Publications by authors named "Margaux Aubel"
Article Synopsis
- Apes have two sex chromosomes: the essential Y chromosome for male reproduction and the X chromosome necessary for both reproduction and cognition, with differences in mating patterns affecting their function.
- Studying these chromosomes is challenging due to their repetitive structures, but researchers created gapless assemblies for five great apes and one lesser ape to explore their evolutionary complexities.
- The Y chromosomes are highly variable and undergo significant changes compared to the more stable X chromosomes, and this research can provide insights into human evolution and aid in the conservation of endangered ape species.
De novo genes emerge from previously noncoding stretches of the genome. Their encoded de novo proteins are generally expected to be similar to random sequences and, accordingly, with no stable tertiary fold and high predicted disorder. However, structural properties of de novo proteins and whether they differ during the stages of emergence and fixation have not been studied in depth and rely heavily on predictions.
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- Apes have two main sex chromosomes, X and Y, where Y is crucial for male reproduction and its deletions can lead to infertility, while X is important for both reproduction and brain function.
- Recent advancements in genomic techniques helped researchers create complete structures of the X and Y chromosomes for multiple great ape species, allowing them to explore their evolutionary complexities.
- Findings indicate that Y chromosomes are highly variable and undergo rapid changes due to unique genetic regions and transposable elements, while X chromosomes are more stable, highlighting differing evolutionary paths among great ape species.
protein coding genes emerge from scratch in the non-coding regions of the genome and have, per definition, no homology to other genes. Therefore, their encoded proteins belong to the so-called "dark protein space". So far, only four protein structures have been experimentally approximated.
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- De novo gene emergence allows the formation of new proteins from previously non-coding DNA, which are considered to have random sequences without defined structure.
- Research shows that de novo proteins identified in humans and flies exhibit higher solubility compared to synthetic random proteins, particularly when assisted by the DnaK chaperone system.
- These findings suggest that de novo proteins might integrate more effectively into cellular systems than previously thought, despite similarities in biophysical properties with unevolved random sequences.
Introducing creative destruction as a mechanism in protein evolution.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
February 2023
Over the past decade, evidence has accumulated that new protein-coding genes can emerge de novo from previously non-coding DNA. Most studies have focused on large scale computational predictions of de novo protein-coding genes across a wide range of organisms. In contrast, experimental data concerning the folding and function of de novo proteins are scarce.
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