Protein Complex Evolution and Conservation
Author Information
Author(s): Teunis J. P. van Dam, Berend Snel
Primary Institution: Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Hypothesis
How do protein complexes evolve and how well are protein-protein interactions conserved across species?
Conclusion
The evolutionary dynamics of protein complexes are primarily due to the acquisition or loss of genes coding for subunits, rather than extensive network rewiring.
Supporting Evidence
- New high-throughput datasets show a lower false negative rate than previous datasets.
- 90% conservation of co-complex membership was observed when genes coding for protein pairs are conserved.
- Evolution of protein complexes is mainly due to genomic changes rather than network rewiring.
Takeaway
Proteins work together in groups called complexes, and this study found that most of these groups stay the same over time, even as some proteins are added or removed.
Methodology
Comparative genomics analysis using high-throughput datasets on protein co-purification in yeast and curated protein complexes from humans.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in the datasets used for analysis could affect the conclusions drawn about conservation.
Limitations
The study relies on the quality of available high-throughput data and may not account for all possible interactions.
Participant Demographics
The study focuses on protein complexes in yeast and humans.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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