title: M-Ras evolved independently of R-Ras and its neural function is conserved between mammalian and ascidian, which lacks classical Ras.
abstract: The Ras family small GTPases play a variety of essential roles in eukaryotes. Among them, classical Ras (H-Ras, K-Ras, and N-Ras) and its orthologues are conserved from yeast to human. In ascidians, which phylogenetically exist between invertebrates and vertebrates, the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-Ras-MAP kinase signaling is required for the induction of neural system, notochord, and mesenchyme. Analyses of DNA databases revealed that no gene encoding classical Ras is present in the ascidians, Ciona intestinalis and Halocynthia roretzi, despite the presence of classical Ras-orthologous genes in nematode, fly, amphioxus, and fish. By contrast, both the ascidians contain single genes orthologous to Mras, Rras, Ral, Rap1, and Rap2. A single Mras orthologue exists from nematode to mammalian. Thus, Mras evolved in metazoans independently of other Ras family genes such as Rras. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that C. intestinalis Mras orthologue (Ci-Mras) was expressed in the neural complex of the ascidian juveniles after metamorphosis. Knockdown of Ci-Mras with morpholino antisense oligonucleotides in the embryos and larvae resulted in undeveloped tails and neuronal pigment cells, abrogation of the notochord marker brachyury expression, and perturbation of the neural marker Otx expression, as has been shown in the experiments of the FGF-Ras-MAP kinase signaling inhibition. Mammalian Ras and M-Ras mediate nerve growth factor-induced neuronal differentiation in rat PC12 cells by activating the ERK/MAP kinase pathway transiently and sustainedly, respectively. Activated Ci-M-Ras bound to target proteins of mammalian M-Ras and Ras. Exogenous expression of an activated Ci-M-Ras in PC12 cells caused ERK activation and induced neuritogenesis via the ERK pathway as do mammalian M-Ras and Ras. These results suggest that the ascidian M-Ras orthologue compensates for lacked classical Ras and plays essential roles in neurogenesis in the ascidian.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoicho, Inageku, Chiba, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keduka
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaiho
authors.forename: Mayuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe-Takano
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Satou
authors.forename: Nori
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009420:Nervous System / Q000201:enzymology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D009672:Notochord / Q000201:enzymology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010802:Phylogeny; D051381:Rats; D014561:Urochordata / Q000201:enzymology*; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D018631:ras Proteins