title: Ethanol-response genes and their regulation analyzed by a microarray and comparative genomic approach in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The nematode shows responses to acute ethanol exposure that are similar to those observed in humans, mice, and Drosophila, namely hyperactivity followed by uncoordination and sedation. We used in this report the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system to identify and characterize the genes that are affected by ethanol exposure and to link those genes functionally into an ethanol-induced gene network. By analyzing the expression profiles of all C. elegans ORFs using microarrays, we identified 230 genes affected by ethanol. While the ethanol response of some of the identified genes was significant at early time points, that of the majority was at late time points, indicating that the genes in the latter case might represent the physiological consequence of the ethanol exposure. We further characterized the early response genes that may represent those involved directly in the ethanol response. These genes included many heat shock protein genes, indicating that high concentration of ethanol acts as a strong stress to the animal. Interestingly, we identified two non-heat-shock protein genes that were specifically responsive to ethanol. glr-2 was the only glutamate receptor gene to be induced by ethanol. T28C12.4, which encodes a protein with limited homology to human neuroligin, was also specific to ethanol stress. Finally, by analyzing the promoter regions of the early response genes, we identified a regulatory element, TCTGCGTCTCT, that was necessary for the expression of subsets of ethanol response genes.
authors.affiliation: National Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Yonsei University, 134 Shinchon, Seodaemun-ku, Seoul 120-749, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Mingi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Min Sung
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sujin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Duke
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sunho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Junho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D019992:Databases as Topic; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D016678:Genome; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism; D020218:Response Elements; D012997:Solvents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol