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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Studying Protein Function and the Role of Altered Protein Expression by Antibody Interference and Three-dimensional Reconstructions

Studying Protein Function and the Role of Altered Protein Expression by Antibody Interference and Three-dimensional Reconstructions

Published on: April 21, 2016

Shuttling Homeoproteins and Their Biological Significance.

Alain Prochiantz¹, Ariel A Di Nardo²

¹Development and Neuropharmacology Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, Paris Cedex 05, France. alain.prochiantz@college-de-france.fr.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|November 12, 2021

Summary

Homeoprotein transcription factors can move between cells, enabling targeted delivery of cargo. This ancient intercellular signaling pathway is widespread across eukaryotes, with implications for evolution and cell communication.

Keywords:

Evolution Homeoproteins Signaling Transcription factors

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Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Homeoprotein transcription factors facilitate intercellular communication.
Penetratin, a transduction peptide, was discovered through studying homeoprotein transfer.
Over 150 homeoproteins exhibit this transduction capability, suggesting a significant biological role.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the evolution of homeoprotein intercellular transfer.
To compare homeoprotein signaling across different eukaryotic phyla.
To highlight the ancient origins and broad occurrence of this signaling mechanism.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on homeoprotein transduction studies.
Comparative analysis of homeoprotein signaling in plants, animals, and fungi.
Discussion of evolutionary aspects of intercellular protein transfer.

Main Results:

Homeoprotein transfer is a conserved mechanism across eukaryotes.
Intercellular homeoprotein signaling predates the divergence of plants, fungi, and animals.
While the mechanism is widespread, in vivo functions are well-characterized for a limited number of proteins.

Conclusions:

Homeoprotein intercellular transfer represents an ancient and fundamental signaling pathway.
This ancient signaling mechanism has significant evolutionary implications.
Further research is needed to fully elucidate the in vivo functions of many homeoprotein signaling pathways.