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Structural studies of the TGF‐βs and their receptors – insights into evolution of the TGF‐β superfamily
Author(s) -
Hinck Andrew P.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.05.028
Subject(s) - superfamily , transforming growth factor , receptor , r smad , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , tgf alpha , growth factor
TGF‐βs are small secreted signaling proteins that function as vital regulators of cellular growth and differentiation. They signal through a single pair of receptors, known as TβR‐I and TβR‐II, and are among the most recently evolved members of the signaling superfamily to which they belong. This review provides an overview of the TGF‐β, BMP, and activin receptor complexes that have been determined over the past several years. These structures underscore the shared ancestry of the TGF‐βs with the BMPs and activins, but also provide insight as to how the TGF‐βs diverged from the BMPs and activins to bind and assemble their receptors in a distinct manner. These distinctive modes of receptor binding engender the TGF‐βs with high specificity for their receptors and allow them to fulfill their essential functions in vivo without interference from the many other proteins of the superfamily.