Conserved Regulation of Cardiac Calcium Uptake by Peptides Encoded in Small Open Reading Frames

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1238802
• Publication Date: 2013-08-23T05:09:08Z
• Authors: Emile G. Magny; Jose Ignacio Pueyo; Frances M.G. Pearl; Miguel Angel Cesp...; Jeremy E. Niven; Sarah A. Bishop; Juan Pablo Couso
• Keywords: Reading frame; Conserved sequence

Small open reading frames (smORFs) are short DNA sequences that able to encode small peptides of less than 100 amino acids. Study these elements has been neglected despite thousands existing in our genomes. We and others previously showed as 11 acids translated provide essential functions during insect development. Here, we describe two 30 regulating calcium transport, hence influencing regular muscle contraction, the Drosophila heart. These seem conserved for more 550 million years a range species from flies humans, which they have implicated cardiac pathologies. Such conservation suggests mechanisms heart regulation ancient smORFs may be fundamental genome component should studied systematically.