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. 2022 Feb 4;8(5):eabl6496. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abl6496

Fig. 1. Molecular basis for Steller’s sea cow’s skin phenotype.

Fig. 1.

(A) Sirenian distribution according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (51). All sequenced Steller’s sea cow individuals originate from the Commander Islands. (B) Translated multiple sequence alignment of the ALOXE3 and ALOX12B genes showing amino acid sequence conservation corresponding to the human proteins (bold in Steller’s sea cow) and the position of the premature stop codons. (C) Arachidonate lipoxygenases structure, which is composed of the PLAT (Polycystin-1, Lipoxygenase, and Alpha-Toxin) domain and the enzymatic LIPOXYGENASE core domain. Premature stop codons in Steller’s sea cow ALOXE3 and ALOX12B genes are depicted in red. Truncating variants described in human patients and located downstream from the Steller’s sea cow premature stop codons are depicted in black. (D) Left: Steller’s sea cow drawing according to Steller’s description from 1741 (image by R. Ellis). Right: Image of a patient with ichthyosis; detail depicts scaling and hyperkeratosis.