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Molecular evolution of receptors for eicosanoids
H Toh1, A Ichikawa, S Narumiya
1Department of Biochemical Engineering and Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan.
FEBS Letters
|March 13, 1995
Summary
The evolutionary history of the arachidonic acid cascade reveals distinct origins for cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. This suggests different evolutionary trajectories for prostaglandin and lipoxin signaling systems.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Evolutionary Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The arachidonic acid cascade is crucial for various physiological processes.
- Receptors for prostaglandins, thromboxane, and lipoxin are members of the rhodopsin family.
- Understanding the evolutionary history of these pathways is key to deciphering their roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To infer the evolutionary history of the arachidonic acid cascade.
- To investigate the evolutionary relationship between cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways.
- To determine the phylogenetic placement of prostaglandin and lipoxin receptors.
Main Methods:
- Amino acid sequences of rhodopsin family receptors for prostaglandins, thromboxane, and lipoxin were aligned.
- A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on these alignments.
- The evolutionary relationships and clustering of receptors were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The phylogenetic tree indicated distinct evolutionary origins for the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways.
- Receptors of the cyclooxygenase pathway formed an independent cluster.
- The lipoxin A4 receptor, part of the lipoxygenase pathway, clustered with peptide receptors.
Conclusions:
- The cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways likely evolved independently.
- The lipoxin A4 receptor's phylogenetic position suggests unique evolutionary pressures.
- The primitive cyclooxygenase pathway may have functioned as a prostaglandin E2 signaling system involving cAMP metabolism.