B-Melanoma Antigen 5 (BAGE5)

BAGE5 Belongs to the BAGE family. BAGE (B melanoma antigen) gene family was generated by chromosome rearrangements that occurred during the evolution of hominoids. The duplicated region contained a fragment of the MLL3 gene, which, after juxtacentromeric reshuffling, generated the ancestral BAGE gene. Then, this ancestral gene gave rise to several independent genes through successive rounds of inter- and intrachromosome duplications. Comparison of synonymous and nonsynonymous mutations in putative coding regions shows that BAGE genes, but not the BAGE gene fragments, are under selective pressure. BAGE proteins have a function and that juxtacentromeric regions, whose plasticity is now largely proved, are not a simple junkyard of gene fragments, but may be the birth site of novel genes.