TY - JOUR TI - Subdued, a TMEM16 family Ca2+-activated Cl− channel in Drosophila melanogaster with an unexpected role in host defense AU - Wong, Xiu Ming AU - Younger, Susan AU - Peters, Christian J AU - Jan, Yuh Nung AU - Jan, Lily Y A2 - Banerjee, Utpal VL - 2 PY - 2013 DA - 2013/11/05 SP - e00862 C1 - eLife 2013;2:e00862 DO - 10.7554/eLife.00862 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00862 AB - TMEM16A and TMEM16B are calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) with important functions in mammalian physiology. Whether distant relatives of the vertebrate TMEM16 families also form CaCCs is an intriguing open question. Here we report that a TMEM16 family member from Drosophila melanogaster, Subdued (CG16718), is a CaCC. Amino acid substitutions of Subdued alter the ion selectivity and kinetic properties of the CaCC channels heterologously expressed in HEK 293T cells. This Drosophila channel displays characteristics of classic CaCCs, thereby providing evidence for evolutionarily conserved biophysical properties in the TMEM16 family. Additionally, we show that knockout flies lacking subdued gene activity more readily succumb to death caused by ingesting the pathogenic bacteria Serratia marcescens, suggesting that subdued has novel functions in Drosophila host defense. KW - calcium-activated chloride channel KW - Drosophila host defense KW - TMEM16 family JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -