Neuronal expression of a Caenorhabditis elegans elav-like gene and the effect of its ectopic expression.
We examined the expression of a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) elav-like gene, which we designated elr-1. The elr-1 gene encodes a predicted 456-amino-acid protein containing three putative RNA-binding domains and belongs to the ELAV family, which is functionally involved in neuronal differentiation. Northern blot analysis suggested that the levels of elr-1 mRNA are regulated developmentally. A elr-1::gfp reporter gene under the control of the elr-1 promoter was expressed specifically in the ring ganglia near the nerve ring, the ventral nerve cord (VNC), and the pre-anal and lumbar ganglia. In the VNC, GFP-positive cells were shown to be acetylcholine-producing motor neurons which increased in number as development proceeded, suggesting that elr-1 is expressed in mature neurons. Ectopic expression of ELR-1 protein at the L4 larval and adult stages, but not earlier stages, caused irreversible death, accompanied by uncoordinated movement (Unc), clear (Clr), and egg-laying defective (Egl) phenotypes, which are often observed in mutants with neuronal defects. These results suggest that ELR-1 may have important functions in specific mature neurons in C. elegans.
Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodaicho, Nadaku, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan.
M
M
Fujita
T
T
Kawano
A
A
Ohta
H
H
Sakamoto
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009043:Motor Activity; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D051959:ELAV Proteins; C473926:EXC-7 protein, C elegans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins