Genome-wide annotation of RSPO homologs across multiple metazoan phyla was conducted, alongside phylogenetic tree reconstruction, selection pressure analysis and conserved domain characterization.
Key Findings
The ancestral RSPO4 isoform was confirmed to originate from the common bilaterian ancestor, representing the most ancient subtype of the family.
The divergence timeline of the four RSPO subtypes and lineage-specific functional shifts driven by domain variations were clarified.
The evolutionary conservation of the family’s regulation over the Wnt pathway was elucidated, offering evolutionary foundations for Wnt-associated tumor-targeted research.
The corresponding article Phylogenetic Insights into the Evolutionary History of the RSPO Gene Family in Metazoa was published in Genes (IF: 2.8)