What type of protein is claudin?

tetraspan transmembrane proteins
Abstract. Claudins are tetraspan transmembrane proteins of tight junctions. They determine the barrier properties of this type of cell-cell contact existing between the plasma membranes of two neighbouring cells, such as occurring in endothelia or epithelia.

How much protein does C. elegans have?

C. elegans has ~19,800 protein-coding genes, of which ~3,400 have mutant alleles and ~2,400 others have obvious phenotypes in mass RNAi screens: this leaves ~70% of genes functionally unaccounted for.

What is the significance of Caenorhabditis elegans in molecular research?

Caenorhabditis elegans is now the model organism of choice for a growing number of researchers. A combination of its apparent simplicity, exquisite genetics, the existence of a full molecular toolkit and a complete genome sequence makes it ideal for rapid and effective study of gene function.

Where are claudin protein found in?

The claudin family consists of 24 known transmembrane proteins exhibiting distinct tissue- and development-specific distribution patterns [37, 38]. They are detected in both epithelial and endothelial cells and form a complex with occludin and/or JAMs [32, 39].

What are occludin and claudin?

Claudin and occludin are major transmembrane proteins of the tight junction that provide tight control over paracellular diffusion within an epithelium. Interestingly, claudin and occludin are often targeted and misplaced by viruses,1, 6 bacteria,7, 8 and inflammatory cytokines.

How many genes are in Caenorhabditis elegans?

The number of genes predicted for the Caenorhabditis elegans genome is remarkably high: approximately 20,000, if both protein-coding and RNA-coding genes are counted.

What percent of the genes of the roundworm C. elegans have relatives in the human genome?

The worm’s genome has about 20,000 genes; about forty percent of them are similar to genes found in humans.

What are some of the major advantages of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism?

While not as sophisticated as a mammalian model, using C. elegans as a model organism has advantages including having all the physiological properties of an animal, the ability to replicate human diseases and a fast life cycle.

Why Caenorhabditis elegans have been used by scientists worldwide as a model organism to study various physiological and developmental mechanisms?

They have a short life cycle of only two weeks, which is useful for studying their development. C. elegans is a very small organism so is convenient to keep in the lab. The worm is transparent throughout its life so the behaviour of individual cells can be followed through its development.

Is claudin a cadherin?

Conclusion: These data suggest that claudin-1 and E-cadherin exist in the junctional epithelium and may play an important role in epithelial barrier function.

What do occludins do?

Function. Occludin is an important protein in tight junction function. Studies have shown that rather than being important in tight junction assembly, occludin is important in tight junction stability and barrier function.