Lawn R M, Boonmark N W, Schwartz K, Lindahl G E, Wade D P, Byrne C D, Fong K J, Meer K, Patthy L
Falk Cardiovascular Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5246, USA.
J Biol Chem. 1995 Oct 13;270(41):24004-9. doi: 10.1074/jbc.270.41.24004.
The lipoprotein Lp(a), a major inherited risk factor for atherosclerosis, consists of a low density lipoprotein-like particle containing apolipoprotein B-100 plus the distinguishing component apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)). Human apo(a) contains highly repeated domains related to plasminogen kringle four plus single kringle five and protease-like domains. Apo(a) is virtually confined to primates, and the gene may have arisen during primate evolution. One exception is the occurrence of an Lp(a)-like particle in the hedgehog. Cloning of the hedgehog apo(a)-like gene shows that it is distinctive in form and evolutionary history from human apo(a), but that it has acquired several common features. It appears that the primate and hedgehog apo(a) genes evolved independently by duplication and modification of different domains of the plasminogen gene, providing a novel type of "convergent" molecular evolution.
脂蛋白Lp(a)是动脉粥样硬化的主要遗传风险因素，由一个含有载脂蛋白B - 100的低密度脂蛋白样颗粒以及独特成分载脂蛋白(a)（apo(a)）组成。人apo(a)包含与纤溶酶原kringle 4相关的高度重复结构域、单个kringle 5以及蛋白酶样结构域。apo(a)实际上仅存在于灵长类动物中，该基因可能在灵长类动物进化过程中出现。一个例外是刺猬体内出现了一种类似Lp(a)的颗粒。刺猬apo(a)样基因的克隆表明，它在形式和进化史上与人类apo(a)不同，但它具有一些共同特征。看来灵长类动物和刺猬的apo(a)基因是通过纤溶酶原基因不同结构域的复制和修饰独立进化的，这提供了一种新型的“趋同”分子进化。
