High-throughput proteomics reveals the unicellular roots of animal phosphosignaling and cell differentiation

Sebé-Pedrós, Arnau; Peña Paz, Marcia I.; Capella Gutiérrez, Salvador Jesús, 1985-; Antó Subirats, Meritxell; Gabaldón Estevan, Juan Antonio, 1973-; Ruiz Trillo, Iñaki; Sabidó Aguadé, Eduard, 1981-

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2016.09.019

High-throughput proteomics reveals the unicellular roots of animal phosphosignaling and cell differentiation

Citation

Sebé-Pedrós A, Peña MI, Capella-Gutiérrez S, Antó M, Gabaldón T, Ruiz-Trillo I et al. High-throughput proteomics reveals the unicellular roots of animal phosphosignaling and cell differentiation. Dev Cell. 2016 Oct 24;39(2):186-97. DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.09.019

Abstract

Cell-specific regulation of protein levels and activity is essential for the distribution of functions among multiple cell types in animals. The finding that many genes involved in these regulatory processes have a premetazoan origin raises the intriguing possibility that the mechanisms required for spatially regulated cell differentiation evolved prior to the appearance of animals. Here, we use high-throughput proteomics in Capsaspora owczarzaki, a close unicellular relative of animals, to characterize the dynamic proteome and phosphoproteome profiles of three temporally distinct cell types in this premetazoan species. We show that life-cycle transitions are linked to extensive proteome and phosphoproteome remodeling and that they affect key genes involved in animal multicellularity, such as transcription factors and tyrosine kinases. The observation of shared features between Capsaspora and metazoans indicates that elaborate and conserved phosphosignaling and proteome regulation supported temporal cell-type differentiation in the unicellular ancestor of animals.