Figure 1. The C. elegans family of MPS proteins localize in the nervous system of the animal. A, MPS proteins sequences and alignments. The red, green, and blue colors indicate identical, strongly similar, and weakly similar residues respectively. Sequence alignment was obtained by ClustalW analysis (available at npsa-pbil.ibcp.fr). B-D, fluorescent microscopy images taken from
mps-2::gfp,
mps-3::gfp, and
mps-4::gfp transgenic nematode heads. In these focal plans GFP fluorescence (arrows) is detectable in ADF (MPS-2 and MPS-3) and AIA (MPS-4) neurons. Fluorescence in the intestine is due to endogenous rhabditin granules. Expression in ADF amphid neurons was confirmed by 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine, 4-chlorobenzenesulfonate staining (under Materials and Methods). E, MPS-2 expression in the enteric muscle (arrow). F, MPS-3 fluorescence in a neuron of the pharynx anterior bulb (arrow). G, MPS-4, likewise MPS-2, is expressed in the enteric muscle (arrow).