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The evolution, complex structures and function of septin proteins

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Abstract

The septin family is a conserved GTP-binding protein family and was originally discovered through genetic screening for budding yeast mutants. Septins are implicated in many cellular processes in fungi and metazoa. The function of septins usually depends on septin assembling into oligomeric complexes and highly ordered polymers. The expansion of the septin gene number in vertebrates increased the complex diversity of septins. In this review, we first discuss the evolution, structures and assembly of septin proteins in yeast and metazoa. Then, we review the function of septin proteins in cytokinesis, membrane remodeling and compartmentalization.

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Acknowledgments

We apologize to our colleagues for having to omit many references in this review, owing to space limitations.

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  1. State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 200433, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Lihuan Cao, Wenbo Yu, Yanhua Wu & Long Yu

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  1. Lihuan Cao
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  2. Wenbo Yu
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  4. Long Yu
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Correspondence to Long Yu.

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Cao, L., Yu, W., Wu, Y. et al. The evolution, complex structures and function of septin proteins. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 66, 3309–3323 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-0087-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-0087-2

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