Evolution and comparative genomics of subcellular specializations: EST sequencing of Torpedo electric organ.

ABSTRACT: Uncharacterized open reading frames (ORFs) in human genomic sequence often show a high degree of evolutionary conservation, yet have little or no tissue EST or protein data suggestive of protein product function. The encoded proteins may have highly restricted expression in specialized cells, subcellular specializations, and/or narrow windows during development. One such highly specialized and minute subcellular compartment is the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), where motorneurons contact muscle fibers. The electric Torpedo ray has evolved to expand the NMJ structure to the size of a large organ (electroplax organ), and we hypothesized that Torpedo electroplax proteins would be candidates for human ESTs expressed at the human NMJ. A total of 9719 primary electroplax cDNA clones were sequence

SUBMITTER: Nazarian J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3412124 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature