Signaling with homeoprotein transcription factors in development and throughout adulthood.

Signaling with homeoprotein transcription factors in development and throughout adulthood.
Curr Genomics. 2013 Sep;14(6):361-70
Authors: Prochiantz A
Abstract
The concept of homeoprotein transduction as a novel signaling pathway has dramatically evolved since it was first proposed in 1991. It is now well established in several biological systems from plants to mammals. In this review, the different steps that have led to this unexpected observation are recalled and the developmental and physiological models that have allowed us (and a few others) to consolidate the original hypothesis are described. Because homeoprotein signaling is active in plants and animals it is proposed that it has predated the separation between animals and plants and is thus very ancient. This may explain why the basic phenomenon of homeoprotein transduction is so minimalist, requiring no specific receptors or transduction pathways beside those offered by mitochondria, organelles present in all eukaryotic cells. Indeed complexity has been added in the course of evolution and the conservation of homeoprotein transduction is discussed in the context of its synergy with bona fide signaling mechanism that may have added robustness to this primitive cell communication device. The same synergy possibly explains why homeoprotein signaling is important both in embryonic development and in adult functions fulfilled by signaling entities (e.g. growth factors) themselve...

Source: Current Genomics - November 15, 2014 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: Curr Genomics Source Type: research