Genetic basis for the evolution of vertebrate mineralized tissue.

ABSTRACT: Mineralized tissue is vital to many characteristic adaptive phenotypes in vertebrates. Three primary tissues, enamel (enameloid), dentin, and bone, are found in the body armor of ancient agnathans and mammalian teeth, suggesting that these two organs are homologous. Mammalian enamel forms on enamel-specific proteins such as amelogenin, whereas dentin and bone form on collagen and many acidic proteins, such as SPP1, coordinately regulate their mineralization. We previously reported that genes for three major enamel matrix proteins, five proteins necessary for dentin and bone formation, and milk caseins and salivary proteins arose from a single ancestor by tandem gene duplications and form the secretory calcium-binding phosphoprotein (SCPP) family. Gene structure and protein characteristics

SUBMITTER: Kawasaki K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC509207 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature