Steroid metabolism in cnidarians: Insights from Nematostella vectensis

Cnidarians occupy a key evolutionary position as a sister group to bilaterian animals. While cnidarians contain a diverse complement of steroids, sterols, and other lipid metabolites, relatively little is known of the endogenous steroid metabolism or function in cnidarian tissues. Incubations of cni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular and cellular endocrinology 2009-03, Vol.301 (1), p.27-36
Main Authors: Tarrant, Ann M., Reitzel, Adam M., Blomquist, Charles H., Haller, Ferdinand, Tokarz, Janina, Adamski, Jerzy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - genetics
Animals
Bilateria
Enzymes
Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Evolutionary
Fatty Acid Synthases - genetics
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Genes
Genetic Variation
Genome - genetics
Genomes
Humans
Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
Likelihood Functions
Marine
Mathematical models
Metabolism
NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases - genetics
Nematostella vectensis
Phylogeny
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
Sea Anemones - enzymology
Sea Anemones - genetics
Sea Anemones - metabolism
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Short chain dehydrogenase/reductase
Steroids
Steroids - metabolism
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Summary:Cnidarians occupy a key evolutionary position as a sister group to bilaterian animals. While cnidarians contain a diverse complement of steroids, sterols, and other lipid metabolites, relatively little is known of the endogenous steroid metabolism or function in cnidarian tissues. Incubations of cnidarian tissues with steroid substrates have indicated the presence of steroid metabolizing enzymes, particularly enzymes with 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activity. Through analysis of the genome of the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, we identified a suite of genes in the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily including homologs of genes that metabolize steroids in other animals. A more detailed analysis of Hsd17b4 revealed complex evolutionary relationships, apparent intron loss in several taxa, and predominantly adult expression in N. vectensis. Due to its ease of culture and available molecular tools N. vectensis is an excellent model for investigation of cnidarian steroid metabolism and gene function.
ISSN:0303-7207
1872-8057
DOI:10.1016/j.mce.2008.09.037