PIM-Related Kinases Selectively Regulate Olfactory Sensations in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: The mammalian PIM family of serine/threonine kinases regulate several cellular functions, such as cell survival and motility. Because PIM expression is observed in sensory organs, such as olfactory epithelium, we now wanted to explore the physiological roles of PIM kinases there. As our model organism, we used the Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, which express two PIM-related kinases, PRK-1 and PRK-2. We demonstrated PRKs to be true PIM orthologs with similar substrate specificity as well as sensitivity to PIM-inhibitory compounds. When we analyzed the effects of pan-PIM inhibitors on C. elegans sensory functions, we observed that PRK activity is selectively required to support olfactory sensations to volatile repellents and attractants sensed by AWB and AWCON neurons, respectively, but i

SUBMITTER: Kalichamy KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6709224 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul/Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature