Innexins are transmembrane proteins that form gap junctions in invertebrates. Gap junctions are composed of membrane proteins that form a channel permeable to ions and small molecules connecting the cytoplasm of adjacent cells. Although gap junctions provide similar functions in all multicellular organisms, it was not known what proteins invertebrates used for this purpose until the late 1990s. While the connexin family of gap junction proteins was well-characterized in vertebrates, no homologues were found in non-chordates.
Innexins or related proteins are widespread among Eumetazoa, with the exception of echinoderms.[1]
^Hasegawa DK, Turnbull MW (April 2014). "Recent findings in evolution and function of insect innexins". FEBS Letters. 588 (8): 1403–10. doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2014.03.006. PMID 24631533. S2CID 25970503.
Innexins are transmembrane proteins that form gap junctions in invertebrates. Gap junctions are composed of membrane proteins that form a channel permeable...
sequence. As a result, the term innexin is used to differentiate invertebrate connexins. There are more than 20 known innexins, along with unnexins in parasites...
feeding strategy. The last common ancestor of the deuterostomes had lost all innexin diversity. Fossils of one major deuterostome group, the echinoderms (whose...
As indicated on the pannexin/innexin/connexin tree illustrated many animals do not appear to have pannexins/innexins/connexins, perhaps indicating there...
vertebrate gap junctions. An entirely different family of proteins, the innexins, form gap junctions in invertebrates. Each gap junction is composed of...
the PANX1 gene. The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the innexin family. Innexin family members are the structural components of gap junctions....
vertebrate proteins identified by their homology to the invertebrate innexins. While innexins are responsible for forming gap junctions in invertebrates, the...
either, but need them during metamorphosis to reach their adult form. Innexin genes, which code for proteins used for intercellular communication in...
PMID 26610482. Nogi, Taisaku; Levin, Michael (2005). "Characterization of innexin gene expression and functional roles of gap-junctional communication in...
"Phylogenetic Analysis of Dicyemid Mesozoans (Phylum Dicyemida) From Innexin Amino Acid Sequences: Dicyemids Are Not Related to Platyhelminthes". Journal...
innexin homologues referred to as pannexins. So far Vinnexins have only been found in Adenovirus and the way they affect the functioning of innexins is...
Global Information