TMC Proteins Modulate Egg Laying And Membrane Excitability Through A Background Leak Conductance In C. Elegans

Mutations in proteins TMC-1 and TMC-2 proteins can cause the deafness in mammals.However,their detailed functions are not clear.Our lab discovered that both TMC-1 and TMC-2 are required for the egg-laying of C.elegans.Mutations of TMC proteins lead to the membrane hyperpolarization and slow down the rhythmic calcium rates in both neurons and muscles that control the egg-laying.TMC proteins make the membrane depolarization through a votage independent sodium-leak currents.Ectopic expression of TMC-1 in tmc mutant neurons caused the membrane depolarization.Besides,transgenic expression of mammalian tmc homologs in the C.elegans can rescue the egg-laying defects in tmc mutant worms.Thus,we have found a new role of TMC proteins that played in the excitability of muscle and neuron membranes.Our study may provide a new insights into the functions of TMC-1 and TMC-2.