Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Schafmattstrasse 18, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
EMBO Rep. 2011 Oct 28;12(11):1118-26. doi: 10.1038/embor.2011.193.
Septins form a subfamily of highly related GTP-binding proteins conserved from eukaryotic protists to mammals. In most cases, septins function in close association with cell membranes and the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton to regulate a wide variety of key cellular processes. Further underscoring their importance, septin abnormalities are associated with several human diseases. Remarkably, septins have the ability to polymerize into assemblies of different sizes in vitro and in vivo. In cells, these structures act in the formation of diffusion barriers and scaffolds that maintain subcellular polarity. Here, we focus on the emerging roles of vertebrate septins in ciliogenesis, neurogenesis, tumorigenesis and host-pathogen interactions, and discuss whether unifying themes underlie the molecular function of septins in health and disease.
七聚体是一类高度相关的 GTP 结合蛋白亚家族，从真核原生生物到哺乳动物都有保守。在大多数情况下，七聚体与细胞膜以及肌动蛋白和微管细胞骨架密切相关，以调节各种关键的细胞过程。进一步强调它们的重要性，七聚体异常与几种人类疾病有关。值得注意的是，七聚体具有在体外和体内聚合成不同大小的组装体的能力。在细胞中，这些结构作用于形成扩散屏障和支架，维持亚细胞极性。在这里，我们专注于脊椎动物七聚体在纤毛发生、神经发生、肿瘤发生和宿主-病原体相互作用中的新兴作用，并讨论是否存在统一的主题来支撑七聚体在健康和疾病中的分子功能。
