We cloned the C. elegans gene
ced-1, which is required for the engulfment of cells undergoing programmed cell death.
ced-1 encodes a transmembrane protein similar to human SREC (Scavenger Receptor from Endothelial Cells). We showed that
ced-1 is expressed in and functions in engulfing cells. The CED-1 protein localizes to cell membranes and clusters around neighboring cell corpses. CED-1 failed to cluster around cell corpses in mutants defective in the engulfment gene
ced-7. Motifs in the intracellular domain of CED-1 known to interact with PTB and SH2 domains were necessary for engulfment but not for clustering. Our results indicate that CED-1 is a cell surface phagocytic receptor that recognizes cell corpses. We suggest that the ABC transporter CED-7 promotes cell corpse recognition by CED-1, possibly by exposing a phospholipid ligand on the surfaces of cell corpses.AD - Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Building 68, Room 425, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.FAU - Zhou, ZAU - Zhou ZFAU - Hartwieg, EAU - Hartwieg EFAU - Horvitz, H RAU - Horvitz HRLA - engSI - GENBANK/AF332568PT - Journal ArticleCY - United StatesTA - CellJID - 0413066RN - 0 (ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters)RN - 0 (CED-7 protein)RN - 0 (Membrane Proteins)RN - 0 (Receptors, Immunologic)RN - 0 (
ced-1 protein, C. elegans)RN - 0 (scavenger receptor)RN - 62229-50-9 (Epidermal Growth Factor)SB - IM