An amphioxus orthologue of the estrogen receptor that does not bind estradiol: insights into estrogen receptor evolution.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The origin of nuclear receptors (NRs) and the question whether the ancestral NR was a liganded or an unliganded transcription factor has been recently debated. To obtain insight into the evolution of the ligand binding ability of estrogen receptors (ER), we comparatively characterized the ER from the protochordate amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae), and the ER from lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a basal vertebrate.

Results

Extensive phylogenetic studies as well as signature analysis allowed us to confirm that the amphioxus ER (amphiER) and the lamprey ER (lampER) belong to the ER group. LampER behaves as a "classical" vertebrate ER, as it binds to specific DNA Estrogen Responsive Elements (EREs), and is activated by estradiol (E2), the classical ER natural ligand.

SUBMITTER: Paris M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2529310 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature