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The Caenorhabditis elegans Behavioral Gene unc‐24 Encodes a Novel Bipartite Protein Similar to Both Erythrocyte Band 7.2 (Stomatin) and Nonspecific Lipid Transfer Protein
Author(s) -
Barnes T. M.,
Jin Y.,
Horvitz H. R.,
Ruvkun G.,
Hekimi S.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1996.67010046.x
Subject(s) - caenorhabditis elegans , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , membrane protein , integral membrane protein , gene product , biochemistry , membrane , gene expression
We report here the positional cloning and molecular characterization of the unc‐24 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans . This gene is required for normal locomotion and interacts with genes that affect the worm's response to volatile anesthetics. The predicted gene product contains a domain similar to part of two ion channel regulators (the erythrocyte integral membrane protein stomatin and the C. elegans neuronal protein MEC‐2) juxtaposed to a domain similar to nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP; also called sterol carrier protein 2). Sequence analysis suggests that the nsLTP‐like domain of UNC‐24 provides lipid carrier function and is tethered to the plasma membrane by the stomatin‐like domain, which may be regulatory. We postulate that UNC‐24 may be involved in lipid transfer between closely apposed membranes.