Disruption of a neuropeptide gene, flp-1, causes multiple behavioral defects in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Neuropeptides serve as important signaling molecules in the nervous system. The FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-amide)-related neuropeptide gene family in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is composed of at least 18 genes that may encode 53 distinct FMRFamide-related peptides. Disruption of one of these genes, flp-1, causes numerous behavioral defects, including uncoordination, hyperactivity, and insensitivity to high osmolarity. Conversely, overexpression of flp-1 results in the reciprocal phenotypes. On the basis of epistasis analysis, flp-1 gene products appear to signal upstream of a G protein-coupled second messenger system. These results demonstrate that varying the levels of FLP-1 neuropeptides can profoundly affect behavior and that members of this large neuropeptide gene family are not functionally redundant in C. elegans.
Nelson
L S
LS
Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Rosoff
M L
ML
Li
C
C
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D019835:FMRFamide; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009068:Movement; D009154:Mutation; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019076:Transgenes
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C114560:Flp-1 protein, C elegans; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012701:Serotonin; D019835:FMRFamide; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins