Drosophila Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel α1-Subunits Regulate Cardiac Function in the Aging Heart.

ABSTRACT: Ion channels maintain numerous physiological functions and regulate signaling pathways. They are the key targets for cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), acting as signaling switches between ROS and ionic homeostasis. We have carried out a paraquat (PQ) screen in Drosophila to identify ion channels regulating the ROS handling and survival in Drosophila melanogaster. Our screen has revealed that α1-subunits (D-type, T-type, and cacophony) of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) handle PQ-mediated ROS stress differentially in a gender-based manner. Since ROS are also involved in determining the lifespan, we discovered that the absence of T-type and cacophony decreased the lifespan while the absence of D-type maintained a similar lifespan to that of the wild-type strain. VGCCs are also r

SUBMITTER: Lam A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5932002 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature