Evolutionary Origin of CSL Transcription Factors in Fungi
Author Information
Author(s): Martin Převorovský, František Půta, Petr Folk
Primary Institution: Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague
Hypothesis
We hypothesize that the ancestral CSL function involved DNA binding and Notch-independent regulation of transcription.
Conclusion
Our findings support the evolutionary origin of the CSL transcription factor family in the last common ancestor of fungi and metazoans.
Supporting Evidence
- CSL transcription factors are essential for metazoan development.
- CSL proteins are present in several fungal species, indicating their evolutionary origin predates metazoans.
- Phylogenetic analysis revealed two distinct classes of fungal CSL proteins.
Takeaway
Scientists found that certain proteins, important for development in animals, also exist in fungi, suggesting these proteins have been around for a long time.
Methodology
Exhaustive BLAST searches of publicly available sequence data were conducted to assess the presence and conservation of CSL family members in fungi.
Limitations
The confidence of exon-intron structure predictions in these less studied organisms is rather limited.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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