Contrasting Patterns in the Evolution of Vertebrate MLX Interacting Protein (MLXIP) and MLX Interacting Protein-Like (MLXIPL) Genes

Parmveer Singh; David M Irwin

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149682

Contrasting Patterns in the Evolution of Vertebrate MLX Interacting Protein (MLXIP) and MLX Interacting Protein-Like (MLXIPL) Genes

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 24;11(2):e0149682. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149682. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Parmveer Singh¹, David M Irwin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
² Banting and Best Diabetes Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract

ChREBP and MondoA are glucose-sensitive transcription factors that regulate aspects of energy metabolism. Here we performed a phylogenomic analysis of Mlxip (encoding MondoA) and Mlxipl (encoding ChREBP) genes across vertebrates. Analysis of extant Mlxip and Mlxipl genes suggests that the most recent common ancestor of these genes was composed of 17 coding exons. Single copy genes encoding both ChREBP and MondoA, along with their interacting partner Mlx, were found in diverse vertebrate genomes, including fish that have experienced a genome duplication. This observation suggests that a single Mlx gene has been retained to maintain coordinate regulation of ChREBP and MondoA. The ChREBP-β isoform, the more potent and constitutively active isoform, appeared with the evolution of tetrapods and is absent from the Mlxipl genes of fish. Evaluation of the conservation of ChREBP and MondoA sequences demonstrate that MondoA is better conserved and potentially mediates more ancient function in glucose metabolism.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics*
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism
Evolution, Molecular*
Exons / physiology
Gene Dosage / physiology
Glucose / genetics*
Glucose / metabolism
Humans
Mice
Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
Transcription Factors / genetics*
Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
MLXIP protein, human
MLXIPL protein, human
Mlxipl protein, mouse
MondoA protein, mouse
Nuclear Proteins
Transcription Factors
Glucose

Grants and funding

This work was funded by a National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) – Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) China – Canada Joint Health Research Initiative grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/193.html), grant number CCI -109605 to DMI. Parmveer Singh was supported by a Banting and Best Diabetes Summer Studentship (www.bbdc.org). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.