A genomewide survey of developmentally relevant genes in Ciona intestinalis. V. Genes for receptor tyrosine kinase pathway and Notch signaling pathway.
In the present survey, we identified most of the genes involved in the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Notch signaling pathways in the draft genome sequence of Ciona intestinalis, a basal chordate. Compared to vertebrates, most of the genes found in the Ciona genome had fewer paralogues, although several genes including ephrin, Eph and fringe appeared to have multiplied or duplicated independently in the ascidian genome. In contrast, some genes including kit/flt, PDGF and Trk receptor tyrosine kinases were not found in the present survey, suggesting that these genes are innovations in the vertebrate lineage or lost in the ascidian lineage. The gene set identified in the present analysis provides an insight into genes for the RTK, MAPK and Notch signaling pathways in the ancient chordate genome and thereby how chordates evolved these signaling pathway.
Satou
Yutaka
Y
Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. yutaka@ascidian.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Sasakura
Yasunori
Y
Yamada
Lixy
L
Imai
Kaoru S
KS
Satoh
Nori
N
Degnan
Bernard
B
D000818:Animals; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D016678:Genome; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000235:genetics*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D051880:Receptors, Notch
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases