Gap Junction Coding Innexin in Lymnaea stagnalis : Sequence Analysis and Characterization in Tissues and the Central Nervous System
Abstract
Connections between neurons called synapses are the key components underlying all nervous system functions of animals and humans. However, important genetic information on the formation and plasticity of one type, the electrical (gap junction-mediated) synapse, is understudied in many invertebrates. In the present study, we set forth to identify and characterize the gap junction-encoding gene innexin in the central nervous system (CNS) of the mollusk pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. With PCR, 3' and 5' RACE, and BLAST searches, we identified eight innexin genes in the L. stagnalis genome, named Lst Inx1-Lst Inx8. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the L. stagnalis innexin genes originated from a single copy in the common ancestor of molluskan species by multiple gene duplication events and have been maintained in L. stagnalis since they were generated. The paralogous innexin genes demonstrate distinct expression patterns among tissues. In addition, one paralog, Lst Inx1, exhibits heterogeneity in cells and ganglia, suggesting the occurrence of functional diversification after gene duplication. These results introduce possibilities to study an intriguing potential relationship between innexin paralog expression and cell-specific f...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Datasets Mentioned
Methods Mentioned
Software Mentioned
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Basal Forebrain- Circuits
Basal forebrain is a region in the brain important for production of acetylcholine and is the major cholinergic output of the CNS. Discover the latest research on circuits in the basal forebrain here.