Molecular, genetic and physiological characterisation of dystrobrevin-like (dyb-1) mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans

Gieseler, K., Mariol, M.C., Bessou, C., Migaud, M., Franks, C.J., Holden-Dye, L. and Segalat, L. (2001) Molecular, genetic and physiological characterisation of dystrobrevin-like (dyb-1) mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Molecular Biology, 307 (1), 107-117. (doi:10.1006/jmbi.2000.4480).

Abstract

Dystrobrevins are protein components of the dystrophin complex, whose disruption leads to Duchenne muscular dystrophy and related diseases. The Caenorhabditis elegans dystrobrevin gene (dyb-1) encodes a protein 38 % identical with its mammalian counterparts. The C. elegans dystrobrevin is expressed in muscles and neurons. We characterised C. elegans dyb-1 mutants and showed that: (1) their behavioural phenotype resembles that of dystrophin (dys-1) mutants; (2) the phenotype of dyb-1 dys-1 double mutants is not different from the single ones; (3) dyb-1 mutants are more sensitive than wild-type animals to reductions of acetylcholinesterase levels and have an increased response to acetylcholine; (4) dyb-1 mutations alone do not lead to muscle degeneration, but synergistically produce a progressive myopathy when combined with a mild MyoD/hlh-1 mutation. All together, these findings further substantiate the role of dystrobrevins in cholinergic transmission and as functional partners of dystrophin.

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Contributors

Author: C.J. Franks

Author: L. Holden-Dye

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