Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
10:53
Isolation of Cognate RNA-protein Complexes from Cells Using Oligonucleotide-directed Elution
Published on: January 16, 2017
RNA-binding protein family diversification correlates with neural complexity across metazoan evolution
Kyota Yasuda1,2,3
1Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan.
Iscience
|May 11, 2026
Summary
The diversity of RNA-binding protein (RBP) families expands with increasing neuron number across species, highlighting their role in neural complexity. This RBP diversification parallels the evolution of gene regulation in the nervous system.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Neuroscience
- Molecular biology
Background:
- RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are crucial regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression.
- RBPs play vital roles in the development and function of the nervous system.
- Understanding the evolution of RBPs can shed light on the molecular basis of neural complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the diversity of RNA-binding protein families correlates with neural complexity across different animal species.
- To compare the evolutionary patterns of RBPs with other protein families like kinases, GPCRs, and transcription factors.
- To explore the relationship between RBP structural features, phase separation properties, and neural complexity.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of RBP domain families across six species with varying neuron numbers (worm to human).
- Quantification of RBP disordered regions and assessment of liquid-liquid phase separation propensity.
- Analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA) regulatory tail lengths in relation to RBP diversification.
Main Results:
- A progressive increase in distinct RBP domain families was observed with increasing neuron number, a pattern specific to RBPs.
- Unlike transcription factors that plateau in vertebrates, RBP families continued to expand.
- Disordered regions in RBPs lengthened in more complex organisms, while phase separation propensity remained conserved.
- Lengthening of mRNA regulatory tails paralleled RBP diversification, suggesting co-evolution.
Conclusions:
- RBP family diversification is a key molecular signature associated with the evolution of animal neural complexity.
- The findings suggest a co-evolution between RBPs and mRNA regulatory elements to enhance post-transcriptional regulatory capacity.
- This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the emergence of complex nervous systems.
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