Polyphyly of nuclear lamin genes indicates an early eukaryotic origin of the metazoan-type intermediate filament proteins.

ABSTRACT: The nuclear lamina is a protein meshwork associated with the inner side of the nuclear envelope contributing structural, signalling and regulatory functions. Here, I report on the evolution of an important component of the lamina, the lamin intermediate filament proteins, across the eukaryotic tree of life. The lamins show a variety of protein domain and sequence motif architectures beyond the classical α-helical rod, nuclear localisation signal, immunoglobulin domain and CaaX motif organisation, suggesting extension and adaptation of functions in many species. I identified lamin genes not only in metazoa and Amoebozoa as previously described, but also in other opisthokonts including Ichthyosporea and choanoflagellates, in oomycetes, a sub-family of Stramenopiles, and in Rhizaria, implying

SUBMITTER: Kollmar M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4448529 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature