Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
08:25
Impedance Pneumography for Minimally Invasive Measurement of Heart Rate in Late Stage Invertebrates
Published on: April 4, 2020
Mammalian Per-Arnt-Sim proteins in environmental adaptation
Brian E McIntosh1, John B Hogenesch, Christopher A Bradfield
1McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. bemcintosh@wisc.edu
Annual Review of Physiology
|February 13, 2010
Summary
Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain proteins sense small molecules and regulate adaptive responses to environmental changes. This review highlights their roles in mammalian development and adaptation, including anticipating environmental shifts.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- The Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain is a conserved protein domain found across all kingdoms of life.
- PAS domains bind and sense various small molecules, including oxygen, metabolites, and hydrocarbons.
- These domains are crucial components of signaling pathways regulating responses to environmental stimuli.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diverse roles of PAS domain-containing proteins in mammals.
- To provide structural insights for classifying the biological functions of PAS proteins.
- To discuss the involvement of PAS proteins in adaptation and anticipation of environmental changes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on PAS domain-containing proteins in mammals.
- Analysis of structural data to functionally classify PAS protein roles.
- Synthesis of information on PAS protein involvement in adaptive and anticipatory responses.
Main Results:
- PAS proteins are integral to key mammalian pathways like hypoxia, circadian rhythms, and dioxin response.
- Structural classification aids in understanding both known and novel functions of PAS proteins.
- These proteins play a significant role in cellular, organ, and whole-organism adaptation.
Conclusions:
- PAS domain proteins are critical regulators of adaptive responses to environmental cues in mammals.
- Their ability to sense small molecules and integrate environmental signals is key to their function.
- Understanding PAS protein structure and function is vital for comprehending biological adaptation and anticipation.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Transduction
Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...
01:57Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
01:27Diversity of Archaea III
Crenarchaeota, a prominent phylum of Archaea, is remarkable for its ability to thrive in extreme environments characterized by high temperatures and acidity. These microorganisms inhabit sulfuric hot springs, volcanic systems, and submarine hydrothermal vents, where temperatures often exceed 100°C. The unique adaptations of Crenarchaeota not only allow survival under such extreme conditions but also provide insights into the mechanisms of life in primordial Earth-like environments.Morphological...
01:23The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR
CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this defense.
01:28Global Regulatory Systems
Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
01:24Evolution of New Traits in Microbes
Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...