Emergence and Evolution of ERM Proteins and Merlin in Metazoans.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Ezrin, radixin, moesin, and merlin are cytoskeletal proteins, whose functions are specific to metazoans. They participate in cell cortex rearrangement, including cell-cell contact formation, and play an important role in cancer progression. Here, we have performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the proteins spanning 87 species. The results describe a possible mechanism for the protein family origin in the root of Metazoa, paralogs diversification in vertebrates, and acquisition of novel functions, including tumor suppression. In addition, a merlin paralog, present in most vertebrates but lost in mammals, has been described here for the first time. We have also highlighted a set of amino acid variations within the conserved motifs as the candidates for determining physiological differences between ERM paralogs.
SUBMITTER: Shabardina V
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6978628 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
ACCESS DATA