title: ATP-binding cassette protein E is involved in gene transcription and translation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: ATP-binding cassette protein E (ABCE) gene has been annotated as an RNase L inhibitor in eukaryotes. All eukaryotic species show the ubiquitous presence and high degree of conservation of ABCEs, however, RNase L is present only in mammals. This indicates that ABCEs may function not only as RNase L inhibitors, but also may have other functions that have yet to be determined. As an initial investigation into the novel functions of ABCE, we characterized the gene (Y39E4B.1) in Caenorhabditis elegans by a combination of data mining and functional assays. ABCE promoters drove GFP expressions in hypoderm, pharynx, vulvae, head, and tail neurons at all developmental stages. Three genes, rpl-4, nhr-91, and C07B5.3, were previously found to interact with ABCE. Our expression data showed overlapping expression patterns of ABCE and rpl-4 and nhr-91, but not C07B5.3. RNAi against ABCE resulted in embryonic lethality and slow growth. These data suggest that ABCE protein might be involved in the control of translation and transcription, work as shuttle protein between cytoplasm and nucleus, and possibly as a nucleocytoplasmic transporter. In addition, RNAi data suggest that ABCE and NHR-91 may function in vulvae development and molting pathways in C. elegans. Furthermore, our data suggest that ABCE, along with its interacting components, functions in a well-conserved pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6. zhao@gene.mbb.sfu.ca
authors.forename: Zhongying
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lily Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.forename: David Leonard
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Baillie
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D018833:Chaperonins / Q000502:physiology*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D034622:RNA Interference; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: C501917:ABCE1 protein, human; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C031956:2-5A-dependent ribonuclease; D018833:Chaperonins