The Antarctic clam, Laternula elliptica, is an infaunal stenothermal bivalve mollusc with a circumpolar distribution. It plays significant role in bentho-pelagic coupling and hence has been proposed as sentinel species for climate change monitoring. Previous studies have shown that this displays high level of plasticity regard to shell deposition damage repair against background genetic homogeneity. Southern Ocean amongst the lowest present-day CaCO3 saturation rate any ocean region,...

Abstract Background Comparative approaches using protostome and deuterostome data have greatly contributed to understanding gene function organismal complexity. The family 2 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the largest best studied hormone neuropeptide receptor families. They suggested arisen from a single ancestral via duplication events. Despite recent identification members in early genomes, relatively little is known about their or origin during metazoan divergence. In this...

Abstract Background The parathyroid hormone (PTH)-family consists of a group structurally related factors that regulate calcium and bone homeostasis are also involved in development organs such as the heart, mammary gland immune system. They interact with specific members family 2 B1 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which have been characterised teleosts mammals. Two PTH/PTHrP receptors, PTH1R PTH2R exist mammals teleost fish further receptor PTH3R has identified. Recently chicken,...

A modified salinity of coastal waters due to climate change is likely affect the physiology and ion transport capabilities calcifying marine organisms such as bivalves. To investigate physiological effect decreased environmental in bivalves, adult oysters (Crassostrea gigas) were exposed for 14 days 50% seawater (SW, 16 ppt) effects on mantle transport, electrophysiology expression Ca2+ transporters channels relative animals full strength sea water was evaluated. Exposure SW active...

The evolution of the peptide family consisting corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and three urocortins (UCN1-3) has been puzzling due to uneven evolutionary rates. Distinct gene duplication scenarios have proposed in relation two basal rounds vertebrate genome doubling (2R) teleost fish-specific (3R). By analyses sequences chromosomal regions, including many neighboring families, we show here that progenitor had genes served as founders separate subfamilies. Then, 2R resulted a total five...

Family B1 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the most well studied neuropeptide receptor families since they play a central role in many biological processes including endocrine, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and reproduction animals. The genes for these emerged from common ancestral gene bilaterian genomes evolved via gene/genome duplications deletions vertebrate invertebrate genomes. Their existence function have mostly been characterized vertebrates few studies exist...

The secretin family is a pleotropic group of brain-gut peptides with affinity for class 2 G-protein coupled receptors (secretin GPCRs) proposed to have emerged early in the metazoan radiation via gene or genome duplications. In human, 10 members exist and sequence functional homologues ligand-receptor pairs been characterised representatives most vertebrate classes. Secretin-like GPCR also isolated non-vertebrate genomes however their corresponding ligands not convincingly identified...

Abstract In mammals, the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is involved in nutrient sensing and modulated by several amino acids. teleosts, sequence homologues of mammalian CaSR have been described but their function acids remains elusive, including Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ), an important aquaculture species. This study investigated activation Casr (asCasr)-mediated signaling pathways—G q , G i ERK1/2—by six selected L-amino (histidine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine...

Abstract The α-carbonic anhydrases (α-CAs) are a large and ancient group of metazoan-specific enzymes. They generate bicarbonate from metabolic carbon dioxide through calcium carbonate crystal formation play key role in the regulation mineralized structures. To better understand how α-CAs contribute to shell mineralization marine Mediterranean mussel ( Mytilus galloprovincialis ) we characterized them mantle. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that mollusc α-CA evolution was affected by lineage...

The complement system comprises a large family of plasma proteins that play central role in innate and adaptive immunity. To better understand the evolution vertebrates contribution to fish immunity comprehensive silico expression analysis gene repertoire was made. Particular attention given C3 evolutionary related C4 C5 one main regulatory factors C3b, factor H (Cfh). Phylogenetic linkage confirmed standing hypothesis ancestral c3 / c4 c5 duplicated early. duplication ( C3.1 C3.2 ) C4.1...

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase activating Peptide (PACAP) is a well-conserved neuropeptide characteristic of vertebrates. This pluripotent hypothalamic regulates neurotransmitter release, intestinal motility, metabolism, cell division/ differentiation and immunity. In vertebrates, PACAP has specific receptor (PAC1R) but it can also activate the Vasoactive Intestinal receptors (VPAC1 VPAC2). The evolution vertebrate ligand -receptor pair been well described. contrast, situation in invertebrates...

Bivalve molluscs are abundant in marine and freshwater systems contribute essential ecosystem services. They characterized by an exuberant diversity of biomineralized shells typically have two symmetric valves (a.k.a shells), but oysters (Ostreidae), some clams (Anomiidae Chamidae) scallops (Pectinida) asymmetrical valves. Predicting modelling the likely consequences ocean acidification on bivalve survival, biodiversity aquaculture makes understanding shell biomineralization its regulation a...

SUMMARY The aquaporins (formerly called the major intrinsic protein family) are transmembrane channel proteins. family includes CHIP group, which functionally characterised as water channels and GLP specialised for glycerol transport. present study reports identification characterisation of a novel member in teleost fish, sea bream Sparus auratus. A aquaporin (sbAQP)cDNA 1047 bp encoding 298 amino acids was isolated from kidney cDNA library. Functional characterization sbAQP using Xenopus...

Abstract Background Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) belong to a family of endocrine factors that share highly conserved N-terminal region (amino acids 1-34) play key roles in calcium homeostasis, bone formation skeletal development. Recently, PTH-like (PTH-L) was identified teleost fish raising questions about the evolution these proteins. Although PTH PTHrP have been intensively studied mammals their function other vertebrates is poorly documented. Amphibians birds...

In vertebrates, receptors of the rhodopsin G-protein coupled superfamily (GPCRs) play an important role in regulation feeding and energy homeostasis are activated by peptide hormones produced brain-gut axis. These peptides regulate appetite expenditure promoting or inhibiting food intake. Sequence function homologs human GPCRs involved exist nematode roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), arthropod fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster), suggesting that mechanisms...

Nematodes and arthropods are the most speciose animal groups possess Class 2 B1 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Existing models of invertebrate GPCR evolution mainly centered on Caenorhabditis elegans Drosophila melanogaster a few other nematode arthropod representatives. The present study reevaluates metazoan GPCRs orthologues by exploring in several genomes comparing them to human receptors. Three novel receptor phylogenetic clusters were identified designated cluster A, B...

The skin in vertebrates is a protective barrier and damage rapidly repaired to re-establish function maintain internal homeostasis. angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL) proteins are family of eight secreted glycoproteins with an important role repair angiogenesis humans. In other their existence remains largely unstudied. present study characterizes for the first time homologues human ANGPTLs fish identifies candidates that share conserved using regenerating teleost model over 4-day healing period....

Secreted phospholipases A 2 (sPLA s) are lipolytic enzymes present in organisms ranging from prokaryotes to eukaryotes but their origin and emergence poorly understood. We identified compared the conserved domains of 333 sPLA s proposed a model for evolution. The were grouped into seven categories according silico annotated domain collections ‘cd00618: PLA _like’ ‘pfam00068: Phospholip_A2_1’. containing cd04706 (plant‐specific ) bacteria plants. Metazoan group (G) I/II/V/X collection...

Allatostatin type A receptors (AST-ARs) are a group of G-protein coupled activated by members the FGL-amide (AST-A) peptide family that inhibit food intake and development in arthropods. Despite their physiological importance evolution AST-A system is poorly described relatively few have been isolated functionally characterised insects. The present study provides comprehensive analysis origin comparative system. To determine how feeding modified function AST-AR duplicate Anopheles...