The Evolutionary History of Ephs and Ephrins: Toward Multicellular Organisms.

ABSTRACT: Eph receptor (Eph) and ephrin signaling regulate fundamental developmental processes through both forward and reverse signaling triggered upon cell-cell contact. In vertebrates, they are both classified into classes A and B, and some representatives have been identified in many metazoan groups, where their expression and functions have been well studied. We have extended previous phylogenetic analyses and examined the presence of Eph and ephrins in the tree of life to determine their origin and evolution. We have found that 1) premetazoan choanoflagellates may already have rudimental Eph/ephrin signaling as they have an Eph-/ephrin-like pair and homologs of downstream-signaling genes; 2) both forward- and reverse-downstream signaling might already occur in Porifera since sponges have most

SUBMITTER: Arcas A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6993872 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature