Comparative genomics uncovers novel structural and functional features of the heterotrimeric GTPase signaling system.

ABSTRACT: Though the heterotrimeric G-proteins signaling system is one of the best studied in eukaryotes, its provenance and its prevalence outside of model eukaryotes remains poorly understood. We utilized the wealth of sequence data from recently sequenced eukaryotic genomes to uncover robust G-protein signaling systems in several poorly studied eukaryotic lineages such as the parabasalids, heteroloboseans and stramenopiles. This indicated that the Gα subunit is likely to have separated from the ARF-like GTPases prior to the last eukaryotic common ancestor. We systematically identified the structure and sequence features associated with this divergence and found that most of the neomorphic positions in Gα form a ring of residues centered on the nucleotide binding site, several of which are likely

SUBMITTER: Anantharaman V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3396428 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature