Proteomic analysis uncovers a metabolic phenotype in C. elegans after nhr-40 reduction of function.
Caenorhabditis elegans has an unexpectedly large number (284) of genes encoding nuclear hormone receptors, most of which are nematode-specific and are of unknown function. We have exploited comparative two-dimensional chromatography of synchronized cultures of wild type C. elegans larvae and a mutant in nhr-40 to determine if proteomic approaches will provide additional insight into gene function. Chromatofocusing, followed by reversed-phase chromatography and mass spectrometry, identified altered chromatographic patterns for a set of proteins, many of which function in muscle and metabolism. Prompted by the proteomic analysis, we find that the penetrance of the developmental phenotypes in the mutant is enhanced at low temperatures and by food restriction. The combination of our phenotypic and proteomic analysis strongly suggests that NHR-40 provides a link between metabolism and muscle development. Our results highlight the utility of comparative two-dimensional chromatography to provide a relatively rapid method to gain insight into gene function.
Pohludka
Michal
M
Charles University in Prague, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Ke Karlovu 2, CZ-128 01 Prague, Czech Republic.
Simeckova
Katerina
K
Vohanka
Jaroslav
J
Yilma
Petr
P
Novak
Petr
P
Krause
Michael W
MW
Kostrouchova
Marta
M
Kostrouch
Zdenek
Z
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000235:genetics; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C530849:Nhr-40 protein, C elegans; D020543:Proteome; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear