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PMID: 21997296 Published · epublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

The emerging functions of septins in metazoans.

EMBO reports ·Vol. 12 ·No. 11 ·2011-10-28 ·Pages 1118-26

Saarikangas J, Barral Y

Abstract

Septins form a subfamily of highly related GTP-binding proteins conserved from eukaryotic protists to mammals. In most cases, septins function in close association with cell membranes and the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton to regulate a wide variety of key cellular processes. Further underscoring their importance, septin abnormalities are associated with several human diseases. Remarkably, septins have the ability to polymerize into assemblies of different sizes in vitro and in vivo. In cells, these structures act in the formation of diffusion barriers and scaffolds that maintain subcellular polarity. Here, we focus on the emerging roles of vertebrate septins in ciliogenesis, neurogenesis, tumorigenesis and host-pathogen interactions, and discuss whether unifying themes underlie the molecular function of septins in health and disease.

MeSH Terms
Animals Cell Movement Central Nervous System/metabolism Cilia/metabolism Communicable Diseases/metabolism,microbiology Humans Neoplasm Invasiveness Septins/metabolism
Chemicals
Septins
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Saarikangas Juha
Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Schafmattstrasse 18, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland. [email protected]
Barral Yves
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Article Info
Journal
EMBO reports
Abbr.
EMBO Rep
ISSN
1469-3178
DOI
10.1038/embor.2011.193
Email
[email protected]
Published
2011-10-28
Epub
2011-00-28
Pages
1118-26
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
100963049
PMCID
PMC3207108
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/embor.2011.193 PMC Full Text View journal details
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