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Mammalian septins: dynamic heteromers with roles in cellular morphogenesis and compartmentalization
Author(s) -
Hall Peter A,
Russell SE Hilary
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.3024
Subject(s) - septin , biology , compartmentalization (fire protection) , microbiology and biotechnology , morphogenesis , gene isoform , function (biology) , computational biology , genetics , cell division , cell , cytokinesis , gene , biochemistry , enzyme
The septins are a family of GTP‐binding proteins, evolutionarily conserved from yeast through to mammals, with roles in multiple core cellular functions. Here we provide an overview of our current knowledge of septin structure and function and focus mainly on mammalian septins, but gain much insight by drawing on knowledge of septins in other organisms. We describe their genomic and transcriptional complexity: a complexity manifest also in the diversity of scaffold structures that septins can form. Septin complexes can act to localize interacting proteins at specific intracellular locales and can also define membrane compartments by defining diffusion barriers. By such activities, septins can contribute to the definition of spatial asymmetry and cell polarity and we suggest a potential role in stem cell biology. Finally, we review the evidence that septins contribute to various disease states and argue that it is a breakdown in the tight regulation of their expression (particularly of individual isoforms), and also their inherent ability to oligomerize, which is pathogenic. Study of the perturbation of septin complex formation in disease will provide valuable insights into septin biology and will be a fertile ground for study. Copyright © 2011 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.