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PMID: 15064356 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Tropomyosin and troponin are required for ovarian contraction in the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive system.

Molecular biology of the cell ·Vol. 15 ·No. 6 ·2004-06-00 ·Pages 2782-93

Ono K, Ono S

Abstract

Ovulation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is coordinated by interactions between the somatic gonad and germ cells. Myoepithelial sheath cells of the proximal ovary are smooth muscle-like cells, but the regulatory mechanism of their contraction is unknown. We show that contraction of the ovarian muscle requires tropomyosin and troponin, which are generally major actin-linked regulators of contraction of striated muscle. RNA interference of tropomyosin or troponin C caused sterility by inhibiting ovarian contraction that is required for expelling mature oocytes into the spermatheca where fertilization takes place, thus causing accumulation of endomitotic oocytes in the ovary. Tropomyosin and troponin C were associated with actin filaments in the myoepithelial sheath, and the association of troponin C with actin was dependent on tropomyosin. A mutation in the actin depolymerizing factor/cofilin gene suppressed the ovulation defects by RNA interference of tropomyosin or troponin C. These results strongly suggest that tropomyosin and troponin are the actin-linked regulators for contraction of ovarian muscle in the C. elegans reproductive system.

MeSH Terms
Actin Cytoskeleton/metabolism Actin Depolymerizing Factors Animals Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology DNA Replication Destrin Epithelial Cells/metabolism Female Microfilament Proteins/genetics,metabolism Muscle Contraction Muscle, Smooth/cytology,metabolism,physiology Ovary/cytology,metabolism,physiology Ovulation RNA Interference Tropomyosin/deficiency,genetics,metabolism Troponin C/deficiency,genetics,metabolism
Chemicals
Actin Depolymerizing Factors Destrin Microfilament Proteins Tropomyosin Troponin C
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Ono Kanako
Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Ono Shoichiro
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Article Info
Journal
Molecular biology of the cell
Abbr.
Mol Biol Cell
ISSN
1059-1524
DOI
10.1091/mbc.e04-03-0179
Published
2004-06-00
Epub
2004-00-02
Pages
2782-93
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
9201390
PMCID
PMC420102
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAMS NIH HHS · R01 AR048615 · United States
NIAMS NIH HHS · R01 AR48615 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e04-03-0179 PMC Full Text View journal details
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