Sulston JE et al. (1992) Nature "The C. elegans genome sequencing project: a beginning."

Wilson RK, Metzstein MM, Ainscough R, Waterston RH, Coulson AR, Craxton M, Thomas K, Dear S, Qiu L, Staden R, Berks M, Halloran N, Thierry-Mieg J, Hillier L, Sulston JE, Du Z, Durbin RM, Hawkins TL, Green P

[Nature, 1992]

The long-term goal of this project is the elucidation of the complete sequence of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome. During the first year methods have been developed and a strategy implemented that is amenable to large-scale sequencing. The three cosmids sequenced in this initial phase are surprisingly rich in genes, many of which have mammalian homologues.AD - MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.FAU - Sulston, JAU - Sulston JFAU - Du, ZAU - Du ZFAU - Thomas, KAU - Thomas KFAU - Wilson, RAU - Wilson RFAU - Hillier, LAU - Hillier LFAU - Staden, RAU - Staden RFAU - Halloran, NAU - Halloran NFAU - Green, PAU - Green PFAU - Thierry-Mieg, JAU - Thierry-Mieg JFAU - Qiu, LAU - Qiu LAU - et al.LA - engPT - Journal ArticleCY - ENGLANDTA - NatureJID - 0410462RN - 0 (Cosmids)SB - IM

Sambongi Y et al. (1997) J Biochem "Caenorhabditis elegans cDNA for a Menkes/Wilson disease gene homologue and its function in a yeast CCC2 gene deletion mutant."

Sambongi Y, Yoshimizu T, Wakabayashi T, Futai M, Oka T, Omote H

[J Biochem, 1997]

The full-length cDNA coding for a putative copper transporting P-type ATPase (Cu2+-ATPase) was cloned from Caenorhabditis elegans. The putative Cu2+-ATPase is a 1,238-amino acid protein, and highly homologous to the Menkes and Wilson disease gene products mutations of which are responsible for human defects of copper metabolism. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant with a disrupted CCC2 gene (yeast Menkes/Wilson disease gene homologue) was rescued by the cDNA for the C. elegans Cu2+-ATPase but not by the cDNA with an Asp-786 (an invariant phosphorylation site) to Asn mutation, suggesting that the C. elegans Cu2+-ATPase functions as a copper transporter in yeast. The expressed C. elegans protein was detected in yeast vacuolar membranes by immunofluorescence microscopy. The yeast expression system may facilitate further studies on copper transporting P-type ATPases.

Zafra, Isabella et al. (2021) MicroPubl Biol

Nebenfuehr, Benjamin, Golden, Andy, Zafra, Isabella

[MicroPubl Biol, 2021]

Saul-Wilson Syndrome (SWS) is an ultra-rare, autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia syndrome discovered in 1990; only 16 patients have been identified to date (Saul and Wilson 1990; Ferreira et al. 2018, OMIM#: 618150). The disease is characterized by short stature, various craniofacial abnormalities, shortened fingers and toes, and speech and physical developmental delay (Ferreira 2020). SWS is caused by a missense mutation in the COG4 gene, resulting in a G516R residue change. Other pathogenic mutations have been observed in this gene and all are clustered at the C-terminal end of the protein (R724W, R729W, R729A, E764A). These are associated with Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation type 2j (CDGIIj). This is a recessive disease characterized by mild psychomotor delay, mild dysmorphic features, epilepsy, and defective sialylation (Reynders et al. 2009). Besides the mild developmental delay, this disease seems to share virtually no phenotypic similarity with SWS.

Asif, Muhammad Zaka et al. (2021) MicroPubl Biol

Van der Gaag, Victoria L., Edison, Arthur S., Muzio, Cole J., Asif, Muhammad Zaka, Nocilla, Kelsey A., Guo, Jane

[MicroPubl Biol, 2021]

1-Hydroxyphenazine (1-HP) is a small molecule produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that is used for pathogenesis models in C. elegans (Cezairliyan et al., 2013; Mahajan-Miklos, Tan, Rahme, & Ausubel, 1999). 1-HP is an especially interesting toxin to study as it has been shown to interact with human cells causing ciliary-slowing associated with dyskinesia and ciliostasis (Wilson et al., 1987). Prior research in our lab has shown that this molecule is toxic to C. elegans, with an LD50 between 150 and 200 M, but C. elegans can glycosylate 1-HP, which detoxifies the molecule (Stupp et al., 2013).

Tindall NR et al. (1990) Parasitology "An extended proof of migration routes of immature parasites inside hosts: pathways of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Strongyloides ratti in the rat are mutually exclusive."

Wilson PA, Tindall NR

[Parasitology, 1990]

Rigorous proofs applicable to the routes of migration of Strongyloides ratti and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis skin-penetrating juveniles inside the rat are extended. By applying the inequality principle (Tindall & Wilson, 1988) it was confirmed with a probability of error of 1 in 10(10) that N. brasiliensis larvae applied to the skin passed through the lungs on their way to the intestine. Taking the analysis further, migrating larvae of S. ratti or N. brasiliensis were extracted from the nose or lungs, respectively, of donor rats and transferred to recipients by stomach tube to assay their ability to colonize the intestine. Results showed that (a) changes undergone by each parasite in its proven, specific transit site were essential before larvae could establish in the intestines of recipients, (b) these changes could be monitored by morphological criteria, and [corrected] (c) these changes were not completed until larvae had been in the nose or lung for a significant period. It follows from (c) that anywhere in the body of the host, termed a 'nursery', that supports a substantial amount of this mandatory development must be detectable by the conventional procedure of sampling at autopsy. Conversely, absence of parasites judged by sampling at autopsy is positive proof that a site is not a nursery when sampling is timed in relation to reliable estimates of overall kinetics (Tindall & Wilson, 1990), and with control information on the efficiency of sampling. Comparative data from sampling at autopsy using the same extraction techniques for both species met these criteria: they demonstrated that no part of the head of the rat was a nursery for N. brasiliensis, and that the lung did not serve in this capacity for S. ratti.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Wilson PA et al. (1982) Parasitology "Strongyloides ratti (homogonic): the time-course of early migration in the generalized host deduced from experiments in lactating rats."

Steven GE, Simpson NE, Wilson PA

[Parasitology, 1982]

Unsuckled mother rats given a 1 h suckling stimulus 3 h after subcutaneous injection of an exact dose of homogonic Strongyloides ratti allow fewer worms to develop in their intestines by day 9 than nulliparous rats (Wilson & Simpson, 1981). This effect is studied in more detail in terms of the length of time between weaning and stimulus (W leads to S) and injection and stimulus (I leads to S). It was observable with a W leads to S of 30 h but this and a period of 5 h were less effective than 24 h. With W leads to S constant at 24 h, significantly more worms developed in mothers when I leads to S was 24 h compared to 3 h and 10 h (P less than 0.005). The data, combined with those from nulliparous controls, are presented as a measure of the change with time of numbers of larvae in that compartment of the system which gives access to the stimulated mammary gland. It is argued that the particular compartment is the local lymph node draining the injection site and that the kinetics deduced are applicable to migration in the rat in general.

Cox-Paulson EA et al. (2012) CBE Life Sci Educ "Studying human disease genes in Caenorhabditis elegans: a molecular genetics laboratory project."

Batzli JM, Grana TM, Cox-Paulson EA, Harris MA

[CBE Life Sci Educ, 2012]

Scientists routinely integrate information from various channels to explore topics under study. We designed a 4-wk undergraduate laboratory module that used a multifaceted approach to study a question in molecular genetics. Specifically, students investigated whether Caenorhabditis elegans can be a useful model system for studying genes associated with human disease. In a large-enrollment, sophomore-level laboratory course, groups of three to four students were assigned a gene associated with either breast cancer (brc-1), Wilson disease (cua-1), ovarian dysgenesis (fshr-1), or colon cancer (mlh-1). Students compared observable phenotypes of wild-type C. elegans and C. elegans with a homozygous deletion in the assigned gene. They confirmed the genetic deletion with nested polymerase chain reaction and performed a bioinformatics analysis to predict how the deletion would affect the encoded mRNA and protein. Students also performed RNA interference (RNAi) against their assigned gene and evaluated whether RNAi caused a phenotype similar to that of the genetic deletion. As a capstone activity, students prepared scientific posters in which they presented their data, evaluated whether C. elegans was a useful model system for studying their assigned genes, and proposed future directions. Assessment showed gains in understanding genotype versus phenotype, RNAi, common bioinformatics tools, and the utility of model organisms.

Wilson PA et al. (1982) Parasitology "Strongyloides ratti: studies of 75Se-labelled larvae of the homogonic strain in female hosts."

Wilson PA, Simpson NE

[Parasitology, 1982]

A prediction of the hypothesis of Wilson (1977, 1980 a, b) to account for larval migration of homogonic Strongyloides ratti in the host is that the pattern of invasion of the mammary gland of a lactating rat will be quantitatively similar on both sides and independent of the point of entry into the body. Twenty-one suckled mother rats in 6 experiments in which live 75Se-labelled 3rd-stage homogonic larvae were injected under the skin of the upper flank had an overall distribution of label 30 h post-injection, as a percentage of the initial dose, in the quadrants, I (rear, injection side, II (rear, opposite injection side), III (front, injection side) and IV (front, opposite injection side) of the mammary gland as follows: 27.4%, 1.27%, 1.98% and 1.24%. Quantitative changes in mammary label between 30 and 48 h post-injection using live larvae, differences between mothers and virgins, and results after injection of heat-killed labelled larvae, confirm that the pattern is representative of the behaviour of normal (unlabelled) worms when injected. The theory is therefore disproved. The findings are put forward as the first quantitative evidence for major lymphatic involvement in migration of a skin-penetrating roundworm. They need confirmation in similar experiments in which worms are allowed to penetrate the skin naturally. The role of isotope-labelled larvae versus traditional methods of estimating parasite content of host tissue is discussed.

