Valentin-Mihai Dospinescu et al. present an evolutionary analysis of the connexin Cx26, by comparing the structure and function of this protein in fish, Xenopus and reptiles. They find that Cx26 acts as a CO2 sensor in mammals and reptiles, but not fish or amphibia, and loss of its C-terminal tail is linked to this gain of function.
- Valentin-Mihai Dospinescu
- Sarbjit Nijjar
- Nicholas Dale