The identification and suppression of inherited neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans.
The dominant mutation deg-1(u38) results in a toxic gene product that leads to the late-onset degeneration of a small number of neurons in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Both intragenic and extragenic mutations as well as changes in wild-type gene dosage can delay or block the time of onset of the neuronal deaths. The deg-1 gene has been cloned and a partial complementary DNA reveals that the gene encodes a novel protein that may act as a membrane receptor. Because the late-onset loss of specific sets of neurons, often as a result of dominant mutations, is characteristic of several human neurodegenerative diseases, the analysis of the deg-1 gene and its suppressors may provide a means of understanding the mechanisms underlying some of these human diseases.
Chalfie
M
M
Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027.
Wolinsky
E
E
D000367:Age Factors; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D013489:Suppression, Genetic
D008565:Membrane Proteins