The Evolution of the Four Subunits of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels: Ancient Roots, Increasing Complexity, and Multiple Losses

The alpha subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels (Ca(v)s) are large transmembrane proteins responsible for crucial physiological processes in excitable cells. They are assisted by three auxiliary subunits that can modulate their electrical behavior. Little is known about the evolution and roles of the various subunits of Ca(v)s in nonbilaterian animals and in nonanimal lineages. For this reason, we mapped the phyletic distribution of the...