Phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis of the septin protein family in metazoan

Abstract

Septins, a conserved family of cytoskeletal GTPbinding proteins, were presented in diverse eukaryotes. Here, a comprehensive phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for septin proteins in metazoan was carried out. First, we demonstrated that all septin proteins in metazoan could be clustered into four subgroups, and the representative homologue of every subgroup was presented in the non-vertebrate chordate Ciona intestinalis, indicating that the emergence of the four septin subgroups should have occurred prior to divergence of vertebrates and invertebrates, and the expansion of the septin gene number in vertebrates was mainly by the duplication of pre-existing genes rather than by the appearance of new septin subgroup. Second, the direct orthologues of most human septins existed in zebrafish, which suggested that human septin gene repertoire was mainly formed by as far as before the split between fishes and land vertebrates. Third, we found that the evolutionary rate within septin family in mammalian lineage varies significantly, human SEPT1, SEPT 10, SEPT 12, and SEPT 14 displayed a relative elevated evolutionary rate compared with other septin members. Our data will provide new insights for the further function study of this protein family.

Relationship between absence of annulus and asthenozoospermia in Iranian men

“…Septins are polymerizing GTPases that can form heteroologomeric filaments required for a variety of cellular processes, such as cytokinesis, exocytosis, and vesicle traffickings [3][4][5]. Among the 14septin family members, Sept4 and Sept12 play important roles in the differentiation of postmeiotic germ cells.…”

Septins in kidney: A territory little explored

“…Serial analyses of gene expression of septin mRNA expression in human tissues revealed the presence of SEPT1, SEPT2, SEPT7, SEPT8, and SEPT9 in the kidney (Cao et al, 2007). In mouse and zebrafish kidney, Septin 7 localizes to both glomeruli and tubules (shown for zebrafish in Figure 3a-c) (Dash et al, 2014;Wasik et al, 2012).…”

The role of Pnut and its functional domains in Drosophila spermatogenesis

“…Таким образом, выявлено участие Pnut в спермиогенезе -заключительных этапах сперматогенеза, на которых происходит изменение морфологии сперматоцитов. С ептины представляют собой группу консервативных ГТФ-связывающих белков, встречающихся у всех эукариот, за исключением высших растений (Cao et al, 2007). Биологическая функция септинов связана с их способностью образовывать друг с другом гетероолиго-мерные комплексы, которые в свою очередь формируют длинные полимеры (филаменты) (Sirajuddin et al, 2007;McMurray et al, 2011).…”