CGC Bibliography Paper 3125

Isoprenylation of polypeptides in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Aspbury RA, Prescott MC, Fisher MJ, Rees HH

Medline:

98296098

Citation:

Biochemicia et Biophysica Acta - Lipids and Lipid Metabolism 1392: 265-275 1998

Type:

ARTICLE

Genes:

let-60

Abstract:

Covalent modification of eucaryotic proteins, involving addition of isoprenyl groups, is a widespread phenomenon. Here we provide direct evidence for this form of covalent modification in the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Following incubation in the presence of [H-3]mevalonolactone, specific C. elegans polypeptides became labelled in both aqueous and detergent (Triton X-114)-enriched extracts. Chemical and CC-MS analysis of modifying groups, cleaved from C. elegans polypeptides, revealed that geranylgeranylation and, to a lesser extent, farnesylation of target polypeptides occurred. Immunoblot analysis provided preliminary evidence that the ras-like let-60 polypeptide was a target for isoprenylation in C. elegans.