The oldest known ortholog of the ion channel that is defective in patients with cystic fibrosis arose approximately 450 million years ago in the sea lamprey, researchers report October 31st in the journal Developmental Cell. Many differences between lamprey and jawed vertebrate orthologs of this protein, called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), are vestiges of the evolutionary transition from a transporter to a specialized chloride and bicarbonate channel. Other differences likely reflect later adaptation of the sea lamprey to its specific environment.
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Source: Phys.org