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Characterization of the astacin family of metalloproteases in C. elegans Park, Ja-On; Pan, Jie; Möhrlen, Frank; Schupp, Marcus-Oliver; Johnsen, Robert; Baillie, David L; Zapf, Richard; Moerman, Donald G; Hutter, Harald

Abstract

Background: Astacins are a large family of zinc metalloproteases found in bacteria and animals. They have diverse roles ranging from digestion of food to processing of extracellular matrix components. The C. elegans genome contains an unusually large number of astacins, of which the majority have not been functionally characterized yet. Results: We analyzed the expression pattern of previously uncharacterized members of the astacin family to try and obtain clues to potential functions. Prominent sites of expression for many members of this family are the hypodermis, the alimentary system and several specialized cells including sensory sheath and sockets cells, which are located at openings in the body wall. We isolated mutants affecting representative members of the various subfamilies. Mutants in nas-5, nas-21 and nas-39 (the BMP-1/Tolloid homologue) are viable and have no apparent phenotypic defects. Mutants in nas-6 and nas-6; nas-7 double mutants are slow growing and have defects in the grinder of the pharynx, a cuticular structure important for food processing. Conclusions: Expression data and phenotypic characterization of selected family members suggest a diversity of functions for members of the astacin family in nematodes. In part this might be due to extracellular structures unique to nematodes.

Item Metadata

Title
Characterization of the astacin family of metalloproteases in C. elegans
Creator
Park, Ja-On; Pan, Jie; Möhrlen, Frank; Schupp, Marcus-Oliver; Johnsen, Robert; Baillie, David L; Zapf, Richard; Moerman, Donald G; Hutter, Harald
Publisher
BioMed Central
Date Issued
2010-01-28
Description
Background: Astacins are a large family of zinc metalloproteases found in bacteria and animals. They have diverse roles ranging from digestion of food to processing of extracellular matrix components. The C. elegans genome contains an unusually large number of astacins, of which the majority have not been functionally characterized yet. Results: We analyzed the expression pattern of previously uncharacterized members of the astacin family to try and obtain clues to potential functions. Prominent sites of expression for many members of this family are the hypodermis, the alimentary system and several specialized cells including sensory sheath and sockets cells, which are located at openings in the body wall. We isolated mutants affecting representative members of the various subfamilies. Mutants in nas-5, nas-21 and nas-39 (the BMP-1/Tolloid homologue) are viable and have no apparent phenotypic defects. Mutants in nas-6 and nas-6; nas-7 double mutants are slow growing and have defects in the grinder of the pharynx, a cuticular structure important for food processing. Conclusions: Expression data and phenotypic characterization of selected family members suggest a diversity of functions for members of the astacin family in nematodes. In part this might be due to extracellular structures unique to nematodes.
Genre
Article
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2016-02-04
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
DOI
10.14288/1.0223977
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/56872
Affiliation
Science, Faculty of; Zoology, Department of; Non UBC
Citation
BMC Developmental Biology. 2010 Jan 28;10(1):14
Publisher DOI
10.1186/1471-213X-10-14
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty
Copyright Holder
Park et al.
Rights URI
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)