Knowledge Bank

This study introduces the methods used to determine the phylogeny of different E2f factors as they might have evolved over time in different organisms, diverging into the wide array shown today. It also represents a method to find new, putative E2f factors in the known genomic database through in silico analysis. To do this, techniques such as BLAST searches, sequence homology alignment, and phylogenetic comparisons were used. The findings of this study suggest that these factors may have evolved through the basis of function, although convergent evolution may be a distinct possibility in some cases. From these finds, the activator groups may have evolved separately from the repressor groups, but with different groupings than those found when the factors were independently analyzed. To make this conclusion, we also used potential factors that were found in some metazoans like Arabidopsis or Danio rerio. Further investigation may be needed to determine whether these factors may really function in the way that E2fs are known to do.