What is it about?
We reveal that the evolutionary age of genes is a critical factor influencing how genes function, interact, and change —both in how fast and in what way evolution happens. We focused on seminal fluid proteins (aka Sfps), which are transferred during copulation to the females in many different taxa, including many primate and insect species. These proteins elicit dramatic physiological and behavioral responses in the females, impacting their reproductive output.
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Photo by Akbar Nemati on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Our findings overturn the common belief that reproductive genes are “evolutionary young”, showing instead that a substantial fraction is ancient and embedded into broad genetic networks. Unlike ancient Sfp genes, younger ones show a narrower association with male reproductive function and have a more limited functional scope, forming a tight protein interaction subnetwork. These insights have wide implications for identifying genes that drive diversification and adaptation, as well as those whose disruption via mutations may be detrimental for the organism.
Perspectives
This research was a great collaboration with Prof. Alberto Civetta, allowing us to explore the genetics and evolution of key proteins that affect animal reproduction. Our findings will help guide future research into understanding how far back in evolutionary history reproductive proteins first appeared in insects and beyond.
Professor Jose Ranz
University of California Irvine
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Gene age shapes functional and evolutionary properties of the
Drosophila
seminal fluid proteome, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, October 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2505490122.
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