RT Journal Article T1 Multiple independent L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO) gene losses and vitamin C synthesis reacquisition events in non-Deuterostomian animal species A1 Henriques, Sílvia F. A1 Duque, Pedro A1 López Fernández, Hugo A1 Vázquez, Noé A1 Fernández Riverola, Florentino A1 Reboiro Jato, Miguel A1 Vieira, Cristina P. A1 Vieira, Jorge K1 2302 Bioquímica K1 2302.21 Biología Molecular AB Background: L-ascorbate (Vitamin C) is an important antioxidant and co-factor in eukaryotic cells, and in mammalsit is indispensable for brain development and cognitive function. Vertebrates usually become L-ascorbate auxothrophswhen the last enzyme of the synthetic pathway, an L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO), is lost. Since Protostomes wereuntil recently thought not to have a GULO gene, they were considered to be auxothrophs for Vitamin C.Results: By performing phylogenetic analyses with tens of non-Bilateria and Protostomian genomes, it is shown, that aGULO gene is present in the non-Bilateria Placozoa, Myxozoa (here reported for the first time) and Anthozoa groups,and in Protostomians, in the Araneae family, the Gastropoda class, the Acari subclass (here reported for the first time),and the Priapulida, Annelida (here reported for the first time) and Brachiopoda phyla lineages. GULO is an old genethat predates the separation of Animals and Fungi, although it could be much older. We also show thatwithin Protostomes, GULO has been lost multiple times in large taxonomic groups, namely the Pancrustacea,Nematoda, Platyhelminthes and Bivalvia groups, a pattern similar to that reported for Vertebrate species.Nevertheless, we show that Drosophila melanogaster seems to be capable of synthesizing L-ascorbate, likelythrough an alternative pathway, as recently reported for Caenorhabditis elegans.Conclusions: Non-Bilaterian and Protostomians seem to be able to synthesize Vitamin C either through theconventional animal pathway or an alternative pathway, but in this animal group, not being able to synthesize L-ascorbateseems to be the exception rather than the rule PB BMC Evolutionary Biology SN 14712148 YR 2019 FD 2019-06-18 LK http://hdl.handle.net/11093/4153 UL http://hdl.handle.net/11093/4153 LA eng NO BMC Evolutionary Biology, 19(1): 126 (2019) NO Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2018/55-GRC DS Investigo RD 06-nov-2024