The phylogenetic analysis of tetraspanins projects the evolution of cell–cell interactions from unicellular to multicellular organisms

Abstract

In animals, the tetraspanins are a large superfamily of membrane proteins that play important roles in organizing various cell-cell and matrix-cell interactions and signal pathways based on such interactions. However, their origin and evolution largely remain elusive and most of the family's members are functionally unknown or less known due to difficulties of study, such as functional redundancy. In this study, we rebuilt the family's phylogeny with sequences retrieved from online databases and our cDNA library of amphioxus. We reveal that, in addition to in metazoans, various tetraspanins are extensively expressed in protozoan amoebae, fungi, and plants. We also discuss the structural evolution of tetraspanin's major extracellular domain and the relation between tetraspanin's duplication and functional redundancy. Finally, we elucidate the coevolution of tetraspanins and eukaryotes and suggest that tetraspanins play important roles in the unicell-to-multicell transition. In short, the study of tetraspanin in a phylogenetic context helps us understand the evolution of intercellular interactions.

Evaluation of Echinococcus multilocularis tetraspanins as vaccine candidates against primary alveolar echinococcosis

“…Caenorhabditis elegans and at least 25 in the parasite Schistosoma [29]. Although some tetraspanins have been demonstrated to be potential vaccine candidates against different stages of schistosome infection [19][20][21][22], nothing is known about them in another important platyhelminth E. multilocularis.…”

Tetraspanin 1 is involved in survival, proliferation and carcinogenesis of pancreatic cancer

“…A propidium iodide (PI) and Annexin V-FITC flow cytometry assay (BD Pharmingen) was used to detect the apoptosis rate in the cells after Tspan1 transfection. Briefly, 1x10 6 cells/well were cultured in 6-well plates in the absence of 10% FBS for 48 h. Adherent cells were detached with 0.25% trypsin without EDTA in 1X PBS. Cells were harvested in complete RPMI-1640 medium and centrifuged at 1,000 rpm for 5 min.…”

“…Tetraspanins interact with various transmembrane proteins, establishing a network of large multimolecular complexes that allows specific lateral secondary interactions (5). In animals, the tetraspanins are a large superfamily of membrane proteins that play important roles in organizing various cell-cell and matrix-cell interactions and signal pathways based on such interactions (6,7).…”

Identification of the Tetraspanin CD82 as a New Barrier to Xenotransplantation

“…They are highly conserved and can be found in species as disparate as fungi and mammals (39). In humans, CD82 is expressed in many cell types, including lymphocytes (40), granulocytes (41), epithelial cells (42), platelets (43), endothelial cells (44), and fibroblasts (45).…”