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The era of genetic sequencing
has revealed as much about the ties that bind us to other animals as the
differences that set us apart. Often, comparing the genomes of different
species shows that large changes in body size, shape and form are not mirrored
by similar changes at a genetic level. New adaptations typically come about
through small changes that redeploy existing genes to different ends, rather
than raw innovation.
Snakes are an exception. A new study by Todd Castoe and Zhi Jiangat the University of Colorado has shown that the lifestyle of serpents is so unique that some of their core proteins, which vary very little in other animal species, have gone through massive changes. These bursts of evolution have been so dramatic that Castoe and Jiang refer to them as “evolutionary redesigns”.
The proteins in question are all involved in aerobic metabolism, the breakdown of molecules like sugars and fats in the presence of oxygen to release energy. Large-scale changes in these proteins may have contributed to the incredible metabolic abilities of snakes, which are unique in...
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