The expression of two P-glycoprotein (pgp) genes in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans is confined to intestinal cells.
P-glycoproteins can cause multidrug resistance in mammalian tumor cells by active extrusion of cytotoxic drugs. The natural function of these evolutionarily conserved, membrane-bound ATP binding transport proteins is unknown. In mammals, P-glycoproteins are abundantly present in organs associated with the digestive tract. We have studied the tissue-specific expression of Caenorhabditis elegans P-glycoprotein genes pgp-1 and pgp-3 by transformation of nematodes with pgp-lacZ gene fusion constructs in which the promoter area of the pgp genes was fused to the coding region of lacZ. Expression of pgp-1 and pgp-3, as inferred from pgp-lacZ transgenic nematodes, was confined to the intestinal cells. The expression patterns of both genes were virtually indistinguishable. Quantitative analysis of pgp mRNA levels during development showed that pgp-1, -2, and -3 were expressed throughout the life cycle of C.elegans, albeit with some variation indicating developmental regulation. The expression of P-glycoprotein genes in intestinal cells is an evolutionarily conserved feature of these genes, consistent with the hypothesis that P-glycoproteins provide a mechanism of protection against environmental toxins.
Lincke
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Laboratory of Biochemistry, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Broeks
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The
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Plasterk
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Borst
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D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D004351:Drug Resistance; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins