How many is enough? Exploring the myosin repertoire in the model eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum

Non-Muscle Myosin 2A (NM2A): Structure, Regulation and Function

Non-muscle myosin 2A (NM2A) is a motor cytoskeletal enzyme with crucial importance from the early stages of development until adulthood. Due to its capacity to convert chemical energy into force, NM2A powers the contraction of the actomyosin cytoskeleton, required for proper cell division, adhesion and migration, among other cellular functions. Although NM2A has been extensively studied, new findings revealed that a lot remains to be discovered concerning its spatiotemporal regulation in the intracellular environment. In recent years, new functions were attributed to NM2A and its activity was associated to a plethora of illnesses, including neurological disorders and infectious diseases. Here, we provide a concise overview on the current knowledge regarding the structure, the function and the regulation of NM2A. In addition, we recapitulate NM2A-associated diseases and discuss its potential as a therapeutic target.

Myosin B of Plasmodium falciparum (PfMyoB): in silico prediction of its three-dimensional structure and its possible interaction with MTIP

The mobility and invasion strategy of Plasmodium falciparum is governed by a protein complex known as the glideosome, which contains an actin-myosin motor. It has been shown that myosin A of the parasite (PfMyoA) is the myosin of the glideosome, and the interaction of PfMyoA with myosin tail domain interacting protein (MTIP) determines its correct location and its ability to function in the complex. Because PfMyoA and myosin B of P. falciparum (PfMyoB) share high sequence identity, are both small proteins without a tail domain, belong to the class XIV myosins, and are expressed in late schizonts and merozoites, we suspect that these myosins may have similar or redundant functions. Therefore, this work examined the structural similarity between PfMyoA and PfMyoB and performed a molecular docking between PfMyoB and MTIP. Three-dimensional (3D) models obtained for PfMyoA and PfMyoB achieved high scores in the structural validation programs used, and their superimposition revealed high structural similarity, supporting the hypothesis of possible similar functions for these two proteins. The 3D interaction models obtained and energy values found suggested that interaction between PfMyoB and MTIP is possible. Given the apparent abundance of PfMyoA relative to PfMyoB in the parasite, we believe that the interaction between PfMyoB and MTIP would only be detectable in specific cellular environments because under normal circumstances, it would be masked by the interaction between PfMyoA and MTIP.

Structure of the small Dictyostelium discoideum myosin light chain MlcB provides insights into MyoB IQ motif recognition

Dictyostelium discoideum MyoB is a class I myosin involved in the formation and retraction of membrane projections, cortical tension generation, membrane recycling, and phagosome maturation. The MyoB-specific, single-lobe EF-hand light chain MlcB binds the sole IQ motif of MyoB with submicromolar affinity in the absence and presence of Ca(2+). However, the structural features of this novel myosin light chain and its interaction with its cognate IQ motif remain uncharacterized. Here, we describe the NMR-derived solution structure of apoMlcB, which displays a globular four-helix bundle. Helix 1 adopts a unique orientation when compared with the apo states of the EF-hand calcium-binding proteins calmodulin, S100B, and calbindin D9k. NMR-based chemical shift perturbation mapping identified a hydrophobic MyoB IQ binding surface that involves amino acid residues in helices I and IV and the functional N-terminal Ca(2+) binding loop, a site that appears to be maintained when MlcB adopts the holo state. Complementary mutagenesis and binding studies indicated that residues Ile-701, Phe-705, and Trp-708 of the MyoB IQ motif are critical for recognition of MlcB, which together allowed the generation of a structural model of the apoMlcB-MyoB IQ complex. We conclude that the mode of IQ motif recognition by the novel single-lobe MlcB differs considerably from that of stereotypical bilobal light chains such as calmodulin.

