Insulin-related peptides and their conserved signal transduction pathway.
The 'insulin superfamily' is an ancient category of small, structurally related proteins, such as insulin, insulin-like growth factors (IGF) and relaxin. Insulin-like signaling molecules have also been described in different invertebrates, including nematodes, mollusks, and insects. They initiate an evolutionary conserved signal transduction mechanism by binding to a heterotetrameric, membrane-spanning receptor tyrosine kinase. Recent physiological and genetic studies have revealed that, in different metazoans, the insulin signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the regulation of a variety of interrelated, fundamental processes, such as metabolism, growth, reproduction and aging.
Claeys
Ilse
I
Laboratory for Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, K.U., Leuven, Belgium. ilse.claeys@bio.kuleuven.ac.be
Simonet
Gert
G
Poels
Jeroen
J
Van Loy
Tom
T
Vercammen
Linda
L
De Loof
Arnold
A
Vanden Broeck
Jozef
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D006133:Growth Substances; D007328:Insulin; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D011972:Receptor, Insulin