title: Evolution of voltage-gated ion channels at the emergence of Metazoa.
abstract: Voltage-gated ion channels are large transmembrane proteins that enable the passage of ions through their pore across the cell membrane. These channels belong to one superfamily and carry pivotal roles such as the propagation of neuronal and muscular action potentials and the promotion of neurotransmitter secretion in synapses. In this review, we describe in detail the current state of knowledge regarding the evolution of these channels with a special emphasis on the metazoan lineage. We highlight the contribution of the genomic revolution to the understanding of ion channel evolution and for revealing that these channels appeared long before the appearance of the first animal. We also explain how the elucidation of channel selectivity properties and function in non-bilaterian animals such as cnidarians (sea anemones, corals, jellyfish and hydroids) can contribute to the study of channel evolution. Finally, we point to open questions and future directions in this field of research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel yehu.moran@mail.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Yehu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Ecology of Plants, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Maya Gur
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Barzilai
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Liebeskind
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA Josephine Bay Paul Center for Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Harold H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zakon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels
keywords: Animal evolution; Ion selectivity; Voltage-gated ion channels