G alphas-induced neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: We describe a genetic model for neurodegeneration in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Constitutive activation of the GTP-binding protein Galphas induces neurodegeneration. Neuron loss occurs in two phases whereby affected cells undergo a swelling response in young larvae and subsequently die sometime during larval development. Different neural cell types vary greatly in their susceptibility to Galphas-induced cytotoxicity, ranging from 0 to 88% of cells affected. Mutations that prevent programmed cell death do not prevent Galphas-induced killing, suggesting that these deaths do not occur by apoptosis. Mutations in three genes protect against Galphas-induced cell deaths. The acy-1 gene is absolutely required for neurodegeneration, and the predicted ACY-1 protein is highly similar (40% i

SUBMITTER: Berger AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6792578 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature