Putative Peptide Activated G-protein Coupled Receptors in Non-Model Invertebrates
João C. R. Cardoso1, Rute C. Félix1, Deborah M. Power1, 2 *
1. Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
2. Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
The G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are an ancient and large family of membrane receptors that mediate the signalling of many endocrine factors associated with growth, metabolism, ion homeostasis, the stress response and reproduction in metazoans. Their relatively large size and the presence of seven highly conserved transmembrane (TM) domains facilitates gene identification and has made them important targets in the study of evolution and function of regulatory factors across organisms. Here we review the GPCR complement and their evolutionary trajectory in non-model invertebrate species. Such species are suggested to have undergone less gene/genome recombination events than the more popular protostomes, such as the Nematode and Arthropod models and for this reason they provide a more comprehensive example of the gene repertoire found in the extant deuterostomes. We will review in molluscs, and in particular in the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovinciallis), the evolution of GPCR-gene families that in vertebrates regulate reproduction, metabolism and ion homeostasis. Evolution and function of the GPCRs families targeted in molluscs will be considered taking a comparative approach in relation to the putative homologue systems in representatives of the main taxa for which genomic data is available.
Acknowledgments: Funded by Portuguese FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology project UID/Multi/04326/2013. The Fp7 EU project CACHE (No. 605051). JC by CCMAR/UID/Multi/04326/2013 and RF by FCT/SFRH/BPD/89811/2012.
Keywords: GPCRs, evolution, function, invertebrates, bivalves
João C. R. Cardoso1, Rute C. Félix1, Deborah M. Power1, 2 *
1. Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
2. Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
The G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are an ancient and large family of membrane receptors that mediate the signalling of many endocrine factors associated with growth, metabolism, ion homeostasis, the stress response and reproduction in metazoans. Their relatively large size and the presence of seven highly conserved transmembrane (TM) domains facilitates gene identification and has made them important targets in the study of evolution and function of regulatory factors across organisms. Here we review the GPCR complement and their evolutionary trajectory in non-model invertebrate species. Such species are suggested to have undergone less gene/genome recombination events than the more popular protostomes, such as the Nematode and Arthropod models and for this reason they provide a more comprehensive example of the gene repertoire found in the extant deuterostomes. We will review in molluscs, and in particular in the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovinciallis), the evolution of GPCR-gene families that in vertebrates regulate reproduction, metabolism and ion homeostasis. Evolution and function of the GPCRs families targeted in molluscs will be considered taking a comparative approach in relation to the putative homologue systems in representatives of the main taxa for which genomic data is available.
Acknowledgments: Funded by Portuguese FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology project UID/Multi/04326/2013. The Fp7 EU project CACHE (No. 605051). JC by CCMAR/UID/Multi/04326/2013 and RF by FCT/SFRH/BPD/89811/2012.
Keywords: GPCRs, evolution, function, invertebrates, bivalves