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Science 25 September 1998:
Vol. 281. no. 5385, pp. 1995 - 1998
DOI: 10.1126/science.281.5385.1995
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Review

Evolution of Gamete Recognition Proteins

Victor D. Vacquier

REVIEW

Although fertilization has been studied for more than a century, the cell surface proteins mediating the process are only now becoming known. Gamete interaction in animals appears to be molecularly complex. Although it is difficult to generalize at present, diversity of structure may be a recurring theme in the evolution of fertilization proteins. Examples of rapid evolution of fertilization proteins by positive selection are known, and concerted evolution can influence the differentiation of gamete recognition proteins between closely related species.

The author is at the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0202, USA.

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