Complex evolution of insect insulin receptors and homologous decoy receptors, and functional significance of their multiplicity

We thoroughly described evolution of insect insulin receptors (IRs), which can be classified in two gene clusters (Cluster I & II) arising from an old gene duplication in an ancestor of winged insects. Each cluster harbors tyrosine kinase-lost decoys of insulin receptors, which of Decoy of insulin receptor 2 (DR2) gene from the Cluster II was described for the first time. We also functionally investigated the role of three IRs in wing polymorphism control of an insect model Pyrrhocoris apterus.

Gene duplications and tyrosine kinase losses in insect insulin receptors.

Insect insulin receptor genes can be classified in two gene clusters (Cluster I & II). Schematic summary of major insulin receptor gene duplications (highlighted in blue color) and two independent tyrosine kinase losses (in red) leading to decoys of insulin receptors (SDR and newly described DR2).

Publications:

Smýkal, V. Pivarči, M., Provazník, J., Bazalová, O., Jedlička, P., Lukšan, O., Horák, A. Vaněčková, H., Beneš, V., Fiala, I., Hanus, R. and Doležel, D. Complex Evolution of Insect Insulin Receptors and Homologous Decoy Receptors, and Functional Significance of Their Multiplicity. Mol. Biol. Evol. (2020), 10.1093/molbev/msaa048