Evolution of the Calcium-Based Intracellular Signaling System

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Understanding molecular evolution requires examining whole cellular systems, not just individual genes.
• The calcium-signaling toolkit, composed of multidomain proteins, is crucial for intracellular communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the evolutionary trajectory of the calcium-signaling system.
• To compare the evolution of calcium signaling with other cellular systems and genomic expansion.
• To explore the correlation between calcium signaling evolution and the divergence of plants and animals.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of protein repertoires in extant and ancestral organisms.
• Comparative genomics to assess evolutionary rates.
• Examination of protein evolution through duplication, recombination, sequence divergence, and selection.

Main Results:

• The calcium-signaling repertoire in eukaryotes expanded in abundance and diversity at a rate exceeding general genomic expansion.
• Evolutionary patterns of calcium signaling differ in rate and nature compared to other systems.
• These evolutionary differences correlate with the observed disparities between plants and animals.

Conclusions:

• Calcium signaling has evolved uniquely and rapidly within eukaryotes.
• The distinct evolutionary dynamics of calcium signaling contribute to the functional diversification of organisms like plants and animals.