New tricks for "old" domains: how novel architectures and promiscuous hubs contributed to the organization and evolution of the ECM.

ABSTRACT: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a defining characteristic of metazoans and consists of a meshwork of self-assembling, fibrous proteins, and their functionally related neighbours. Previous studies, focusing on a limited number of gene families, suggest that vertebrate complexity predominantly arose through the duplication and subsequent modification of retained, preexisting ECM genes. These genes provided the structural underpinnings to support a variety of specialized tissues, as well as a platform for the organization of spatio-temporal signaling and cell migration. However, the relative contributions of ancient versus novel domains to ECM evolution have not been quantified across the full range of ECM proteins. Here, utilizing a high quality list comprising 324 ECM genes, we reveal gen

SUBMITTER: Cromar G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4224354 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature