Nunes Frank, Wolf Marc, Hartmann Jörg, Paul Rüdiger J
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Institut für Zoophysiologie, Hindenburgplatz 55, 48143 Münster, Germany.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Dec 16;338(2):862-71. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.10.023. Epub 2005 Oct 14.
The functional role of the ABC transporter PGP-2 from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been studied by combining phenotype analyses of pgp-2 deletion mutants or pgp-2 RNAi treated worms with reporter gene studies using a pgp-2::GFP construct. pgp-2 mutants showed a strong reduction of lipid stores. In addition, we found that in the case of the pgp-2 mutant or after pgp-2 RNAi the worms were unable to perform pinocytosis and to acidify intestinal lysosomes. Especially under cholesterol-restricted conditions, the viability of the mutant was reduced. Surprisingly, the chemosensory AWA neurons in the head region were identified as expression sites by reporter gene studies. These neurons are known to be involved in attraction behaviour towards odorants associated with potential food bacteria. Our results imply that PGP-2 is involved in a signalling process that connects sensory inputs to intestinal functions, possibly by influencing acidification of intestinal lysosomes, which in turn may affect pinocytosis and lipid storage.
通过将秀丽隐杆线虫pgp - 2缺失突变体或经pgp - 2 RNA干扰处理的线虫的表型分析与使用pgp - 2::GFP构建体的报告基因研究相结合，对线虫秀丽隐杆线虫ABC转运蛋白PGP - 2的功能作用进行了研究。pgp - 2突变体显示脂质储存显著减少。此外，我们发现，在pgp - 2突变体情况下或pgp - 2 RNA干扰后，线虫无法进行胞饮作用，也无法酸化肠道溶酶体。特别是在胆固醇受限条件下，突变体的活力降低。令人惊讶的是，通过报告基因研究确定头部区域的化学感受性AWA神经元为表达位点。已知这些神经元参与对与潜在食物细菌相关气味的吸引行为。我们的结果表明，PGP - 2参与了一个信号传导过程，该过程将感觉输入与肠道功能联系起来，可能是通过影响肠道溶酶体的酸化，进而可能影响胞饮作用和脂质储存。