Identification of calmodulin and MlcC as light chains for Dictyostelium myosin-I isozymes

Dictyostelium discoideum express seven single-headed myosin-I isozymes (MyoA-MyoE and MyoK) that drive motile processes at the cell membrane. The light chains for MyoA and MyoE were identified by expressing Flag-tagged constructs consisting of the motor domain and the two IQ motifs in the neck region in Dictyostelium. The MyoA and MyoE constructs both copurified with calmodulin. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) showed that apo-calmodulin bound to peptides corresponding to the MyoA and MyoE IQ motifs with micromolar affinity. In the presence of calcium, calmodulin cross-linked two IQ motif peptides, with one domain binding with nanomolar affinity and the other with micromolar affinity. The IQ motifs were required for the actin-activated MgATPase activity of MyoA but not MyoE; however, neither myosin exhibited calcium-dependent activity. A Flag-tagged construct consisting of the MyoC motor domain and the three IQ motifs in the adjacent neck region bound a novel 8.6 kDa two EF-hand protein named MlcC, for myosin light chain for MyoC. MlcC is most similar to the C-terminal domain of calmodulin but does not bind calcium. ITC studies showed that MlcC binds IQ1 and IQ2 but not IQ3 of MyoC. IQ3 contains a proline residue that may render it nonfunctional. Each long-tailed Dictyostelium myosin-I has now been shown to have a unique light chain (MyoB-MlcB, MyoC-MlcC, and MyoD-MlcD), whereas the short-tailed myosins-I, MyoA and MyoE, have the multifunctional calmodulin as a light chain. The diversity in light chain composition is likely to contribute to the distinct cellular functions of each myosin-I isozyme.

Thirteen is enough: the myosins of Dictyostelium discoideum and their light chains

BACKGROUND

Dictyostelium discoideum is one of the most famous model organisms for studying motile processes like cell movement, organelle transport, cytokinesis, and endocytosis. Members of the myosin superfamily, that move on actin filaments and power many of these tasks, are tripartite proteins consisting of a conserved catalytic domain followed by the neck region consisting of a different number of so-called IQ motifs for binding of light chains. The tails contain functional motifs that are responsible for the accomplishment of the different tasks in the cell. Unicellular organisms like yeasts contain three to five myosins while vertebrates express over 40 different myosin genes. Recently, the question has been raised how many myosins a simple multicellular organism like Dictyostelium would need to accomplish all the different motility-related tasks.

RESULTS

The analysis of the Dictyostelium genome revealed thirteen myosins of which three have not been described before. The phylogenetic analysis of the motor domains of the new myosins placed Myo1F to the class-I myosins and Myo5A to the class-V myosins. The third new myosin, an orphan myosin, has been named MyoG. It contains an N-terminal extension of over 400 residues, and a tail consisting of four IQ motifs and two MyTH4/FERM (myosin tail homology 4/band 4.1, ezrin, radixin, and moesin) tandem domains that are separated by a long region containing an SH3 (src homology 3) domain. In contrast to previous analyses, an extensive comparison with 126 class-VII, class-X, class-XV, and class-XXII myosins now showed that MyoI does not group into any of these classes and should not be used as a model for class-VII myosins.The search for calmodulin related proteins revealed two further potential myosin light chains. One is a close homolog of the two EF-hand motifs containing MlcB, and the other, CBP14, phylogenetically groups to the ELC/RLC/calmodulin (essential light chain/regulatory light chain) branch of the tree.

CONCLUSION

Dictyostelium contains thirteen myosins together with 6-8 MLCs (myosin light chain) to assist in a variety of actin-based processes in the cell. Although they are homologous to myosins of higher eukaryotes, the myosins of Dictyostelium should be considered with care as models for specific functions of vertebrate myosins.

Myosin VI: cellular functions and motor properties

Myosin motor proteins use the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to move cargo along actin tracks. Myosin VI, unlike almost all other myosins, moves toward the minus end of actin filaments and functions in a variety of intracellular processes such as vesicular membrane traffic, cell migration, and mitosis. These diverse roles of myosin VI are mediated by interaction with a number of different binding partners present in multi-protein complexes. Myosin VI can work in vitro as a processive dimeric motor and as a nonprocessive monomeric motor, each with a large working stroke. The possibility that both monomeric and dimeric forms of myosin VI operate in the cell may represent an important regulatory mechanism for controlling the multiple steps in transport pathways where nonprocessive and processive motors are required.

Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Dictyostelium discoideum kinesin proteins

Background

Kinesins constitute a large superfamily of motor proteins in eukaryotic cells. They perform diverse tasks such as vesicle and organelle transport and chromosomal segregation in a microtubule- and ATP-dependent manner. In recent years, the genomes of a number of eukaryotic organisms have been completely sequenced. Subsequent studies revealed and classified the full set of members of the kinesin superfamily expressed by these organisms. For Dictyostelium discoideum, only five kinesin superfamily proteins (Kif's) have already been reported.

