Rewriting the evolutionary history of ion channels in the nervous system

A recent study has challenged the traditional understanding of the evolutionary history of ion channels—proteins essential for electrical signaling in the nervous system. The research of rewriting the evolutionary history of ion channels in the nervous system demonstrates that the Shaker family of ion channels was present in microscopic single-celled organisms long before the common ancestor of all animals, predating the development of the nervous system. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Date	August 13, 2024
Source	Penn State Department of Biology
Summary	New research reveals that certain ion channels existed before the earliest common ancestor of animals.

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A new study has revised the traditionally understood evolutionary history of certain proteins essential for electrical signaling in the nervous system. Led by researchers at Penn State, the study reveals that the well-known family of proteins—potassium ion channels in the Shaker family—existed in microscopic single-celled organisms long before the common ancestor of all animals. This finding challenges the previous belief that these ion channels evolved alongside the nervous system, suggesting instead that they were present before the nervous system emerged.

How Researchers are rewriting the evolutionary history of ion channels in the nervous system

• Often it is think of evolution as a linear progression towards increased complexity, but that’s not always the case in nature, For instance, it was believed that as animals evolved and the nervous system became more complex, ion channels developed and diversified accordingly. However, research indicates otherwise.
• Researchers previously discovered that the oldest living animals, those with simple nerve nets, have the greatest diversity of ion channels. This new finding adds to the growing evidence that many foundational components of the nervous system were already present in our protozoan ancestors—before the nervous system even existed.
• Ion channels are located in cell membranes and regulate the movement of charged particles, or ions, in and out of cells, creating the electrical signals that are fundamental to nervous system communication. The Shaker family of ion channels, found in a wide range of animals from humans to mice and fruit flies, specifically regulates potassium ion flow to terminate electrical signals known as action potentials. These channels operate similarly to transistors in computer chips, opening or closing in response to changes in the electric field.
• Much of the understanding of ion channel mechanics comes from studies on the Shaker family. Previously, it was believed these voltage-gated potassium channels were unique to animals, but now discovered that the genes coding for these ion channels are also present in several species of choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals.
• Earlier, the researchers had searched for these genes in two species of choanoflagellates without success. In the current study, they expanded their search to 21 species and found evidence of Shaker family genes in three of them.
• Within the Shaker family, several subfamilies, or types, of ion channels are found across the animal kingdom. Recently discovered that the Shaker family genes in choanoflagellates are more closely related to types Kv2, Kv3, and Kv4. Researchers initially thought types 2 through 4 evolved more recently.
• Understanding of rewriting the evolutionary history of ion channels in the nervous system how these ion channels evolved not only enhances our knowledge of their function but may also have implications for treating disorders related to ion channel dysfunction, such as heart arrhythmias and epilepsy.

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