Evolution of the EGFR pathway in Metazoa and its diversification in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea.

ABSTRACT: The EGFR pathway is an essential signaling system in animals, whose core components are the epidermal growth factors (EGF ligands) and their trans-membrane tyrosine kinase receptors (EGFRs). Despite extensive knowledge in classical model organisms, little is known of the composition and function of the EGFR pathway in most animal lineages. Here, we have performed an extensive search for the presence of EGFRs and EGF ligands in representative species of most major animal clades, with special focus on the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. With the exception of placozoans and cnidarians, we found that the EGFR pathway is potentially present in all other analyzed animal groups, and has experienced frequent independent expansions. We further characterized the expression domains of the EGFR/EGF

SUBMITTER: Barberan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4914847 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature