January 2022 archive

Patchy Distribution of GTPases of Immunity Associated Proteins (GIMAP) within Cnidarians and Dinoflagellates Suggests a Complex Evolutionary History

GTPases of Immunity Associated Proteins (GIMAP) are a group of small GTP binding proteins found in a variety of organisms, including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. These proteins are characterized by the highly conserved AIG1 domain, and in vertebrates, have been implicated in regulation of the immune system as well as apoptosis and autophagy, though their exact mechanism of action remains unclear. Recent work on cnidarian GIMAPs suggests a conserved role in immunity, apoptosis, and…