The inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor in C. elegans

Abstract

AbstractThe soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a genetic model organism whose cellular physiology is closely related to that of mammals, with many signaling cascades and second messengers mirroring those found in higher organisms. Due to the genetic, anatomical, and behavioral simplicity of worms, integrative physiological techniques are relatively straightforward and represent a powerful approach to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying more complex system functions. Studies of the nematode inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) have led to advances in our understanding of its role in development and behavior. Unlike mammals, which express three InsP3R isoforms, nematodes express only a single InsP3R coded for by the itr‐1 gene. Forward genetic screens have resulted in the generation of conditional loss‐ and gain‐of‐function alleles of itr‐1, and genetic epistasis analyses have provided insight into how the InsP3R integrates various signals to regulate morphogenesis, sensation, and rhythmic behaviors. Novel techniques in the worm model have helped to define cell‐specific regulatory pathways that control InsP3 signaling and have shed light on new roles for the InsP3R itself in systems physiology. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2012,1:321–328. doi: 10.1002/wmts.25For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.