Evolutionary Origin of the P2X7 C-ter Region: Capture of an Ancient Ballast Domain by a P2X4-Like Gene in Ancient Jawed Vertebrates.

ABSTRACT: P2X purinergic receptors are extracellular ATP-gated ion channel receptors present on the cell plasma membrane. P2X receptors have been found in Metazoa, fungi, amoebas, and in plants. In mammals, P2X7 is expressed by a large number of cell types and is involved in inflammation and immunity. Remarkably, P2X7 does not desensitize as other P2X do, a feature linked to a "C-cysteine anchor" intra-cytoplasmic motif encoded by exon 11. Another specific feature of P2X7 is its C-terminal cytoplasmic ballast domain (exon 13) which contains a zinc (Zn) coordinating cysteine motif and a GDP-binding region. To determine the origin of P2X7, we analyzed and compared sequences and protein motifs of the C-terminal intra-cytoplasmic region across all main groups of Metazoa. We identified proteins with typi

SUBMITTER: Rump A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7016195 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature