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The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This...
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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.
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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.
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The term desmosome derives from the Greek words "desmo" and "soma" meaning "adhesion bodies." This structure was first observed during the late 1800s and described as small, dense nodules in the epidermis. Desmosomes are button-like structures that help form an interlinked network of intermediate filaments across the cells. These junctions are  essential to hold cells together under mechanical stress and to maintain tissue integrity. Desmosomes are multi-protein...
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Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...
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Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
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Cyclostomes Lack Clustered Protocadherins.

Vydianathan Ravi1, Wei-Ping Yu2, Nisha E Pillai1

  • 1Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Biopolis, Singapore.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|November 8, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Jawless vertebrates, or cyclostomes, do not possess clustered protocadherins, which are key to neuronal diversity in jawed vertebrates. This suggests cyclostomes evolved alternative molecular mechanisms for brain complexity.

Keywords:
jawless vertebratesneuronal diversityprotocadherin

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • The vertebrate brain's complexity relies on neuronal diversity.
  • Clustered protocadherins (cPcdhs) generate neuronal diversity in jawed vertebrates via stochastic gene expression.
  • The evolutionary origin of cPcdhs and their role in non-jawed vertebrates remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and evolutionary origin of clustered protocadherins in jawless vertebrates (cyclostomes).
  • To understand the molecular basis of neuronal diversity in the earliest diverging vertebrate lineages.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of transcriptomes from Japanese and sea lamprey brains and embryos.
  • Examination of genome assemblies from two lamprey species.
  • Study of brain expressed sequence tags from the inshore hagfish.

Main Results:

  • Extant jawless vertebrates (cyclostomes) lack clustered protocadherins.
  • Clustered protocadherins likely originated from a nonclustered protocadherin ancestor in the jawed vertebrate lineage after whole-genome duplications.
  • Jawless vertebrates may utilize alternative molecular strategies for generating neuronal diversity.

Conclusions:

  • The clustered protocadherin gene family is specific to jawed vertebrates.
  • Jawless vertebrates evolved neuronal diversity through mechanisms independent of clustered protocadherins.
  • Further research is needed to identify novel molecules or pathways responsible for neuronal diversity in cyclostomes.