title: The ABC transporter PGP-2 from Caenorhabditis elegans is expressed in the sensory neuron pair AWA and contributes to lysosome formation and lipid storage within the intestine.
abstract: The functional role of the ABC transporter PGP-2 from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been studied by combining phenotype analyses of pgp-2 deletion mutants or pgp-2 RNAi treated worms with reporter gene studies using a pgp-2::GFP construct. pgp-2 mutants showed a strong reduction of lipid stores. In addition, we found that in the case of the pgp-2 mutant or after pgp-2 RNAi the worms were unable to perform pinocytosis and to acidify intestinal lysosomes. Especially under cholesterol-restricted conditions, the viability of the mutant was reduced. Surprisingly, the chemosensory AWA neurons in the head region were identified as expression sites by reporter gene studies. These neurons are known to be involved in attraction behaviour towards odorants associated with potential food bacteria. Our results imply that PGP-2 is involved in a signalling process that connects sensory inputs to intestinal functions, possibly by influencing acidification of intestinal lysosomes, which in turn may affect pinocytosis and lipid storage.
authors.affiliation: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Institut für Zoophysiologie, Hindenburgplatz 55, 48143 Münster, Germany. nunes@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Rüdiger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / Q000378:metabolism*; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008055:Lipids; C506882:PGP-2 protein, C elegans