In:
Molecular Biology of the Cell, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), Vol. 13, No. 9 ( 2002-09), p. 3281-3293
Abstract:
Calcineurin is a Ca 2+ -calmodulin–dependent serine/threonine protein phosphatase that has been implicated in various signaling pathways. Here we report the identification and characterization of calcineurin genes in Caenorhabditis elegans (cna-1 and cnb-1), which share high homology with Drosophila and mammalian calcineurin genes. C. elegans calcineurin binds calcium and functions as a heterodimeric protein phosphatase establishing its biochemical conservation in the nematode. Calcineurin is expressed in hypodermal seam cells, body-wall muscle, vulva muscle, neuronal cells, and in sperm and the spermatheca. cnb-1 mutants showed pleiotropic defects including lethargic movement and delayed egg-laying. Interestingly, these characteristic defects resembled phenotypes observed in gain-of-function mutants ofunc-43/Ca 2+ -calmodulin–dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and goa-1/G o -protein α-subunit. Double mutants of cnb-1 andunc-43(gf) displayed an apparent synergistic severity of movement and egg-laying defects, suggesting that calcineurin may have an antagonistic role in CaMKII-regulated phosphorylation signaling pathways in C. elegans.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1059-1524
,
1939-4586
DOI:
10.1091/mbc.e02-01-0005
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
Publication Date:
2002
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1474922-1
SSG:
12