title: Filaggrin has evolved from an "S100 fused-type protein" (SFTP) gene present in a common ancestor of amphibians and mammals.
abstract: The expression of filaggrin in differentiated keratinocytes and the association of filaggrin mutations with ichthyosis vulgaris and atopic dermatitis suggest that this prototypical member of the S100 fused-type protein (SFTP) family plays a key role in the epidermal barrier to the environment. Here, we report that SFTP genes are present not only in amniotes but also in amphibians. Four SFTPs are expressed in the skin of the frog Xenopus laevis. The results of this study indicate that filaggrin has evolved from an ancestral SFTP that may have contributed to skin modifications during the evolutionary transition to terrestrial life.
authors.affiliation: Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mlitz
authors.affiliation: Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Tajamul
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tschachler
authors.affiliation: Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5645-2036
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eckhart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: C000717249:FLG protein, human; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins
keywords: epidermis; evolution; filaggrin; genomics; skin barrier