title: The Caenorhabditis elegans behavioral gene unc-24 encodes a novel bipartite protein similar to both erythrocyte band 7.2 (stomatin) and nonspecific lipid transfer protein.
abstract: We report here the positional cloning and molecular characterization of the unc-24 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans. This gene is required for normal locomotion and interacts with genes that affect the worm's response to volatile anesthetics. The predicted gene product contains a domain similar to part of two ion channel regulators (the erythrocyte integral membrane protein stomatin and the C. elegans neuronal protein MEC-2) juxtaposed to a domain similar to nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP; also called sterol carrier protein 2). Sequence analysis suggests that the nsLTP-like domain of UNC-24 provides lipid carrier function and is tethered to the plasma membrane by the stomatin-like domain which may be regulatory. We postulate that UNC-24 may be involved in lipid transfer between closely apposed membranes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Horvitz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruvkun
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hekimi
mesh_terms: D020727:ADP-Ribosylation Factors; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017238:Genes, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013261:Sterols
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D013261:Sterols; C099877:Unc-24 protein, C elegans; C072087:sterol carrier proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020727:ADP-Ribosylation Factors