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Caenorhabditis elegans beta-G spectrin is dispensable for establishment of epithelial polarity, but essential for muscular and neuronal function.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Moorthy, S; Chen, L; Bennett, V
Published in: J Cell Biol
May 15, 2000

The Caenorhabditis elegans genome encodes one alpha spectrin subunit, a beta spectrin subunit (beta-G), and a beta-H spectrin subunit. Our experiments show that the phenotype resulting from the loss of the C. elegans alpha spectrin is reproduced by tandem depletion of both beta-G and beta-H spectrins. We propose that alpha spectrin combines with the beta-G and beta-H subunits to form alpha/beta-G and alpha/beta-H heteromers that perform the entire repertoire of spectrin function in the nematode. The expression patterns of nematode beta-G spectrin and vertebrate beta spectrins exhibit three striking parallels including: (1) beta spectrins are associated with the sites of cell-cell contact in epithelial tissues; (2) the highest levels of beta-G spectrin occur in the nervous system; and (3) beta spectrin-G in striated muscle is associated with points of attachment of the myofilament apparatus to adjacent cells. Nematode beta-G spectrin associates with plasma membranes at sites of cell-cell contact, beginning at the two-cell stage, and with a dramatic increase in intensity after gastrulation when most cell proliferation has been completed. Strikingly, depletion of nematode beta-G spectrin by RNA-mediated interference to undetectable levels does not affect the establishment of structural and functional polarity in epidermis and intestine. Contrary to recent speculation, beta-G spectrin is not associated with internal membranes and depletion of beta-G spectrin was not associated with any detectable defects in secretion. Instead beta-G spectrin-deficient nematodes arrest as early larvae with progressive defects in the musculature and nervous system. Therefore, C. elegans beta-G spectrin is required for normal muscle and neuron function, but is dispensable for embryonic elongation and establishment of early epithelial polarity. We hypothesize that heteromeric spectrin evolved in metazoans in response to the needs of cells in the context of mechanically integrated tissues that can withstand the rigors imposed by an active organism.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

J Cell Biol

DOI

ISSN

0021-9525

Publication Date

May 15, 2000

Volume

149

Issue

4

Start / End Page

915 / 930

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Spectrin
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA, Antisense
  • Protein Binding
  • Phenotype
  • Neurons
  • Nervous System
  • Muscles
  • Molecular Sequence Data
 

Citation

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Moorthy, S., Chen, L., & Bennett, V. (2000). Caenorhabditis elegans beta-G spectrin is dispensable for establishment of epithelial polarity, but essential for muscular and neuronal function. J Cell Biol, 149(4), 915–930. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.149.4.915
Moorthy, S., L. Chen, and V. Bennett. “Caenorhabditis elegans beta-G spectrin is dispensable for establishment of epithelial polarity, but essential for muscular and neuronal function.J Cell Biol 149, no. 4 (May 15, 2000): 915–30. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.149.4.915.
Moorthy, S., et al. “Caenorhabditis elegans beta-G spectrin is dispensable for establishment of epithelial polarity, but essential for muscular and neuronal function.J Cell Biol, vol. 149, no. 4, May 2000, pp. 915–30. Pubmed, doi:10.1083/jcb.149.4.915.

Published In

J Cell Biol

DOI

ISSN

0021-9525

Publication Date

May 15, 2000

Volume

149

Issue

4

Start / End Page

915 / 930

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Spectrin
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA, Antisense
  • Protein Binding
  • Phenotype
  • Neurons
  • Nervous System
  • Muscles
  • Molecular Sequence Data