title: Ligand-gated chloride channels are receptors for biogenic amines in C. elegans.
abstract: Biogenic amines such as serotonin and dopamine are intercellular signaling molecules that function widely as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. We have identified in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans three ligand-gated chloride channels that are receptors for biogenic amines: LGC-53 is a high-affinity dopamine receptor, LGC-55 is a high-affinity tyramine receptor, and LGC-40 is a low-affinity serotonin receptor that is also gated by choline and acetylcholine. lgc-55 mutants are defective in a behavior that requires endogenous tyramine, which indicates that this ionotropic tyramine receptor functions in tyramine signaling in vivo. Our studies suggest that direct activation of membrane chloride conductances is a general mechanism of action for biogenic amines in the modulation of C. elegans behavior.
authors: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Ringstad
authors: Namiko
authors: N
authors: Abe
authors: H Robert
authors: HR
authors: Horvitz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000378:metabolism*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D008024:Ligands; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D017982:Receptors, Biogenic Amine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014439:Tyramine / Q000378:metabolism; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018118:Chloride Channels; C542019:LGC-40 protein, C elegans; C542020:LGC-53 protein, C elegans; C542018:LGC-55 protein, c elegans; D008024:Ligands; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D017982:Receptors, Biogenic Amine; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine; D014439:Tyramine