tmc-1 encodes a multipass transmembrane protein; TMC-1 functions specifically as a sodium-sensitive channel that is required for salt taste chemosensation in the ASH neurons and for high salt avoidance behavior; when expressed in other neurons, TMC-1 is sufficient to generate a salt response in vivo, and when expressed in mammalian cells, TMC-1 generates a predominantly cationic current activated by high extracellular sodium but not other cations or uncharged small molecules; tmc-1 is expressed in sensory neurons, including the ASH, ADF, ASE, ADL, AQR, PQR, URX, and PHA neurons and also at lower frequency in AWC, AFD, and BAG; in ASH, TMC-1 localizes to the cell soma as well as the sensory cilium.
Enables sodium channel activity. Involved in detection of stimulus involved in sensory perception; monoatomic ion transmembrane transport; and sensory perception of chemical stimulus. Located in neuronal cell body; non-motile cilium; and plasma membrane. Expressed in body wall musculature; neurons; and in male. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in autosomal dominant nonsyndromic deafness 36; autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness 7; and sensorineural hearing loss. Is an ortholog of human TMC3 (transmembrane channel like 3).
Map position created from combination of previous interpolated map position (based on known location of sequence) and allele information. Therefore this is not a genetic map position based on recombination frequencies or genetic experiments. This was done on advice of the CGC.