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EAT-20, a novel transmembrane protein with EGF motifs, is required for efficient feeding in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: The pharynx of Caenorhabditis elegans is a neuromuscular organ responsible for feeding, concentrating food by its pumping movement. A class of mutants, the eat mutants, are defective in this behavior. We have identified a novel eat gene, eat-20, encoding a unique transmembrane protein with three EGF motifs. Staining with a specific polyclonal antibody reveals that EAT-20 is expressed predominantly in the pharyngeal muscles and a subset of neurons. Some hypodermal cells also express EAT-20. eat-20 mutant animals are starved, have smaller brood sizes, and have prolonged egg-laying periods. The starvation apparently results from pharyngeal pumping defects, including a reduced pumping rate and "slippery pumping," in which the contents of the pharynx sometimes move rostrally. However, electrical activity of eat-20 mutants appears normal by electropharyngeogram.

SUBMITTER: Shibata Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1460937 | biostudies-other | 2000 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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EAT-20, a novel transmembrane protein with EGF motifs, is required for efficient feeding in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Shibata Y Y Fujii T T Dent J A JA Fujisawa H H Takagi S S

Genetics 20000201 2

The pharynx of Caenorhabditis elegans is a neuromuscular organ responsible for feeding, concentrating food by its pumping movement. A class of mutants, the eat mutants, are defective in this behavior. We have identified a novel eat gene, eat-20, encoding a unique transmembrane protein with three EGF motifs. Staining with a specific polyclonal antibody reveals that EAT-20 is expressed predominantly in the pharyngeal muscles and a subset of neurons. Some hypodermal cells also express EAT-20. eat-2 ...[more]

PMID: 10655217

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