Psychiatry related information on degenerin

• We hypothesize that UNC-8 channels could modulate coordinated movement in response to body stretch. del-1, a second DEG/ENaC family member coexpressed with unc-8 in a subset of motor neurons, might also participate in a channel that contributes to nematode proprioception [1].

High impact information on degenerin

• We examined the interaction of multiple alleles of unc-1 and unc-8 with each other and with other genes affecting anesthetic sensitivity [2].
• As for previously identified deg-1 family members, unc-8 dominant mutations are recessively suppressed by mutations in the mec-6 gene, which probably encodes a second type of channel component [3].
• The sup-40 (lb130) mutation dominantly suppresses unc-8 motorneuron swelling and produces a novel swelling phenotype in hypodermal nuclei. sup-40 may encode an ion channel component or regulator that can correct the osmotic defect caused by abnormal unc-8 channels [3].
• To identify other genes encoding proteins that regulate ENaC function, extragenic unc-8 suppressor and enhancer mutations were sought [4].
• This report describes two new unc-8 suppressor mutations, sup-42(lb88) X and sup-43(lb141) II, and an enhancer mutation, enu-2(lb140) III. sup-43(lb141) and enu-2(lb140), cause vacuoles within body wall muscle, similar in appearance to those of unc-105(n490) II mutants, consistent with their proposed role in ENaC function [4].

Biological context of degenerin

• Dominant, transacting, intragenic suppressor mutations have been isolated for both unc-8 and deg-1, consistent with the idea that, like their mammalian homologues, the two gene products function as multimers [3].
• Consistent with this idea, cosmid R13A1, containing an ENaC homolog, can restore normal locomotion to unc-8 mutants after germline transformation [4].

Other interactions of degenerin

• Two dominant unc-8 alleles cause motorneuron swelling similar to that of other neuronal types in dominant mutants of the deg-1 gene family, which is homologous to a mammalian gene family encoding amiloride-sensitive sodium channel subunits [3].

References