title: Pleiotropic roles of calumenin (calu-1), a calcium-binding ER luminal protein, in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Calumenin is a Ca(2+) binding protein localizing at the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although it has been implicated in various diseases, the in vivo functions of calumenin are largely unknown. Here, we report that calumenin has pleiotropic roles in muscle and cuticle function in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mutant analysis revealed that the calu-1 is required for regulating fertility, locomotion and body size. In addition, calu-1 is important for two behaviors, defecation and pharyngeal pumping, consistent with its ability to bind Ca(2+). The genetic analysis further suggested the possibility that calu-1 regulates the pharyngeal pumping together with the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP(3)) receptor encoded by itr-1. Taken together, our data suggest that calumenin is important for calcium signaling pathways in C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology Education, College of Education, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hyun-Ok
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Gunasekaran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singaravelu
authors.forename: Hyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Won-Chan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Soonjae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Do Han
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joohong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahnn
mesh_terms: D049628:Body Size; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000737:chemistry*; D005298:Fertility; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D008124:Locomotion; D009132:Muscles; D016296:Mutagenesis
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; C544544:calu-1 protein, C elegans