Catalano F et al. (2023) Traffic "A new Caenorhabditis elegans model to study copper toxicity in Wilson disease."

Brown AEX, Zampi G, Elia M, Romanov AA, Ilyechova EY, Indrieri A, Mekhova AA, Gallotta I, De Cegli R, Catalano F, Di Schiavi E, O'Brien TJ, Kim BE, Sepe LV, Puchkova LV, Salzano J, Petruzzelli R, Santonicola P, Polishchuk EV, Polishchuk RS, Samuseva PD

[Traffic, 2023]

Wilson disease (WD) is caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene that encodes a copper (Cu) transporting ATPase whose trafficking from the Golgi to endo-lysosomal compartments drives sequestration of excess Cu and its further excretion from hepatocytes into the bile. Loss of ATP7B function leads to toxic Cu overload in the liver and subsequently in the brain, causing fatal hepatic and neurological abnormalities. The limitations of existing WD therapies call for the development of new therapeutic approaches, which require an amenable animal model system for screening and validation of drugs and molecular targets. To achieve this objective, we generated a mutant Caenorhabditis elegans strain with a substitution of a conserved histidine (H828Q) in the ATP7B ortholog cua-1 corresponding to the most common ATP7B variant (H1069Q) that causes WD. cua-1 mutant animals exhibited very poor resistance to Cu compared to the wild-type strain. This manifested in a strong delay in larval development, a shorter lifespan, impaired motility, oxidative stress pathway activation, and mitochondrial damage. In addition, morphological analysis revealed several neuronal abnormalities in cua-1 mutant animals exposed to Cu. Further investigation suggested that mutant CUA-1 is retained and degraded in the endoplasmic reticulum, similarly to human ATP7B-H1069Q. As a consequence, the mutant protein does not allow animals to counteract Cu toxicity. Notably, pharmacological correctors of ATP7B-H1069Q reduced Cu toxicity in cua-1 mutants indicating that similar pathogenic molecular pathways might be activated by the H/Q substitution and, therefore, targeted for rescue of ATP7B/CUA-1 function. Taken together, our findings suggest that the newly generated cua-1 mutant strain represents an excellent model for Cu toxicity studies in WD.

Creutz CE et al. (1996) J Cell Biol "Identification, localization, and functional implications of an abundant nematode annexin."

Snyder SL, Creutz CE, Daigle SN, Redick J

[J Cell Biol, 1996]

Cultures of the nematode C. elegans were examined for the presence of calcium-dependent, phospholipid-binding proteins of the annexin class. A single protein of apparent mass on SDS-polyacrylamide gels of 32 kD was isolated from soluble extracts of nematode cultures on the basis of its ability to bind to phospholipids in a calcium-dependent manner. After verification of the protein as an annexin by peptide sequencing, an antiserum to the protein was prepared and used to isolate a corresponding cDNA from an expression library in phage lambda gt11. The encoded protein, herein referred to as the nex-1 annexin, has a mass of 35 kD and is 36-42% identical in sequence to 10 known mammalian annexins. Several unique modifications were found in the portions of the sequence corresponding to calcium-binding sites. Possible phosphorylation sites in the NH2-terminal domain of the nematode annexin correspond to those of mammalian annexins. The gene for this annexin (nex-1) was physically mapped to chromosome III in the vicinity of the dpy-17 genetic marker. Two other annexin genes (nex-2 and nex-3) were also identified in chromosome III sequences reported by the nematode genomic sequencing project (Sulston, J., Z. Du, K. Thomas, R. Wilson, L. Hillier, R. Staden, N. Halloran, P. Green, J. Thierry-Mieg, L. Qiu, et al. 1992. Nature (Lond.). 356:37-41). The nex-1 annexin was localized in the nematode by immunofluorescence and by electron microscopy using immunogold labeling. The protein is associated with membrane systems of the secretory gland cells of the pharynx, with sites of cuticle formation in the grinder in the pharynx, with yolk granules in oocytes, with the uterine wall and vulva, and with membrane systems in the spermathecal valve. The presence of the annexin in association with the membranes of the spermathecal valve suggests a novel function of the protein in the folding and unfolding of these membranes as eggs pass through the valve. The localizations also indicate roles for the annexin corresponding to those proposed in mammalian systems in membrane trafficking, collagen deposition, and extracellular matrix formation.