Two isoforms of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) are essential in Caenorhabditis elegans.
SERCA (Sarco/Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase), a membrane bound Ca(2+)- /Mg(2+)- dependent ATPase that sequesters Ca(2+) into the SR/ER lumen, is one of the essential components for the maintenance of intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis. Here we describe the identification and functional characterization of a C. elegans SERCA gene (ser-1). ser-1 is a single gene alternatively spliced at its carboxyl terminus to form two isoforms (SER-1A and SER-1B) and displays a high homology (70% identity, 80% similarity) with mammalian SERCAs. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and whole-mount immunostaining analyses reveal that SER-1 expresses in neuronal cells, body-wall muscles, pharyngeal and vulval muscles, excretory cells, and vulva epithelial cells. Furthermore, SER-1::GFP expresses during embryonic stages and the expression is maintained through the adult stages. Double-stranded RNA injection (also known as RNAi) targeted to each SER-1 isoform results in severe phenotypic defects: ser-1A(RNAi) animals show embryonic lethality, whereas ser-1B(RNAi) results in L1 larval arrest phenotype. These findings suggest that both isoforms of C. elegans SERCA, like in mammals, are essential for embryonic development and post-embryonic growth and survival.
Cho
J H
JH
Department of Life Science, Kwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 500-712, Kwangju, South Korea. joohong@eunhasu.kjist.ac.kr
Bandyopadhyay
J
J
Lee
J
J
Park
C S
CS
Ahnn
J
J
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases