title: Neurobiology of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome.
abstract: Neurotransmitter receptors, neurotransmitter synthesis and release pathways, and heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein (G protein)-coupled second messenger pathways are highly conserved between Caenorhabditis elegans and mammals, but gap junctions and chemosensory receptors have independent origins in vertebrates and nematodes. Most ion channels are similar to vertebrate channels but there are no predicted voltage-activated sodium channels. The C. elegans genome encodes at least 80 potassium channels, 90 neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, 50 peptide receptors, and up to 1000 orphan receptors that may be chemoreceptors. For many gene families, C. elegans has both conventional members and divergent outliers with weak homology to known genes; these outliers may provide insights into previously unknown functions of conserved protein families.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Programs in Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, and Genetics, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0452, USA.
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Bargmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D016678:Genome; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins