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Related Concept Videos

Catenins01:23

Catenins

Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the adherens...
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways01:41

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

Wnt is a zygotic effect gene that is expressed during very early embryonic development. It regulates various processes in animals starting from early development through the adult stage, such as organogenesis in the embryo and maintenance of neuronal and blood stem cells. Wnt proteins can induce a wide variety of intracellular pathways depending upon the specific abilities of different Wnt ligands to form a complex with shared and cognate receptors in the presence of different co-receptors. The...
Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
Cis-regulatory Sequences02:02

Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...

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Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract
09:41

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract

Published on: June 17, 2014

Parallel duplication and partial subfunctionalization of β-catenin/armadillo during insect evolution.

Riyue Bao1, Tami Fischer, Renata Bolognesi

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, USA.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|September 6, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Gene duplication in insects led to specialized roles for β-Catenin. One copy retained Wnt signaling, while the other adapted for cell adhesion and centrosome separation, revealing evolutionary flexibility.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • β-Catenin is a crucial protein involved in Wnt signaling, cell adhesion, and centrosome separation.
  • Gene duplication events can lead to the evolution of new protein functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional consequences of β-Catenin gene duplication in Tribolium castaneum and Acyrthosiphon pisum.
  • To understand the evolutionary trajectory of β-Catenin's diverse functions following gene duplication.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative sequence analysis of β-Catenin orthologs in Tribolium and Acyrthosiphon.
  • Functional characterization through gene knockdown experiments in Tribolium embryos.
  • Analysis of conserved and divergent amino acid residues.

Main Results:

  • Independent duplications of the β-Catenin gene (arm) occurred in Tribolium and Acyrthosiphon.
  • One β-Catenin paralog lost cell adhesion function but retained Wnt signaling roles.
  • Knockdown experiments revealed redundant Wnt signaling functions and specialized roles in cell adhesion and centrosome separation for the paralogs.

Conclusions:

  • The duplicated β-Catenin genes in Tribolium and Acyrthosiphon underwent partial subfunctionalization, a potentially favored evolutionary path.
  • This study provides the first evidence for the genetic separability of cell adhesion and centrosome separation functions of β-Catenin.
  • A conserved C-terminally truncated β-Catenin isoform suggests an unexplored role in Wnt signaling.