title: Regulation of Gap Junction Dynamics by UNC-44/ankyrin and UNC-33/CRMP through VAB-8 in C. elegans Neurons.
abstract: Gap junctions are present in both vertebrates and invertebrates from nematodes to mammals. Although the importance of gap junctions has been documented in many biological processes, the molecular mechanisms underlying gap junction dynamics remain unclear. Here, using the C. elegans PLM neurons as a model, we show that UNC-44/ankyrin acts upstream of UNC-33/CRMP in regulation of a potential kinesin VAB-8 to control gap junction dynamics, and loss-of-function in the UNC-44/UNC-33/VAB-8 pathway suppresses the turnover of gap junction channels. Therefore, we first show a signal pathway including ankyrin, CRMP, and kinesin in regulating gap junctions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lingfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.|Department of Neurobiology and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chia-hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.|Department of Neurobiology and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017487:Ankyrins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D017487:Ankyrins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C078652:unc-33 protein, C elegans; C093514:unc-44 protein, C elegans; C112201:vab-8 protein, C elegans