Results

Here, we report the identification of thirteen kinesin genes exploiting the information from the raw shotgun reads of the Dictyostelium discoideum genome project. A phylogenetic tree of 390 kinesin motor domain sequences was built, grouping the Dictyostelium kinesins into nine subfamilies. According to known cellular functions or strong homologies to kinesins of other organisms, four of the Dictyostelium kinesins are involved in organelle transport, six are implicated in cell division processes, two are predicted to perform multiple functions, and one kinesin may be the founder of a new subclass.

Conclusion

This analysis of the Dictyostelium genome led to the identification of eight new kinesin motor proteins. According to an exhaustive phylogenetic comparison, Dictyostelium contains the same subset of kinesins that higher eukaryotes need to perform mitosis. Some of the kinesins are implicated in intracellular traffic and a small number have unpredictable functions.

Signaling pathways regulating Dictyostelium myosin II

Dictyostelium myosin II is a conventional, two-headed myosin that consists of two copies each of a myosin heavy chain (MHC), an essential light chain (ELC) and a regulatory light chain (RLC). The MHC is comprised of an amino-terminal motor domain, a neck region that binds the RLC and ELC and a carboxyl-terminal alpha-helical coiled-coil tail. Electrostatic interactions between the tail domains mediate the self-assembly of myosin II into bipolar filaments that are capable of interacting with actin filaments to generate a contractile force. In this review we discuss the regulation of Dictyostelium myosin II by a myosin light chain kinase (MLCK-A) that phosphorylates the RLC and increases motor activity and by MHC kinases (MHCKs) that phosphorylate the tail and prevent filament assembly. Dictyostelium may express as many as four MHCKs (MHCK A-D) consisting of an atypical alpha-kinase catalytic domain and a carboxyl-terminal WD repeat domain that targets myosin II filaments. A previously reported MHCK, termed MHC-PKC, now seems more likely to be a diacylglycerol kinase (DgkA). The relationship of the MHCKs to the larger family of alpha-kinases is discussed and key features of the structure of the alpha-kinase catalytic domain are reviewed. Potential upstream regulators of myosin II are described, including DgkA, cGMP, cAMP and PAKa, a target for Rac GTPases. Recent results point to a complex network of signaling pathways responsible for controling the activity and localization of myosin II in the cell.

Myosins and cell dynamics in cellular slime molds

Myosin is a mechanochemical transducer and serves as a motor for various motile activities such as cell migration, cytokinesis, maintenance of cell shape, phagocytosis, and morphogenesis. Nonmuscle myosin in vivo does not either stay static at specific subcellular regions or construct highly organized structures, such as sarcomere in skeletal muscle cells. The cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is an ideal "model organism" for the investigation of cell movement and cytokinesis. The advantages of this organism prompted researchers to carry out pioneering cell biological, biochemical, and molecular genetic studies on myosin II, which resulted in elucidation of many fundamental features of function and regulation of this most abundant molecular motor. Furthermore, recent molecular biological research has revealed that many unconventional myosins play various functions in vivo. In this article, how myosins are organized and regulated in a dynamic manner in Dictyostelium cells is reviewed and discussed.

The Dictyostelium class I myosin, MyoD, contains a novel light chain that lacks high-affinity calcium-binding sites

