Evolution of galanin receptor genes: insights from the deuterostome genomes.

Galanin exerts its biological activities through three different G protein-coupled receptors, Galr1, Galr2 and Galr3. To obtain insights into the evolution of Galrs, we searched the genomes of the deuterostomes by extensive BLAST survey and phylogenetic analyses. The Galr2 and Galr3 share similar genomic structures, and most of them are composed of 2 exons and 1 intron. However, most of Galr1 are composed of 3 extrons and 2 introns. We did not detect the typical Galr genes in the genomic databases of invertebrate deutserotomes, but three Galr1/Alstr homologs and two Galr1/Gpr151 homologs in amphioxus, two Galr1/Gpr151 homologs in sea squirt and one Galr1/Gpr151 homologs in sea urchin were identified. It is highly possible that the Galr genes in vertebrates may evolve from the homologous genes of Galr1/Alstr/Gpr151 in invertebrate deuterostomes. We also proposed that Galr3 genes were the products of Galr2 duplication during evolution, while Galr2 genes may evolve from Galr1.