The Heterotrimeric G Protein Genes of Caenorhabditis elegans
17
-20
o
30
-19.2
gpa-16
gsa-I
egl-30
gpa-14
gpc-2 0
gpb-2
g08-1
gpa-15
24.5
III
IV
-25
-29
gpa-11
gpb-1
o
0
22
V
x
-22.5
-20
gpa-4
gpa-5
gpa-1O
0
gpa-12
0
gpa-2
gpa-3
gpa-1
gpa-8
gpc-1
gpa-9
gpa-6
gpa-7
gpa-13
odr-3
24.5
25.3
Fig. 1. Genomic localization of all Ga, G~ and Gy genes, extrapolated to the
genetic map of C. elegans. There is some clustering of Ga genes on chromosome I and V. The six chromosomes are presented by black bars, left of each
chromosome is its size (given in map units). The approximate position of all G
protein genes is indicated to the right of each chromosome
clearly be grouped in any of these classes, or a new class, we will
consider these 16 genes as an outgroup of new Go. genes.
2.2.2 Most Go. Genes Are Expressed in Chemosensory Cells
As a first step in the functional characterization of all Go. subunits of C.
elegans the expression pattern for each of these genes was determined.
The expression patterns of goa-i, gsa-i, gpa-2, gpa-3, and odr-3 have
been previously reported (Table 1 and references therein). Transgenic
animals were generated that express the reporter gene GFP (green
fluorescent protein; Chalfie et al. 1994; A. Fire, J. Ahnn, G. Seydoux,
and S. Xu, personal communication) driven by the putative promoter of
each of the 13 Go. genes tested (i.e., all but egl-30 and gpa-i2).