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Sequence Analysis and Evolutionary Studies of Reelin Proteins
Malini Manoharan1, Sayyed Auwn Muhammad2, Ramanathan Sowdhamini1
1Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India. ; National Center for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, India.
Bioinformatics and Biology Insights
|December 31, 2015
Summary
The reelin gene, crucial for brain development and plasticity, shows significant sequence conservation across species. Its evolutionary patterns mirror species evolution, highlighting its conserved nature for research.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The reelin gene is vital for vertebrate brain development and neural plasticity.
- Human reelin, with its 3461 amino acid sequence and eight repeats, is a valuable model for evolutionary studies.
- Understanding reelin's evolutionary conservation is key to deciphering its functional roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a detailed sequence analysis of human reelin and its homologues.
- To compare reelin sequences from 104 species to identify conservation patterns.
- To explore the evolutionary significance of reelin sequence and structure.
Main Methods:
- Sequence analysis of reelin genes from humans and 103 other species.
- Phylogenetic analysis of reelin sequences.
- Multiple sequence alignment of reelin domain repeats.
- Development of a 3D structural model for full-length human reelin.
Main Results:
- Identified interesting sequence conservation patterns within individual reelin repeats.
- Reelin sequence phylogeny closely matches species evolution, confirming its conserved nature.
- Multiple sequence alignment revealed conserved functions for specific repeats and unusual domain architectures.
Conclusions:
- The reelin gene family is highly conserved and serves as an excellent marker for evolutionary studies.
- Individual reelin repeats likely possess specific functions, supported by high cross-species conservation.
- A 3D structural model of human reelin provides insights into its dimerization interface.
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