Transcription regulatory networks in Caenorhabditis elegans

Gene

Public Gene Name

apl-1  

Sequence Name

C42D8.8  

WB ID

WBGene00000149  

Description

apl-1 encodes two almost identical isoforms orthologous to human APP (OMIM:104760, mutated in familial Alzheimer disease or cerebroarterial amyloidosis), APLP1 (OMIM:104775), and APLP2 (OMIM:104776); although native APL-1 is predicted to be membrane-bound until proteolytically cleaved, neuronal expression of a partial N-terminal extracellular region of APL-1 alone, containing either the E1 or the E2 domain, is sufficient for APL-1's normal functions in vivo (molting and morphogenesis, pharyngeal pumping, and progession past the L1 larval stage), indicating that APL-1 functions non-cell-autonomously; apl-1 is widely expressed in neurons, muscle, hypodermis, and supporting cells of larvae and adults; APL-1 contains a Cu(II)-binding domain; overexpressed APL-1 causes abnormal locomotion, infertility, and partial lethality, but the lethality of excess APL-1 can be partially suppressed by hypomorphic sel-12 mutations; apl-1 mutants show vacuoles in hypodermal cells, while having superfically normal neurons; apl-1 genetically interacts with feh-1 to affect pharyngeal pumping, and APL-1 binds the PTB2 domain of FEH-1 in vitro; apl-1 mutations are not suppressed by ced-3 or crt-1 mutations, and thus are unlikely to activate apoptosis or necrosis.