Phosphorylated epitopes of neurofilaments have been conserved during chordate evolution |
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Authors: | C Mencarelli M Bugnoli M Contorni A Moscatelli P Ruggiero V Pallini |
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Institution: | Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Siena, Italy. |
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Abstract: | We have characterized some rabbit polyclonal responses as strictly specific for phosphorylated epitopes located in the carboxyterminal (tail) domain of the H or the M subunits of mammalian neurofilaments. These antibodies have been used to confirm the occurrence in lizard neurofilaments of a single heavy subunit cross-reacting with both H and M from mammals. A heavy subunit with similar cross-reactivity has been detected in neurofilaments preparations from fishes, whereas more primitive Chordata possess a HMW polypeptide cross-reacting with only the M subunit. We could also demonstrate in frog spinal cord two distinct heavy subunits cross-reacting with either the M or the H subunit from mammals, a fact which suggests a convergent evolution for phosphorylated epitopes of neurofilaments. |
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