Abstract
The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, was shown to be involved in the response to various stresses in cultured cells. However, there is little in vivo evidence indicating a role for a JNK pathway in the stress response of an organism. We identified the Caenorhabditis elegans mek-1 gene, which encodes a 347 amino acid protein highly homologous to mammalian MKK7, an activator of JNK. Mek-1 reporter fusion proteins are expressed in pharyngeal muscle, uterus, a portion of intestine, and neurons. A mek-1 deletion mutant is hypersensitive to copper and cadmium ions and to starvation. A wild-type mek-1 transgene rescued the hypersensitivity to the metal ions. Double mutants of mek-1 with an eat-5, eat-11 or eat-18 mutation, which are characterized by a limited feeding defect, showed distinct growth defects under normal conditions. Expression of an activated form of MEK-1 in the whole animal or specifically in the pharynx inhibited pharyngeal pumping. These results suggest a role for mek-1 in stress responses, with a focus in the pharynx and/or intestine.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Cadmium / pharmacology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
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Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology
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Copper / pharmacology
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Female
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Food Deprivation
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Heat-Shock Response
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Helminth Proteins / genetics*
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Helminth Proteins / isolation & purification
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Helminth Proteins / metabolism
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JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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MAP Kinase Kinase 1
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MAP Kinase Kinase 7
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / genetics*
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / metabolism
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / physiology
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Movement
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Oviposition
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology
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Sequence Alignment
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Sequence Deletion
Substances
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Helminth Proteins
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Cadmium
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Copper
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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MAP Kinase Kinase 1
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MAP Kinase Kinase 7
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases