Evolution of protein inhibitors of serine proteinases: positive Darwinian selection or compositional effects?

Abstract excerpt

In at least two instances involving serine proteinase inhibitors it has been shown that functionally important sites evolve faster and exhibit more interspecific variability than functionally neutral sites. Because these phenomena are difficult to reconcile with the neutral theory of molecular evolution, it has been suggested that the accelerated rate of amino acid substitution at the reactive sites is brought...

Topics

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animals
• Birds
• Humans
• Mice
• Mutation
• Protease Inhibitors
• Rats
• Selection, Genetic
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
• Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
• Species Specificity