IDENTIFICATION AND CLONING OF UNC-119, A GENE EXPRESSED IN THE CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS NERVOUS-SYSTEM

A spontaneous mutation affecting locomotion of the nematode Caenorhabd itis elegans has been mapped to a new gene, unc-119. Phenotypic charac terization of the mutants suggests the defect does not lie in the musc ulature and that the animals also have defects in feeding behavior and chemosensation. unc-119 has been physically mapped relative to a prev iously identified chromosomal break in linkage group III, and DNA clon es covering the region can rescue the mutant phenotype in transgenic a nimals. Three more alleles at the locus, with identical phenotypes, ha ve been induced and characterized, all of which are putative null alle les. The predicted UNC-119 protein has no significant similarity to ot her known proteins. Expression of an unc-119/lacZ fusion in transgenic animals is seen in many neurons, suggesting that the unc-119 mutant p henotype is due to a defect in the nervous system.