Teneurins: Important regulators of neural circuitry

Confirmation of TENM3 involvement in autosomal recessive colobomatous microphthalmia

“…In vitro and in vivo studies support roles for teneurins in promoting neurite outgrowth and cell adhesion [Young and Leamey, 2009]. Furthermore, the intracellular domains of at least two teneurins can undergo proteolytic cleavage and translocate to the nucleus where they regulate transcriptional activity [Young and Leamey, 2009]. Tenm3 is expressed in the developing vertebrate eye, particularly in the optic stalk [Ben-Zur et al, 2000], supporting its role in ocular development.…”

“…Genetic studies of the fly Tenm/Odz demonstrate a crucial role during segmentation. In vitro and in vivo studies support roles for teneurins in promoting neurite outgrowth and cell adhesion [Young and Leamey, 2009]. Furthermore, the intracellular domains of at least two teneurins can undergo proteolytic cleavage and translocate to the nucleus where they regulate transcriptional activity [Young and Leamey, 2009].…”

Origin of chordate peptides by horizontal protozoan gene transfer in early metazoans and protists: Evolution of the teneurin C-terminal associated peptides (TCAP)

“…Teneurin genes encode large proteins that are composed of about 2800 amino acids and contain an N-terminal intracellular domain (ICD), a single span transmembrane domain (TM) and a large highly conserved C-terminal extracellular domain (ECD) ) consistent with the architecture of prokaryote polymorphic proteinaceous toxins. On the highly conserved extracellular side, there are eight tenascintype EGF-like repeats, a region of conserved cysteine residues, and a unique stretch of 26 tyrosine-aspartate (YD)-repeats (Minet and Chiquet-Ehrismann, 2000;Young and Leamey, 2009). Among eukaryotic proteins, the 26 YD repeats occur only in teneurins.…”

Characterization of the teneurin C-terminal associated peptide (TCAP) in the vase tunicate, Ciona intestinalis: A novel peptide system associated with energy metabolism and reproduction

“…The teneurin transmembrane proteins, discovered in 1994 (Baumgartner et al, 1994;Levine et al, 1994;Minet et al, 1999) have emerged as a significant new signaling system associated with neurological development and regulation (Ben-Zur et al, 2000;Oohashi et al, 1999;Young and Leamey, 2009). The terminal exon of the teneurin gene encodes a peptide sequence termed the teneurin C-terminal associated peptides (TCAP), and are the most highly conserved peptide family in the Metazoa and may also play a major role in the basic intercellular signaling role with respect to energy metabolism (Lovejoy et al, 2006;Tucker, 2013;Zhang et al, 2012).…”