/109) of newly diagnosed patients. In newly diagnosed patients, the number of CTCs was correlated with stage (p=0.034). Patients with stage IA-IB disease had a CTC positive rate of 93% (13/14), much higher than the CA125 positive rate of only 64% (9/14) for the same patients. The numbers of CTCs changed with treatment, and the expression of EpCAM (p=0.003) and HER2 (p=0.035) in CTCs was correlated with resistance to chemotherapy. Expression of EpCAM in CTCs before treatment was also correlated with overall survival (OS) (p=0.041).
Detection of CTCs allows early diagnose and expression of EpCAM in CTC positive patients predicts prognosis and should be helpful for monitoring treatment.
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