title: The cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel gene superfamily of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, possesses the most extensive known superfamily of cys-loop ligand-gated ion channels (cys-loop LGICs) consisting of 102 subunit-encoding genes. Less than half of these genes have been functionally characterised which include cation-permeable channels gated by acetylcholine (ACh) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as well as anion-selective channels gated by ACh, GABA, glutamate and serotonin. Following the guidelines set for genetic nomenclature for C. elegans, we have designated unnamed subunits as lgc genes (ligand-gated ion channels of the cys-loop superfamily). Phylogenetic analysis shows that several of these lgc subunits form distinct groups which may represent novel cys-loop LGIC subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK. andrew.jones@dpag.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Sattelle
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D008024:Ligands; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D008024:Ligands; D003545:Cysteine