title: Investigating the role of RIO protein kinases in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: RIO protein kinases (RIOKs) are a relatively conserved family of enzymes implicated in cell cycle control and ribosomal RNA processing. Despite their functional importance, they remain a poorly understood group of kinases in multicellular organisms. Here, we show that the C. elegans genome contains one member of each of the three RIOK sub-families and that each of the genes coding for them has a unique tissue expression pattern. Our analysis showed that the gene encoding RIOK-1 (riok-1) was broadly and strongly expressed. Interestingly, the intestinal expression of riok-1 was dependent upon two putative binding sites for the oxidative and xenobiotic stress response transcription factor SKN-1. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knock down of riok-1 resulted in germline defects, including defects in germ line stem cell proliferation, oocyte maturation and the production of endomitotic oocytes. Taken together, our findings indicate new functions for RIOK-1 in post mitotic tissues and in reproduction.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Tasha K
authors: TK
authors: Mendes
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Stevan
authors: S
authors: Novakovic
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Greta
authors: G
authors: Raymant
authors: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Sonja E
authors: SE
authors: Bertram
authors: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Esmaillie
authors: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors: Saravanapriah
authors: S
authors: Nadarajan
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Bert
authors: B
authors: Breugelmans
authors: Eskitis Institute for Cell & Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Hofmann
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Robin B
authors: RB
authors: Gasser
authors: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors: Monica P
authors: MP
authors: Colaiácovo
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Peter R
authors: PR
authors: Boag
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D016678:Genome; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D011494:Protein Kinases