Following the Evolutionary Paths of Dscam1 Proteins toward Highly Specific Homophilic Interactions.

ABSTRACT: Many adhesion proteins, evolutionarily related through gene duplication, exhibit distinct and precise interaction preferences and affinities crucial for cell patterning. Yet, the evolutionary paths by which these proteins acquire new specificities and prevent cross-interactions within their family members remain unknown. To bridge this gap, this study focuses on Drosophila Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule-1 (Dscam1) proteins, which are cell adhesion proteins that have undergone extensive gene duplication. Dscam1 evolved under strong selective pressure to achieve strict homophilic recognition, essential for neuronal self-avoidance and patterning. Through a combination of phylogenetic analyses, ancestral sequence reconstruction, and cell aggregation assays, we studied the evolutionary tr

SUBMITTER: Wiseglass G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11272049 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature