biostudies-literatureUnknown9(2)Yanay C<h4>Background</h4>The molecular components in synapses that are essential to the life cycle of synaptic vesicles are well characterized. Nonetheless, many aspects of synaptic processes, in particular how they relate to complex behaviour, remain elusive. The genomes of flies, mosquitoes, the honeybee and the beetle are now fully sequenced and span an evolutionary breadth of about 350 million years; this provides a unique opportunity to conduct a comparative genomics study of the synapse.<h4>Results</h4>We compiled a list of 120 gene prototypes that comprise the core of presynaptic structures in insects. Insects lack several scaffolding proteins in the active zone, such as bassoon and piccollo, and the most abundant protein in the mammalian synaptic vesicle, namely synaptophysin. The patterGenome biologyR27https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2374702biostudies-literatureEvolution of insect proteomes: insights into synapse organization and synaptic vesicle life cycle.PMC2374702Linial MMorpurgo NYanay CfalseEvolution of insect proteomes: insights into synapse organization and synaptic vesicle life cycle.<h4>Background</h4>The molecular components in synapses that are essential to the life cycle of synaptic vesicles are well characterized. Nonetheless, many aspects of synaptic processes, in particular how they relate to complex behaviour, remain elusive. The genomes of flies, mosquitoes, the honeybee and the beetle are now fully sequenced and span an evolutionary breadth of about 350 million years; this provides a unique opportunity to conduct a comparative genomics study of the synapse.<h4>Results</h4>We compiled a list of 120 gene prototypes that comprise the core of presynaptic structures in insects. Insects lack several scaffolding proteins in the active zone, such as bassoon and piccollo, and the most abundant protein in the mammalian synaptic vesicle, namely synaptophysin. The patter2008-01-01T00:00:00Z20082026-04-29T01:36:04.96Z2026-04-07T14:53:05.506ZS-EPMC23747021825790910.1186/gb-2008-9-2-r27