Algal MIPs

Jonas Danielson, Hanna Anderberg, Urban Johanson

Research output: Working paper/PreprintWorking paper

Abstract

Background
Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) also named aquaporins form channels that facilitate the passive
transport of water and/or other small polar but uncharged molecules across membranes. MIPs are
particularly abundant and diversified in terrestrial plants but little is known about their
evolutionary history. In order to shed light upon the origin of the plant MIP subfamilies 9 algal
genomes were searched for MIP encoding genes.

Results
A total of 22 MIPs were identified in the analysed genomes and phylogenetic analyses classified
them into seven subfamilies. At least two of these, Plasma membrane Intrinsic Proteins (PIPs)
and Glp F-like Intrinsic Proteins (GIPs), are also present in land plants and divergence dating
support that they had formed before terrestrial plants evolved. The other subfamilies were named
MIPA to MIPE to facilitate the use of a common nomenclature for plant MIPs reflecting
phylogenetically stable groups. All of the investigated genomes contained at least one MIP gene
and only in a few of the species with more than one gene the encoded MIPs belonged to different
subfamilies.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that most green algae have at least one MIP and often only from one type of
subfamily. In spite of this the total variation in MIPs and the expected number of different
subfamilies is likely to be even higher than what has been found in higher plants Further studies
are need to discern the function of the algal specific subfamilies MIPA-E. This work provides the
first framework for a systematic investigation of the physiological role of these diverse MIPs.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages41
Publication statusUnpublished - 2010

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Biological Sciences

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Algal MIPs'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this