Putative chitin synthases from Branchiostoma floridae show extracellular matrix-related domains and mosaic structures.

ABSTRACT: The transition from unicellular to multicellular life forms requires the development of a specialized structural component, the extracellular matrix (ECM). In Metazoans, there are two main supportive systems, which are based on chitin and collagen/hyaluronan, respectively. Chitin is the major constituent of fungal cell walls and arthropod exoskeleton. However, presence of chitin/chitooligosaccharides has been reported in lower chordates and during specific stages of vertebrate development. In this study, the occurrence of chitin synthases (CHSs) was investigated with a bioinformatics approach in the cephalochordate Branchiostoma floridae, in which the presence of chitin was initially reported in the skeletal rods of the pharyngeal gill basket. Twelve genes coding for proteins containing co

SUBMITTER: Guerriero G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4937987 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature