Molecular Evolution and Inheritance Pattern of Sox Gene Family among Bovidae

Abstract

<i>Sox</i> genes are an evolutionarily conserved family of transcription factors that play important roles in cellular differentiation and numerous complex developmental processes. In vertebrates, <i>Sox</i> proteins are required for cell fate decisions, morphogenesis, and the control of self-renewal in embryonic and adult stem cells. The <i>Sox</i> gene family has been well-studied in multiple species including humans but there has been scanty or no research into Bovidae. In this study, we conducted a detailed evolutionary analysis of this gene family in Bovidae, including their physicochemical properties, biological functions, and patterns of inheritance. We performed a genome-wide cataloguing procedure to explore the <i>Sox</i> gene family using multiple bioinformatics tools. Our analysis revealed a significant inheritance pattern including conserved motifs that are critical to the ability of <i>Sox</i> proteins to interact with the regulatory regions of target genes and orchestrate multiple developmental and physiological processes. Importantly, we report an important conserved motif, EFDQYL/ELDQYL, found in the <i>Sox</i>E and <i>Sox</i>F groups but not in other <i>Sox</i> groups. Further analysis revealed that this motif sequence accounts for the binding and transactivation potential of <i>Sox</i> proteins. The degree of protein-protein interaction showed significant interactions among <i>Sox</i> genes and related genes implicated in embryonic development and the regulation of cell differentiation. We conclude that the <i>Sox</i> gene family uniquely evolved in Bovidae, with a few exhibiting important motifs that drive several developmental and physiological processes.