nrx-1 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of neurexins, presynaptic transmembrane neural adhesion molecules that contain extracellular laminin and EGF domains and play a critical role in synaptic development; genetic analyses suggest that nrx-1 may play a role in regulation of adult lifespan; nrx-1 expression is controlled by daf-2 and daf-16.
Involved in negative regulation of receptor clustering. Located in presynaptic active zone. Expressed in GABAergic neurons; cholinergic neurons; nervous system; and ventral cord neurons. Used to study autism spectrum disorder. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in Pitt-Hopkins-like syndrome 2. Is an ortholog of human NRXN1 (neurexin 1) and NRXN3 (neurexin 3).
Inferred by orthology to human genes with DO annotation (HGNC:8008)
Disease_relevance
Abnormalities in the genes encoding human Neuroligins (NLGN1,NLGN2, NLGN3, NLGN4) and Neurexins (NRXN1) are associated with Autism spectrum disorders; mutations in the elegans neurexin (nrx-1) suppress neuroligin (nlg-1) defects; nrx-1 is involved in sensory functions and adult life span and along with nrx-1 mediates a retrograde synaptic signal that inhibits neurotransmitter release at neuromuscular junctions.
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.