title: Interaction between a putative mechanosensory membrane channel and a collagen.
abstract: The degenerin family of proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans is homologous to subunits of the mammalian amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channels. Mutations in nematode degenerins cause cell death, probably because of defects in channel function. Genetic evidence was obtained that the unc-105 gene product represents a degenerin homolog affecting C. elegans muscles and that this putative channel interacts with type IV collagen in the extracellular matrix underlying the muscle cell. This interaction may serve as a mechanism of stretch-activated muscle contraction, and this system could provide a molecular model for the activation of mechanosensitive ion channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schrank
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Waterston
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D012677:Sensation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D013489:Suppression, Genetic
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D015222:Sodium Channels; C100017:Unc-105 protein, C elegans; D003094:Collagen