The C. elegans unc-104 4 gene encodes a putative kinesin heavy chain-like protein

Anthony J. Otsuka*, Ayyamperumal Jeyaprakash, Jaime García-Añoveros, Lan Zhao Tang, Gregory Fisk, Toinette Hartshorne, Rodrigo Franco, Teresa Bornt

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

186 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mutations in the unc-104 gene of the nematode C. elegans result in uncoordinated and slow movement. Transposon insertions in three unc-104 alleles (e2184, rh 1016, and rh1017) were used as physical markers to clone the unc-104 gene. DNA sequence analysis of unc-104 cDNAs revealed an open reading frame capable of encoding a 1584 amino acid protein with similarities to kinesin heavy chain. The similarities are greatest in the aminoterminal ATPase and microtubule-binding domains. Although the primary sequence relatedness to kinesin is weak in the remainder of the molecule, the predicted secondary structure and regional isoelectric points are similar to kinesin heavy chain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)113-122
Number of pages10
JournalNeuron
Volume6
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1991

Funding

We thank M. Shen for the kind gift of the uric-704(e2784) mutant, K. Nishiwaki and J. Miwa for the nematode genomic bank, J. Ahringer, J. Kimble, R. Barstead, R. Waterston, I. Schauer, and W. Wood for cDNA banks, A. Coulson and J. Sulston for mapping and providing the cosmid clones, S. Emmons for the Tc7 clone, J. Matsuzaki for valuable discussions, D. Hail and E. Hedgecock for communication of unpublished results, E. Hedgecock for isolating the original uric-704 insertion mutants and the lethal uric-704 alleles, S. Endow, W. Saxton, and D. Hail for critically reading the manuscript, and the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center for strains. T. H. and R. F. were National Institutes of Health postdoctoral trainees (grant T32-HDO-7299). Major support during the preliminary characterization of the uric-704 gene was provided by A. J. A portion of this work was funded by gifts from TONEN, Inc., Saitama, Japan, a Biomedical Research Support Grant, and an Illinois State University Small Research Grant to A. J. 0. A minor portion of the preliminary studies was supported by grant DCB-8316126 from the National Science Foundation A. J. 0. A. J. 0. and A. J. contributed equally to this work.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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