The invertebrate microtubule-associated protein PTL-1 functions in mechanosensation and development in Caenorhabditis elegans.
PTL-1, a microtubule-associated protein of the structural MAP2/tau family, is the sole member of this gene family in Caenorhabditis elegans. Sequence analysis of available invertebrate genomes revealed a number of single, putative tau-like genes with high similarity to ptl-1. The ptl-1 gene is expressed in a number of cells, most notably mechanosensory neurons. We examined the role of ptl-1 in C. elegans in adult neurons as well as during development. A ptl-1 knockout strain of worms exhibited an egg-hatching defect, as well as a reduced sensitivity to touch stimuli. In addition, the knockout allele ptl-1(ok621) acts as a dominant enhancer of several temperature-sensitive alleles of mec-7 and mec-12, which code the isoforms of beta-tubulin and alpha-tubulin that together form the unusual 15 protofilament microtubules involved in touch sensation. These results demonstrate for the first time a functional role for this microtubule-associated protein in nematodes and suggest that PTL-1 is involved in mechanosensation as well as some aspect of embryogenesis.
Gordon
Patricia
P
Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA.
Hingula
Lee
L
Krasny
Michelle L
ML
Swienckowski
Jessica L
JL
Pokrywka
Nancy J
NJ
Raley-Susman
Kathleen M
KM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007814:Larva / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010063:Ovum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014110:Touch; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000737:chemistry
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C100857:PTL-1 protein, C elegans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016875:tau Proteins