The Caenorhabditis elegans Behavioral Gene unc‐24 Encodes a Novel Bipartite Protein Similar to Both Erythrocyte Band 7.2 (Stomatin) and Nonspecific Lipid Transfer Protein

We report here the positional cloning and molecular characterization of the unc-24 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans. This gene is required for normal locomotion and interacts with genes that affect the worm's response to volatile anesthetics. The predicted gene product contains a domain similar to part of two ion channel regulators (the erythrocyte integral membrane protein stomatin and the C. elegans neuronal protein MEC-2) juxtaposed to a domain similar to nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP; also called sterol carrier protein 2). Sequence analysis suggests that the nsLTP-like domain of UNC-24 provides lipid carrier function and is tethered to the plasma membrane by the stomatin-like domain which may be regulatory. We postulate that UNC-24 may be involved in lipid transfer between closely apposed membranes.