Disease relevance of ina-1

• Neuronal migrations and axon fasciculation are disrupted in ina-1 integrin mutants [1].

High impact information on ina-1

• Our analysis of C. elegans ina-1 alpha integrin mutants provides the first genetic evidence that migrating neurons require integrins [1].
• In addition to these neuronal phenotypes, ina-1 mutants also display many morphogenetic defects [1].
• At least nine protein bands with relative molecular weights in the range observed for known integrin alpha subunits coprecipitate with beta pat-3, and at least three of these bands migrate in SDS-PAGE with increased mobility when reduced [2].
• A significant aggravation of this defect is observed when mig-15 activity is compromised in a weak ina-1 background [3].
• Integrins are expressed by all multicellular animals, but their diversity varies widely among species; for example, in mammals, 19 alpha and 8 beta subunit genes encode polypeptides that combine to form 25 different receptors, whereas the Drosophila and Caenorhabditis genomes encode only five and two integrin alpha subunits respectively [4].

References