Ancient origins of RGK protein function: modulation of voltage-gated calcium channels preceded the protostome and deuterostome split

PLoS One. 2014 Jul 3;9(7):e100694. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100694. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

RGK proteins, Gem, Rad, Rem1, and Rem2, are members of the Ras superfamily of small GTP-binding proteins that interact with Ca2+ channel β subunits to modify voltage-gated Ca2+ channel function. In addition, RGK proteins affect several cellular processes such as cytoskeletal rearrangement, neuronal dendritic complexity, and synapse formation. To probe the phylogenetic origins of RGK protein-Ca2+ channel interactions, we identified potential RGK-like protein homologs in genomes for genetically diverse organisms from both the deuterostome and protostome animal superphyla. RGK-like protein homologs cloned from Danio rerio (zebrafish) and Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) expressed in mammalian sympathetic neurons decreased Ca2+ current density as reported for expression of mammalian RGK proteins. Sequence alignments from evolutionarily diverse organisms spanning the protostome/deuterostome divide revealed conservation of residues within the RGK G-domain involved in RGK protein--Cavβ subunit interaction. In addition, the C-terminal eleven residues were highly conserved and constituted a signature sequence unique to RGK proteins but of unknown function. Taken together, these data suggest that RGK proteins, and the ability to modify Ca2+ channel function, arose from an ancestor predating the protostomes split from deuterostomes approximately 550 million years ago.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Calcium Channels, L-Type / genetics*
  • Calcium Channels, L-Type / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Zebrafish / genetics*
  • Zebrafish / metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins / genetics*
  • Zebrafish Proteins / metabolism
  • ras Proteins / genetics*
  • ras Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Calcium Channels, L-Type
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Rem1 protein, rat
  • Rrad protein, rat
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • Gem protein, rat
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins
  • REM2 protein, human
  • ras Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KJ826437
  • GENBANK/KJ826438
  • GENBANK/KJ826439
  • GENBANK/KJ826440
  • GENBANK/KJ826441
  • GENBANK/KJ826442
  • GENBANK/KJ826443
  • GENBANK/KJ826444