title: An N-myristoylated globin with a redox-sensing function that regulates the defecation cycle in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Globins occur in all kingdoms of life where they fulfill a wide variety of functions. In the past they used to be primarily characterized as oxygen transport/storage proteins, but since the discovery of new members of the globin family like neuroglobin and cytoglobin, more diverse and complex functions have been assigned to this heterogeneous family. Here we propose a function for a membrane-bound globin of C. elegans, GLB-26. This globin was predicted to be myristoylated at its N-terminus, a post-translational modification only recently described in the globin family. In vivo, this globin is found in the membrane of the head mesodermal cell and in the tail stomato-intestinal and anal depressor muscle cells. Since GLB-26 is almost directly oxidized when exposed to oxygen, we postulate a possible function as electron transfer protein. Phenotypical studies show that GLB-26 takes part in regulating the length of the defecation cycle in C. elegans under oxidative stress conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tilleman
authors.forename: Sasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henau
authors.forename: Martje
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pintelon
authors.forename: Bart P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Braeckman
authors.forename: Karolien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Wael
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Doorslaer
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adriaensen
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moens
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dewilde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology*; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C549787:GLB-26 protein, C elegans; D005914:Globins