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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
10:24
Detection of Ligand-activated G Protein-coupled Receptor Internalization by Confocal Microscopy
Published on: April 9, 2017
Nuclear hormone receptors in chordates
Stéphanie Bertrand1, Mohamed R Belgacem, Hector Escriva
1Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls sur Mer, FRE3355, CNRS and University Pierre and Marie Curie-Paris6, Banyuls sur Mer F-66650, France.
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
|July 13, 2010
Summary
Investigating nuclear receptors (NRs) in amphioxus, a chordate ancestor model, reveals insights into endocrine system evolution. This study explores NR function evolution across the invertebrate-to-vertebrate transition.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Endocrinology
- Genomics
Background:
- The evolution of endocrine systems in chordates is crucial for understanding their development.
- Nuclear receptors (NRs) are key mediators of hormonal responses, making their evolutionary study significant.
- Genomic data provides a broad overview of NR gene content evolution in chordates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand the functional evolution of nuclear receptors (NRs) during the invertebrate-chordate to vertebrate transition.
- To utilize comparative approaches in different species to study NR functional properties.
- To review available data on amphioxus NRs and discuss evolutionary scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomics analysis of NR gene content across chordate phyla.
- Functional studies of NRs in the cephalochordate amphioxus as a model system.
- Review and synthesis of existing data on amphioxus NR functions.
Main Results:
- Amphioxus possesses a NR gene complement similar to the chordate ancestor.
- Comparative analysis provides a global view of NR gene content evolution.
- Functional data on amphioxus NRs allows for evolutionary scenario building.
Conclusions:
- Amphioxus serves as an excellent model for studying NR functional evolution.
- Understanding amphioxus NR function is key to deciphering endocrine system evolution in chordates.
- The study provides evolutionary scenarios for NR function during early chordate evolution.
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