Structural and evolutionary insights into the functioning of glycoprotein hormones and their receptors.
Hendrickson WA, Gong Z
Hormone Signaling
Hormones that control animal reproduction are entirely absent from plants, so this discovery lives squarely in animal biology and won't change how your tomatoes fruit or your roses bloom.
Your body uses special hormones to control reproduction, and scientists have now created detailed 3D images showing exactly how those hormones lock onto their matching cell receptors to send signals inside the cell. They traced these hormones all the way back to ancient sea sponges, confirming they never existed in plants. A surprising contradiction turned up: the best imaging shows receptors working alone, but cell experiments say they need to work in pairs — and a tiny roundworm may bridge that gap.
Key Findings
Glycoprotein hormones and their receptors evolved in the earliest multicellular animals (sponges and comb jellies) and are completely absent from plants and single-celled organisms.
Cryo-EM imaging reveals all known human glycoprotein hormone receptors are monomers (single units), contradicting biochemical and cellular evidence that receptor dimers (pairs) are required for proper signaling.
The C. elegans roundworm receptor forms a stable dimer and, when compared structurally to human receptors, provides a hypothetical atomic model for how human receptor dimers might form and function.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists mapped the 3D structures of animal reproductive hormones and their cellular receptors, tracing their evolution from ancient sea creatures to humans. A key puzzle emerged: lab imaging shows these receptors work as single units, yet cell experiments suggest pairs are needed for full function — and a worm relative may hold the answer.
Abstract Preview
The neuroendocrine system that comprises the glycoprotein hormones (GpHs) and their receptors is essential for reproduction and metabolism. Each GpH hormone is an αβ heterodimer of cystine-knot pro...
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