Genetic basis of cell-cell fusion mechanisms Journal Article
| Authors: | Aguilar, P. S.; Baylies, M. K.; Fleissner, A.; Helming, L.; Inoue, N.; Podbilewicz, B.; Wang, H.; Wong, M. |
| Article Title: | Genetic basis of cell-cell fusion mechanisms |
| Abstract: | Cell-cell fusion in sexually reproducing organisms is a mechanism to merge gamete genomes and, in multicellular organisms, it is a strategy to sculpt organs, such as muscle, bone, and placenta. Moreover, this mechanism has been implicated in pathological conditions, such as infection and cancer. Studies of genetic model organisms have uncovered a unifying principle: cell fusion is a genetically programmed process. This process can be divided in three stages: competence (cell induction and differentiation); commitment (cell determination, migration, and adhesion); and cell fusion (membrane merging and cytoplasmic mixing). Recent work has led to the discovery of fusogens, which are cell fusion proteins that are necessary and sufficient to fuse cell membranes. Two unrelated families of fusogens have been discovered, one in mouse placenta and one in Caenorhabditis elegans (syncytins and F proteins, respectively). Current research aims to identify new fusogens and determine the mechanisms by which they merge membranes. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. |
| Keywords: | unclassified drug; review; nonhuman; protein function; somatic cell; cell maturation; cytogenetics; hybrid protein; saccharomyces cerevisiae; membrane protein; epithelium cell; caenorhabditis elegans; osteoclast; macrophage; conceptual framework; giant cell; placenta; cell fusion; myoblast; plant; molecular pathology; caenorhabditis elegans protein; gamete; fertilization; cd9 antigen; invertebrate; f protein; protist; anchor cell fusion failure 1 protein; epithelial fusion failure 1 protein; fusogen; immunoglobulin superfamily type 1 transmembrane protein; pheromone regulated multispanning membrane protein 1; syncytin; cell cell fusion; neurospora crassa |
| Journal Title: | Trends in Genetics |
| Volume: | 29 |
| Issue: | 7 |
| ISSN: | 0168-9525 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier Inc. |
| Date Published: | 2013-07-01 |
| Start Page: | 427 |
| End Page: | 437 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.tig.2013.01.011 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PUBMED: | 23453622 |
| PMCID: | PMC4022042 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | --- - Cited By (since 1996):1 - "Export Date: 1 August 2013" - "CODEN: TRGEE" - "Source: Scopus" |
