Title |
The backbone of the post-synaptic density originated in a unicellular ancestor of choanoflagellates and metazoans
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Published in |
BMC Ecology and Evolution, February 2010
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DOI | 10.1186/1471-2148-10-34 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Alexandre Alié, Michaël Manuel |
Abstract |
Comparative genomics of the early diverging metazoan lineages and of their unicellular sister-groups opens new window to reconstructing the genetic changes which preceded or accompanied the evolution of multicellular body plans. A recent analysis found that the genome of the nerve-less sponges encodes the homologues of most vertebrate post-synaptic proteins. In vertebrate excitatory synapses, these proteins assemble to form the post-synaptic density, a complex molecular platform linking membrane receptors, components of their signalling pathways, and the cytoskeleton. Newly available genomes from Monosiga brevicollis (a member of Choanoflagellata, the closest unicellular relatives of animals) and Trichoplax adhaerens (a member of Placozoa: besides sponges, the only nerve-less metazoans) offer an opportunity to refine our understanding of post-synaptic protein evolution. |
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Geographical breakdown
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United Kingdom | 2 | 2% |
Portugal | 1 | <1% |
Switzerland | 1 | <1% |
Australia | 1 | <1% |
France | 1 | <1% |
Brazil | 1 | <1% |
Spain | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 100 | 91% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 33 | 30% |
Researcher | 27 | 25% |
Student > Master | 10 | 9% |
Professor > Associate Professor | 7 | 6% |
Student > Bachelor | 6 | 5% |
Other | 14 | 13% |
Unknown | 13 | 12% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
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Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 20 | 18% |
Neuroscience | 8 | 7% |
Social Sciences | 2 | 2% |
Computer Science | 1 | <1% |
Other | 5 | 5% |
Unknown | 14 | 13% |