Cldn18 evolution reveals pleiotropic constraints in vertebrate stomach loss
Andre Machado, Andre Santos, João Moutinho, Joao Teixeira, Raquel Ruivo, Elsa Froufe, Patricia Ferreira, Mónica Lopes‐Marques, Jonathan Wilson, L. Filipe C. Castro
The paper analyzes the evolution of CLDN18 across vertebrates, showing gene loss, alternative splicing, and regulatory changes linked to stomach loss and pleiotropy.
bioRxiv · Oct 2, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology