Predictable convergence in hemoglobin function has unpredictable molecular underpinnings

Chandrasekhar Natarajan; Federico G Hoffmann; Roy E Weber; Angela Fago; Christopher C Witt; Jay F Storz

doi:10.1126/science.aaf9070

Predictable convergence in hemoglobin function has unpredictable molecular underpinnings

Chandrasekhar Natarajan, Federico G Hoffmann, Roy E Weber, Angela Fago, Christopher C Witt, Jay F Storz

Department of Biology - Zoophysiology

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

173 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To investigate the predictability of genetic adaptation, we examined the molecular basis of convergence in hemoglobin function in comparisons involving 56 avian taxa that have contrasting altitudinal range limits. Convergent increases in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity were pervasive among high-altitude taxa, but few such changes were attributable to parallel amino acid substitutions at key residues. Thus, predictable changes in biochemical phenotype do not have a predictable molecular basis. Experiments involving resurrected ancestral proteins revealed that historical substitutions have context-dependent effects, indicating that possible adaptive solutions are contingent on prior history. Mutations that produce an adaptive change in one species may represent precluded possibilities in other species because of differences in genetic background.

Original language	English
Journal	Science
Volume	354
Issue	6310
Pages (from-to)	336-339
Number of pages	4
ISSN	0036-8075
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf9070
Publication status	Published - 21 Oct 2016

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5464326/pdf/nihms865057.pdf

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title = "Predictable convergence in hemoglobin function has unpredictable molecular underpinnings",

abstract = "To investigate the predictability of genetic adaptation, we examined the molecular basis of convergence in hemoglobin function in comparisons involving 56 avian taxa that have contrasting altitudinal range limits. Convergent increases in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity were pervasive among high-altitude taxa, but few such changes were attributable to parallel amino acid substitutions at key residues. Thus, predictable changes in biochemical phenotype do not have a predictable molecular basis. Experiments involving resurrected ancestral proteins revealed that historical substitutions have context-dependent effects, indicating that possible adaptive solutions are contingent on prior history. Mutations that produce an adaptive change in one species may represent precluded possibilities in other species because of differences in genetic background.",

author = "Chandrasekhar Natarajan and Hoffmann, {Federico G} and Weber, {Roy E} and Angela Fago and Witt, {Christopher C} and Storz, {Jay F}",

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AU - Natarajan, Chandrasekhar

AU - Hoffmann, Federico G

AU - Weber, Roy E

AU - Fago, Angela

AU - Witt, Christopher C

AU - Storz, Jay F

PY - 2016/10/21

Y1 - 2016/10/21

N2 - To investigate the predictability of genetic adaptation, we examined the molecular basis of convergence in hemoglobin function in comparisons involving 56 avian taxa that have contrasting altitudinal range limits. Convergent increases in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity were pervasive among high-altitude taxa, but few such changes were attributable to parallel amino acid substitutions at key residues. Thus, predictable changes in biochemical phenotype do not have a predictable molecular basis. Experiments involving resurrected ancestral proteins revealed that historical substitutions have context-dependent effects, indicating that possible adaptive solutions are contingent on prior history. Mutations that produce an adaptive change in one species may represent precluded possibilities in other species because of differences in genetic background.

AB - To investigate the predictability of genetic adaptation, we examined the molecular basis of convergence in hemoglobin function in comparisons involving 56 avian taxa that have contrasting altitudinal range limits. Convergent increases in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity were pervasive among high-altitude taxa, but few such changes were attributable to parallel amino acid substitutions at key residues. Thus, predictable changes in biochemical phenotype do not have a predictable molecular basis. Experiments involving resurrected ancestral proteins revealed that historical substitutions have context-dependent effects, indicating that possible adaptive solutions are contingent on prior history. Mutations that produce an adaptive change in one species may represent precluded possibilities in other species because of differences in genetic background.

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VL - 354

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EP - 339

JO - Science

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ER -

Predictable convergence in hemoglobin function has unpredictable molecular underpinnings

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