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Evolutionary conservation of complexins: from choanoflagellates to mice
Author(s) -
Yang Xiaofei,
Pei Jimin,
KaeserWoo Yea Jin,
Bacaj Taulant,
Grishin Nick V,
Südhof Thomas C
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.15252/embr.201540305
Subject(s) - evolutionary biology , biology , geography
Abstract Complexins are synaptic SNARE complex‐binding proteins that cooperate with synaptotagmins in activating Ca 2+ ‐stimulated, synaptotagmin‐dependent synaptic vesicle exocytosis and in clamping spontaneous, synaptotagmin‐independent synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Here, we show that complexin sequences are conserved in some non‐metazoan unicellular organisms and in all metazoans, suggesting that complexins are a universal feature of metazoans that predate metazoan evolution. We show that complexin from Nematostella vectensis , a cnidarian sea anemone far separated from mammals in metazoan evolution, functionally replaces mouse complexins in activating Ca 2+ ‐triggered exocytosis, but is unable to clamp spontaneous exocytosis. Thus, the activating function of complexins is likely conserved throughout metazoan evolution.