MTD-1, a touch-cell-specific membrane protein with a subtle effect on touch sensitivity.
We have used representational difference analysis (RDA) applied to cDNA to isolate transcripts regulated by MEC-3, a transcription factor needed for the differentiation of the six touch receptor neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans. Six percent of 595 cDNAs isolated by cDNA RDA were mec-3-dependent. These cDNAs represented mRNA from two previously known genes, mec-18 and mec-7, and one new gene, mtd-1 (mec-three-dependent). mtd-1 encodes a novel transmembrane protein that is exclusively expressed in the six touch cells throughout development. mtd-1 loss results in a subtle defect in the touch receptor neurons. Neither mtd-1 RNAi nor a putative mtd-1 loss-of-function mutation resulted in touch insensitivity, but both enhanced the touch insensitivity of mec-6(u247), a temperature sensitive allele, at the permissive temperature.
Zhang
Yun
Y
Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Chalfie
Martin
M
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006720:Homozygote; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014110:Touch; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; C475442:MTD-1 protein, C elegans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D014157:Transcription Factors; C072005:mec-3 protein, C elegans