Additional evidence for an eight-transmembrane-domain topology for Caenorhabditis elegans and human presenilins.
Presenilins have been implicated in the genesis of Alzheimer's disease and in facilitating LIN-12/Notch activity during development. All presenilins have multiple hydrophobic regions that could theoretically span a membrane, and a description of the membrane topology is a crucial step toward deducing the mechanism of presenilin function. Previously, we proposed an eight-transmembrane-domain model for presenilin, based on studies of the Caenorhabditis elegans SEL-12 presenilin. Here, we describe experiments that support the view that two of the hydrophobic regions of SEL-12 function as the seventh and eighth transmembrane domains. Furthermore, we have shown that human presenilin 1 behaves like SEL-12 presenilin when analyzed by our methods. Our results provide additional experimental support for the eight-transmembrane-domain model of presenilin topology.
Li
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Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular and Biophysical Studies, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Greenwald
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D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D053764:Presenilin-1
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C508853:PSEN1 protein, human; D053764:Presenilin-1; C095907:SEL-12 protein, C elegans