Eastman Stephen D, Chen Tim H-P, Falk Matthias M, Mendelson Tamra C, Iovine M Kathryn
Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, 111 Research Drive, Iacocca B-217, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA.
Genomics. 2006 Feb;87(2):265-74. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2005.10.005. Epub 2005 Dec 7.
Gap junctions, composed of connexin proteins in chordates, are the most ubiquitous form of intercellular communication. Complete connexin gene families have been identified from human (20) and mouse (19), revealing significant diversity in gap junction channels. We searched current databases and identified 37 putative zebrafish connexin genes, almost twice the number found in mammals. Phylogenetic comparison of entire connexin gene families from human, mouse, and zebrafish revealed 23 zebrafish relatives of 16 mammalian connexins, and 14 connexins apparently unique to zebrafish. We found evidence for duplication events in all genomes, as well as evidence for recent tandem duplication events in the zebrafish, indicating that the complexity of the connexin family is growing. The identification of a third complete connexin gene family provides novel insight into the evolution of connexins, and sheds light into the phenotypic evolution of intercellular communication via gap junctions.
在脊索动物中，由连接蛋白组成的间隙连接是最普遍的细胞间通讯形式。人类（20种）和小鼠（19种）的连接蛋白基因家族已被完整鉴定，揭示了间隙连接通道的显著多样性。我们检索了当前数据库，鉴定出37个假定的斑马鱼连接蛋白基因，几乎是哺乳动物中发现数量的两倍。对人类、小鼠和斑马鱼的整个连接蛋白基因家族进行系统发育比较，发现16种哺乳动物连接蛋白中有23种斑马鱼亲属，以及14种显然是斑马鱼特有的连接蛋白。我们发现了所有基因组中重复事件的证据，以及斑马鱼中近期串联重复事件的证据，这表明连接蛋白家族的复杂性正在增加。第三个完整连接蛋白基因家族的鉴定为连接蛋白的进化提供了新的见解，并为通过间隙连接进行的细胞间通讯的表型进化提供了线索。
