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Evolution of an antifreeze glycoprotein

Nature volume 401, pages 443–444 (1999)Cite this article

A blood protein that keeps Antarctic fish from freezing arose from a digestive enzyme.

Abstract

The ice-binding antifreeze glycoprotein (AFGP) that circulates in the blood of Antarctic notothenioid fishes enables them to avoid freezing in their perpetually icy environment1. This crucial survival protein probably arose from a functionally unrelated pancreatic trypsinogen-like protease2. We have now discovered an important intermediate in this evolutionary process — transcriptionally active chimaeric genes that encode both an AFGP poly-protein and the protease, confirming the protease origin of AFGP and indicating how it was created.

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Figure 1: Key molecular components in the evolution of the AFGP gene from the protease gene in Antarctic notothenioids.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, Ethology and Evolution, University of Illinois, Urbana, 61801, Illinois, USA

    Chi-Hing C. Cheng & Liangbiao Chen

Authors
  1. Chi-Hing C. Cheng
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  2. Liangbiao Chen
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Correspondence to Chi-Hing C. Cheng.

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Cheng, CH., Chen, L. Evolution of an antifreeze glycoprotein. Nature 401, 443–444 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/46721

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