60 YEARS OF POMC: POMC: an evolutionary perspective

J Mol Endocrinol. 2016 May;56(4):T113-8. doi: 10.1530/JME-15-0288. Epub 2015 Dec 15.

Abstract

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a complex precursor that comprises several peptidic hormones, including melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and β-endorphin. POMC belongs to the opioid/orphanin gene family, whose precursors include either opioid (YGGF) or the orphanin/nociceptin core sequences (FGGF). This gene family diversified during early tetraploidizations of the vertebrate genome to generate four different precursors: proenkephalin (PENK), prodynorphin (PDYN), and nociceptin/proorphanin (PNOC) as well as POMC, although both PNOC and POMC seem to have arisen due to a local duplication event. POMC underwent complex evolutionary processes, including internal tandem duplications and putative coevolutionary events. Controversial and conflicting hypotheses have emerged concerning the sequenced genomes. In this article, we summarize the different evolutionary hypotheses proposed for POMC evolution.

Keywords: ACTH; MSH; evolution; opioid; proopiomelanocortin; β-endorphin.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Multigene Family
  • Organ Specificity
  • Peptide Hormones / chemistry
  • Peptide Hormones / metabolism
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin / chemistry
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin / genetics*
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin / metabolism*
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Proteolysis

Substances

  • Peptide Hormones
  • Pro-Opiomelanocortin