TY - JOUR AU - Oellermann, Michael AU - Strugnell, Jan M. AU - Lieb, Bernhard AU - Mark, Felix C. PY - 2015 DA - 2015/07/05 TI - Positive selection in octopus haemocyanin indicates functional links to temperature adaptation JO - BMC Evolutionary Biology SP - 133 VL - 15 IS - 1 AB - Octopods have successfully colonised the world’s oceans from the tropics to the poles. Yet, successful persistence in these habitats has required adaptations of their advanced physiological apparatus to compensate impaired oxygen supply. Their oxygen transporter haemocyanin plays a major role in cold tolerance and accordingly has undergone functional modifications to sustain oxygen release at sub-zero temperatures. However, it remains unknown how molecular properties evolved to explain the observed functional adaptations. We thus aimed to assess whether natural selection affected molecular and structural properties of haemocyanin that explains temperature adaptation in octopods. SN - 1471-2148 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-015-0411-4 DO - 10.1186/s12862-015-0411-4 ID - Oellermann2015 ER -