A genetic interaction between the vesicular acetylcholine transporter VAChT/UNC-17 and synaptobrevin/SNB-1 in C. elegans

Nat Neurosci. 2006 May;9(5):599-601. doi: 10.1038/nn1685. Epub 2006 Apr 9.

Abstract

Acetylcholine, a major excitatory neurotransmitter in Caenorhabditis elegans, is transported into synaptic vesicles by the vesicular acetylcholine transporter encoded by unc-17. The abnormal behavior of unc-17(e245) mutants, which have a glycine-to-arginine substitution in a transmembrane domain, is markedly improved by a mutant synaptobrevin with an isoleucine-to-aspartate substitution in its transmembrane domain. These results suggest an association of vesicular soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) components with vesicular neurotransmitter transporters.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arginine / genetics
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Caenorhabditis elegans
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique / methods
  • Isoleucine / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Movement / physiology
  • Mutation / physiology
  • R-SNARE Proteins / genetics*
  • Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • R-SNARE Proteins
  • Unc-17 protein, C elegans
  • Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins
  • Isoleucine
  • Arginine