title: SPK-1, a C. elegans SR protein kinase homologue, is essential for embryogenesis and required for germline development.
abstract: SR-protein kinases (SRPKs) and their substrates, serine/arginine-rich pre-mRNA splicing factors, are key components of splicing machinery and are well conserved across phyla. Despite extensive biochemical investigation, the physiological functions of SRPKs remain unclear. In the present study, cDNAs for SPK-1, a C. elegans SRPK homologue, and CeSF2, an SPK-1 substrate, were cloned. SPK-1 binds directly to and phosphorylates the RS domain of CeSF2 in vitro. Both spk-1 and CeSF2 are predominantly expressed in germlines. RNA interference (RNAi) experiments revealed that spk-1 and CeSF2 play an essential role at the embryonic stage of C. elegans. Furthermore, RNAi studies demonstrated that spk-1 is required for germline development in C. elegans. We provide evidence that RNAi, achieved by the soaking of L1 larvae, is beneficial in the study of gene function in post-embryonic germline development.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Medicine Laboratories, Institute for Drug Discovery Research, Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tsukuba, 305-8585, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuroyanagi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hisamoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007246:Infertility / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009035:Mothers; D010641:Phenotype; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013997:Time Factors; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007211:Indoles; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C007293:DAPI; D012313:RNA; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C086387:Spk-1 protein, Girardia tigrina; D019061:src-Family Kinases