Dictyostelium discoideum MyoD, a long-tailed class I myosin, co-purified with two copies of a 16 kDa light chain. Sequence analysis of the MyoD light chain showed it to be a unique protein, termed MlcD, that shares 44% sequence identity with Dictyostelium calmodulin and 43% sequence identity with Acanthamoeba castellanii myosin IC light chain. MlcD comprises four EF-hands; however, EF-hands 2-4 contain mutations in key Ca2+-co-ordinating residues that would be predicted to impair Ca2+ binding. Electrospray ionization MS of MlcD in the presence of Ca2+ and La3+ showed the presence of one major and one minor metal-binding site. MlcD contains a single tryptophan residue (Trp39), the fluorescence intensity of which was quenched upon addition of Ca2+ or Mg2+, yielding apparent dissociation constants ( K'(d)) of 52 microM for Ca2+ and 450 microM for Mg2+. The low affinity of MlcD for Ca2+ indicates that it cannot function as a sensor of physiological Ca2+. Ca2+ did not affect the binding of MlcD to MyoD or to either of the two MyoD IQ (Ile-Gln) motifs. FLAG-MlcD expressed in Dictyostelium formed a complex with MyoD, but not with the two other long-tailed Dictyostelium myosin I isoenzymes, MyoB and MyoC. Through its specific association with the Ca2+-insensitive MlcD, MyoD may exhibit distinct regulatory properties that distinguish it from myosin I isoenzymes with calmodulin light chains.

Unconventional myosins, actin dynamics and endocytosis: a ménage à trois?

Ever since the discovery of class I myosins, the first nonmuscle myosins, about 30 years ago, the history of unconventional myosins has been linked to the organization and working of actin filaments. It slowly emerged from studies of class I myosins in lower eukaryotes that they are involved in mechanisms of endocytosis. Most interestingly, a flurry of recent findings assign a more active role to class I myosins in regulating the spatial and temporal organization of actin filament nucleation and elongation. The results highlight the multiple links between class I myosins and the major actin nucleator, the Arp2/3 complex, and its newly described activators. Two additional types of unconventional myosins, myosinIX, and Dictyostelium discoideum MyoM, have recently been tied to the signaling pathways controlling actin cytoskeleton remodeling. The present review surveys the links between these three classes of molecular motors and the complex cellular processes of endocytosis and actin dynamics, and concentrates on a working model accounting for the function of class I myosins via recruitment of the machinery responsible for actin nucleation and elongation.

Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Drosophila melanogaster myosins

Myosins constitute a superfamily of motor proteins that convert energy from ATP hydrolysis into mechanical movement along the actin filaments. Phylogenetic analysis currently places myosins into 17 classes based on class-specific features of their conserved motor domain. Traditionally, the myosins have been divided into two classes depending on whether they form monomers or dimers. The conventional myosin of muscle and nonmuscle cells forms class II myosins. They are complex molecules of four light chains bound to two heavy chains that form bipolar filaments via interactions between their coiled-coil tails (type II). Class I myosins are smaller monomeric myosins referred to as unconventional myosins. Now, at least 15 other classes of unconventional myosins are known. How many myosins are needed to ensure the proper development and function of eukaryotic organisms? Thus far, three types of myosins were found in budding yeast, six in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and at least 12 in human. Here, we report on the identification and classification of Drosophila melanogaster myosins. Analysis of the Drosophila genome sequence identified 13 myosin genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequence comparison of the myosin motor domains, as well as the presence of the class-specific domains, suggests that Drosophila myosins can be divided into nine major classes. Myosins belonging to previously described classes I, II, III, V, VI, and VII are present. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis indicates that the fruitfly genome contains at least five new myosins. Three of them fall into previously described myosin classes I, VII, and XV. Another myosin is a homolog of the mouse and human PDZ-containing myosins, forming the recently defined class XVIII myosins. PDZ domains are named after the postsynaptic density, disc-large, ZO-1 proteins in which they were first described. The fifth myosin shows a unique domain composition and a low homology to any of the existing classes. We propose that this is classified when similar myosins are identified in other species.

Myosin I is required for hypha formation in Candida albicans

The pathogenic yeast Candida albicans can undergo a dramatic change in morphology from round yeast cells to long filamentous cells called hyphae. We have cloned the CaMYO5 gene encoding the only myosin I in C. albicans. A strain with a deletion of both copies of CaMYO5 is viable but cannot form hyphae under all hypha-inducing conditions tested. This mutant exhibits a higher frequency of random budding and a depolarized distribution of cortical actin patches relative to the wild-type strain. We found that polar budding, polarized localization of cortical actin patches, and hypha formation are dependent on a specific phosphorylation site on myosin I, called the "TEDS-rule" site. Mutation of this serine 366 to alanine gives rise to the null mutant phenotype, while a S366D mutation, the product of which mimics a phosphorylated serine, allows hypha formation. However, the S366D mutation still causes a depolarized distribution of cortical actin patches in budding cells, similar to that in the null mutant. The localization of CaMyo5-GFP together with cortical actin patches at the bud and hyphal tips is also dependent on serine 366. Intriguingly, the cortical actin patches in the majority of the hyphae of the mutant expressing Camyo5(S366D) were depolarized, suggesting that although their distribution is dependent on myosin I localization, polarized cortical actin patches may not be required for hypha formation.

Phagocytosis and macropinocytosis in Dictyostelium: phosphoinositide-based processes, biochemically distinct

Phagocytosis and macropinocytosis are actin-dependent clathrin-independent processes primarily performed by cells like neutrophils and macrophages that result in the internalization of particles or the formation of fluid-filled macropinosomes, respectively. Phagocytosis consists of a number of stages, including attachment of particles to cell surface receptors, engulfment of the particle dependent on actin polymerization and membrane exocytosis, and formation of phago-lysosomes. In contrast, the molecular steps regulating macropinocytosis are only just now being deciphered. Much remains to be learned concerning the signaling pathways that regulate these processes. Dictyostelium is a genetically and biochemically tractable professional phagocyte that has proven to be a powerful system with which to determine the nature of the molecular steps involved in regulating these internalization processes. This review summarizes what is currently understood concerning the molecular mechanisms governing phagocytosis and macropinocytosis in Dictyostelium and describes recent data concerning the common and distinct pathways that regulate these processes.

Analysis of the myosins encoded in the recently completed Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence

BACKGROUND

Three types of molecular motors play an important role in the organization, dynamics and transport processes associated with the cytoskeleton. The myosin family of molecular motors move cargo on actin filaments, whereas kinesin and dynein motors move cargo along microtubules. These motors have been highly characterized in non-plant systems and information is becoming available about plant motors. The actin cytoskeleton in plants has been shown to be involved in processes such as transportation, signaling, cell division, cytoplasmic streaming and morphogenesis. The role of myosin in these processes has been established in a few cases but many questions remain to be answered about the number, types and roles of myosins in plants.

RESULTS

Using the motor domain of an Arabidopsis myosin we identified 17 myosin sequences in the Arabidopsis genome. Phylogenetic analysis of the Arabidopsis myosins with non-plant and plant myosins revealed that all the Arabidopsis myosins and other plant myosins fall into two groups - class VIII and class XI. These groups contain exclusively plant or algal myosins with no animal or fungal myosins. Exon/intron data suggest that the myosins are highly conserved and that some may be a result of gene duplication.

CONCLUSIONS

Plant myosins are unlike myosins from any other organisms except algae. As a percentage of the total gene number, the number of myosins is small overall in Arabidopsis compared with the other sequenced eukaryotic genomes. There are, however, a large number of class XI myosins. The function of each myosin has yet to be determined.

Identification and analysis of the myosin superfamily in Drosophila: a database approach

The recent sequencing of the genome of Drosophila melanogaster has provided a valuable resource for mining the database for genes of interest. We took advantage of this opportunity in an attempt to identify novel myosins in Drosophila and confirm the presence of the previously identified myosins from classes I, II, III, V, VI, and VII. The Drosophila database annotators predicted the structure of three additional proteins which we identified as novel unconventional myosins, two of which fell into classes XV and XVIII, respectively. Our own efforts predicted the presence of four additional partial sequences that appear to be myosin proteins which did not fall into any specific class. In the future comparative genomics will hopefully lead to the placement of these myosins into new classes.

Cell adhesion: Ushering in a new understanding of myosin VII

The myosin VII motor protein has recently been found to have a role in cell adhesion. This new function is conserved from amoebae to man and provides an explanation for deafness in Usher syndrome patients.

A millennial myosin census

The past decade has seen a remarkable explosion in our knowledge of the size and diversity of the myosin superfamily. Since these actin-based motors are candidates to provide the molecular basis for many cellular movements, it is essential that motility researchers be aware of the complete set of myosins in a given organism. The availability of cDNA and/or draft genomic sequences from humans, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, Arabidopsis thaliana, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Dictyostelium discoideum has allowed us to tentatively define and compare the sets of myosin genes in these organisms. This analysis has also led to the identification of several putative myosin genes that may be of general interest. In humans, for example, we find a total of 40 known or predicted myosin genes including two new myosins-I, three new class II (conventional) myosins, a second member of the class III/ninaC myosins, a gene similar to the class XV deafness myosin, and a novel myosin sharing at most 33% identity with other members of the superfamily. These myosins are in addition to the recently discovered class XVI myosin with N-terminal ankyrin repeats and two human genes with similarity to the class XVIII PDZ-myosin from mouse. We briefly describe these newly recognized myosins and extend our previous phylogenetic analysis of the myosin superfamily to include a comparison of the complete or nearly complete inventories of myosin genes from several experimentally important organisms.

Regulation of Dictyostelium myosin I and II

Dictyostelium expresses 12 different myosins, including seven single-headed myosins I and one conventional two-headed myosin II. In this review we focus on the signaling pathways that regulate Dictyostelium myosin I and myosin II. Activation of myosin I is catalyzed by a Cdc42/Rac-stimulated myosin I heavy chain kinase that is a member of the p21-activated kinase (PAK) family. Evidence that myosin I is linked to the Arp2/3 complex suggests that pathways that regulate myosin I may also influence actin filament assembly. Myosin II activity is stimulated by a cGMP-activated myosin light chain kinase and inhibited by myosin heavy chain kinases (MHCKs) that block bipolar filament assembly. Known MHCKs include MHCK A and MHCK B, which have a novel type of kinase catalytic domain joined to a WD repeat domain, and MHC-protein kinase C (PKC), which contains both diacylglycerol kinase and PKC-related protein kinase catalytic domains. A Dictyostelium PAK (PAKa) acts indirectly to promote myosin II filament formation, suggesting that the MHCKs may be indirectly regulated by Rac GTPases.

Regulation of phagocytosis and endo-phagosomal trafficking pathways in Dictyostelium discoideum

Phagocytosis, a critically important process employed by leukocytes against invading pathogens, is an actin-dependent clathrin-independent process that results in the internalization of particles >0.5 microm in diameter. Phagocytosis consists of a number of stages, including the binding of particles to the cell surface via interaction with a receptor, engulfment of the particle by pseudopod extension, and fission and fusion reactions to form phago-lysosomes. Much remains to be learned concerning the molecular mechanisms that regulate particle internalization and phagosome maturation. Dictyostelium is a genetically tractable professional phagocyte that has proven useful in determining the molecular steps involved in these processes. We will summarize, in this chapter, what we currently understand concerning the molecular mechanisms that regulate the process of phagocytosis in Dictyostelium, and we will compare and contrast this body of information with that available describing phagocytosis in higher organisms. We will also present current information that suggests that macropinocytosis, a process morphologically similar to phagocytosis, utilizes a different signaling pathway than phagocytosis. Finally, we will discuss the process of maturation of phagosomes, which requires membrane trafficking events, and we will summarize data that support the use of Dictyostelium as a model to determine how intracellular pathogens survive.

Myosins: a diverse superfamily

Myosins constitute a large superfamily of actin-dependent molecular motors. Phylogenetic analysis currently places myosins into 15 classes. The conventional myosins which form filaments in muscle and non-muscle cells form class II. There has been extensive characterization of these myosins and much is known about their function. With the exception of class I and class V myosins, little is known about the structure, enzymatic properties, intracellular localization and physiology of most unconventional myosin classes. This review will focus on myosins from class IV, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV and XV. In addition, the function of myosin II in non-muscle cells will also be discussed.

Unconventional myosins at the crossroad of signal transduction and cytoskeleton remodeling

The cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells is a complex milieu and unraveling how its unique cytoarchitecture is achieved and maintained is a central theme in modern cell biology. The actin cytoskeleton is essential for the maintenance of cell shape and locomotion, and also provides tracks for active intracellular transport. Myosins, the actin-dependent motor proteins form a superfamily of at least 15 structural classes and have been identified in a wide variety of organisms, making the presence of actin and myosins a hallmark feature of eukaryotes. Direct connections of myosins to a variety of cellular tasks are now emerging, such as in cytokinesis, phagocytosis, endocytosis, polarized secretion and exocytosis, axonal transport. Recent studies reveal that myosins also play an essential role in many aspects of signal transduction and neurosensation.