Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens
Small integral membrane protein 20 (SMIM20) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SMIM20 gene .[ 5] prohormone to the peptide hormone phoenixin (PNX) which was discovered for the first time in 2013 in rodent sensory ganglia.[ 6] [ 7]
In the study of the evolution of nervous systems , SMIM20 together with NUCB2 have been found to have deep homology across all lineages that preceded creatures with central nervous systems, bilaterians , cnidarians , ctenophores , and sponges as well as in choanoflagellates .[ 8] [ 9]
Recent studies have found that GPR173 , a previously orphaned GPCR , may act as a receptor for PNX-14 and PNX-20.[ 10] [ 11] [ 12]
^ a b c GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000250317 – Ensembl , May 2017^ a b c GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000061461 – Ensembl , May 2017^ "Human PubMed Reference:" . National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine .^ "Mouse PubMed Reference:" . National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine .^ "Entrez Gene: Small integral membrane protein 20" . Retrieved 2014-02-05 .^ Yosten GL, Lyu RM, Hsueh AJ, Avsian-Kretchmer O, Chang JK, Tullock CW, et al. (February 2013). "A novel reproductive peptide, phoenixin" . Journal of Neuroendocrinology . 25 (2): 206– 215. doi :10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02381.x . PMC 3556183 PMID 22963497 . ^ Mcilwraith EK, Belsham DD (May 2018). "Phoenixin: uncovering its receptor, signaling and functions" . Acta Pharmacologica Sinica . 39 (5): 774– 778. doi :10.1038/aps.2018.13 . ISSN 1745-7254 . PMC 5943909 PMID 29671415 . ^ Yañez-Guerra LA, Thiel D, Jékely G (April 2022). O'Connell M (ed.). "Premetazoan Origin of Neuropeptide Signaling" . Molecular Biology and Evolution . 39 (4) msac051. doi :10.1093/molbev/msac051 . PMC 9004410 PMID 35277960 . ^ Callier V (3 June 2022). "Brain-Signal Proteins Evolved Before Animals Did" . Quanta Magazine . Retrieved 2022-06-03 . ^ Mcilwraith EK, Belsham DD (May 2018). "Phoenixin: uncovering its receptor, signaling and functions" . Acta Pharmacologica Sinica . 39 (5): 774– 778. doi :10.1038/aps.2018.13 . ISSN 1745-7254 . PMC 5943909 PMID 29671415 . ^ Treen AK, Luo V, Belsham DD (2016-08-01). "Phoenixin Activates Immortalized GnRH and Kisspeptin Neurons Through the Novel Receptor GPR173" . Molecular Endocrinology . 30 (8). Baltimore, Md.: 872– 888. doi :10.1210/me.2016-1039 . ISSN 0888-8809 . PMC 5414621 PMID 27268078 . ^ Stein LM, Tullock CW, Mathews SK, Garcia-Galiano D, Elias CF, Samson WK, et al. (September 2016). "Hypothalamic action of phoenixin to control reproductive hormone secretion in females: importance of the orphan G protein-coupled receptor Gpr173" . American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology . 311 (3): R489– R496. doi :10.1152/ajpregu.00191.2016 . ISSN 0363-6119 . PMC 5142227 PMID 27440717 . 
