TY - JOUR A1 - Le Roy, Nathalie A1 - Jackson, Daniel J. A1 - Marie, Benjamin A1 - Ramos-Silva, Paula A1 - Marin, Frédéric T1 - The evolution of metazoan α-carbonic anhydrases and their roles in calcium carbonate biomineralization Y1 - 2014 VL - 11 IS - 1 JF - Frontiers in Zoology DO - 10.1186/s12983-014-0075-8 DO - 10.23689/fidgeo-2726 N2 - The carbonic anhydrase (CA; EC 4.2.1.1) superfamily is a class of ubiquitous metallo-enzymes that catalyse the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide. The α-CA family, present in all metazoan clades, is a key enzyme involved in a wide range of physiological functions including pH regulation, respiration, photosynthesis, and biocalcification. This paper reviews the evolution of the α-CA family, with an emphasis on metazoan α-CA members involved in biocalcification. Phylogenetic analyses reveal a complex evolutionary history of α-CAs, and suggest α-CA was independently co-opted into a variety of skeleton forming roles (e.g. as a provider of HCO3 − ions, a structural protein, a nucleation activator, etc.) in multiple metazoan lineages. This evolutionary history is most likely the result of multiple gene duplications coupled with the insertion of repetitive or non-repetitive low-complexity domains (RLCDs/LCDs). These domains, of largely unknown function, appear to be lineage-specific, and provide further support for the hypothesis of independent recruitment of α-CAs to diverse metazoan biocalcification processes. An analysis of α-CA sequences associated with biocalcification processes indicates that the domains involved in the activity and conformation of the active site are extremely conserved among metazoans. UR - http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gldocs-11858/7039 ER -