Differential expression of glutamate receptor subunits in the nervous system of Caenorhabditis elegans and their regulation by the homeodomain protein UNC-42.

ABSTRACT: In almost all nervous systems, rapid excitatory synaptic communication is mediated by a diversity of ionotropic glutamate receptors. In Caenorhabditis elegans, 10 putative ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits have been identified, a surprising number for an organism with only 302 neurons. Sequence analysis of the predicted proteins identified two NMDA and eight non-NMDA receptor subunits. Here we describe the complete distribution of these subunits in the nervous system of C. elegans. Receptor subunits were found almost exclusively in interneurons and motor neurons, but no expression was detected in muscle cells. Interestingly, some neurons expressed only a single subunit, suggesting that these may form functional homomeric channels. Conversely, interneurons of the locomotory control cir

SUBMITTER: Brockie PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6762961 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature