scholarly journals From immune to olfactory expression: neofunctionalization of formyl peptide receptors

2021 ◽  
Vol 383 (1) ◽  
pp. 387-393
Author(s):  
Madlaina Boillat ◽  
Alan Carleton ◽  
Ivan Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Vomeronasal Organ ◽  
Formyl Peptide Receptor ◽  
Regulatory Sequence ◽  
Powerful Source ◽  
Peptide Receptor ◽  
Gene Shuffling ◽  
Evolutionary Innovation ◽  
Vomeronasal Receptor ◽  
Formyl Peptide

Abstract Variations in gene expression patterns represent a powerful source of evolutionary innovation. In a rodent living about 70 million years ago, a genomic accident led an immune formyl peptide receptor (FPR) gene to hijack a vomeronasal receptor regulatory sequence. This gene shuffling event forced an immune pathogen sensor to transition into an olfactory chemoreceptor, which thus moved from sensing the internal world to probing the outside world. We here discuss the evolution of the FPR gene family, the events that led to their neofunctionalization in the vomeronasal organ and the functions of immune and vomeronasal FPRs.

scholarly journals Evolution of immune chemoreceptors into sensors of the outside world

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (28) ◽  
pp. 7397-7402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin Dietschi ◽  
Joël Tuberosa ◽  
Lone Rösingh ◽  
Gregory Loichot ◽  
Manuel Ruedi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Vomeronasal Organ ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Inflammatory Conditions ◽  
Evolutionary Innovation ◽  
Formyl Peptide ◽  
Intergenic Transcript ◽  
Neuronal Specificity ◽  
Receptor Family

Changes in gene expression patterns represent an essential source of evolutionary innovation. A striking case of neofunctionalization is the acquisition of neuronal specificity by immune formyl peptide receptors (Fprs). In mammals, Fprs are expressed by immune cells, where they detect pathogenic and inflammatory chemical cues. In rodents, these receptors are also expressed by sensory neurons of the vomeronasal organ, an olfactory structure mediating innate avoidance behaviors. Here we show that two gene shuffling events led to two independent acquisitions of neuronal specificity by Fprs. The first event targeted the promoter of a V1R receptor gene. This was followed some 30 million years later by a second genomic accident targeting the promoter of a V2R gene. Finally, we show that expression of a vomeronasal Fpr can reverse back to the immune system under inflammatory conditions via the production of an intergenic transcript linking neuronal and immune Fpr genes. Thus, three hijackings of regulatory elements are sufficient to explain all aspects of the complex expression patterns acquired by a receptor family that switched from sensing pathogens inside the organism to sensing the outside world through the nose.

scholarly journals Processing of the formyl peptide receptor by HL-60 cells.

1984 ◽  
Vol 259 (21) ◽  
pp. 13309-13315
Author(s):  
R Anderson ◽  
J Niedel
Keyword(s):  
Formyl Peptide Receptor ◽  
Peptide Receptor ◽  
Formyl Peptide
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