The Caenorhabditis elegans unc-63 gene encodes a levamisole-sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit. - Archive ouverte HAL
Article Dans Une Revue Journal of Biological Chemistry Année : 2004

The Caenorhabditis elegans unc-63 gene encodes a levamisole-sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit.

Howard A Baylis
  • Fonction : Auteur
Janet E Richmond
  • Fonction : Auteur
Andrew K Jones
  • Fonction : Auteur
John T Fleming
  • Fonction : Auteur
Michael D Squire
  • Fonction : Auteur
James A Lewis
  • Fonction : Auteur
David B Sattelle
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

The anthelmintic drug levamisole causes hypercontraction of body wall muscles and lethality in nematode worms. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a genetic screen for levamisole resistance has identified 12 genes, three of which (unc-38, unc-29, and lev-1) encode nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits. Here we describe the molecular and functional characterization of another levamisole-resistant gene, unc-63, encoding a nAChR alpha subunit with a predicted amino acid sequence most similar to that of UNC-38. Like UNC-38 and UNC-29, UNC-63 is expressed in body wall muscles. In addition, UNC-63 is expressed in vulval muscles and neurons. We also show that LEV-1 is expressed in body wall muscle, thus overlapping the cellular localization of UNC-63, UNC-38, and UNC-29 and suggesting possible association in vivo. This is supported by electrophysiological studies on body wall muscle, which demonstrate that a levamisole-sensitive nAChR present at the C. elegans neuromuscular junction requires both UNC-63 and LEV-1 subunits. Thus, at least four subunits, two alpha types (UNC-38 and UNC-63) and two non-alpha types (UNC-29 and LEV-1), can contribute to levamisole-sensitive muscle nAChRs in nematodes.

Dates et versions

hal-00198541 , version 1 (17-12-2007)

Identifiants

Citer

Emmanuel Culetto, Howard A Baylis, Janet E Richmond, Andrew K Jones, John T Fleming, et al.. The Caenorhabditis elegans unc-63 gene encodes a levamisole-sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit.. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2004, 279 (41), pp.42476-83. ⟨10.1074/jbc.M404370200⟩. ⟨hal-00198541⟩
19 Consultations
0 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

More