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apl-1, a Caenorhabditis elegans gene encoding a protein related to the human beta-amyloid protein precursor
Daigle I, Li C.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1993-12-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The major component of senile plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer disease patients is the beta-amyloid peptide, which is derived from a larger amyloid precursor protein (APP). Recently, a number of APP and APP-related proteins have been identified in different organisms and constitute the family of APP proteins. We have isolated several cDNAs encoding an APP-related protein in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and have designated the corresponding gene as apl-1.
Key findings
- Recently, a number of APP and APP-related proteins have been identified in different organisms and constitute the family of APP proteins.
- We have isolated several cDNAs encoding an APP-related protein in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and have designated the corresponding gene as apl-1.
- The apl-1 transcripts undergo two forms of posttranscriptional modification: trans-splicing and alternative polyadenylylation.
- In vitro translation of an apl-1 cDNA results in a protein of approximately the expected size.
Why it matters
This work identified a gene in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, called apl-1, that encodes a protein related to the human amyloid precursor protein. It is basic biology in a worm and has no direct implications for treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease in humans.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 38 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 40 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: journal h-index 1,167 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1993 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “caenorhabditis”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 222 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.3 citations a year over 35 year(s) since 1993 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author C. Li holds only 2 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8265668) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 38 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 38 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 40 out of 100. |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Daigle, I., & Li, C. (1993). apl-1, a Caenorhabditis elegans gene encoding a protein related to the human beta-amyloid protein precursor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.90.24.12045
Vancouver
Daigle I, Li C. apl-1, a Caenorhabditis elegans gene encoding a protein related to the human beta-amyloid protein precursor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 1993. doi:10.1073/pnas.90.24.12045. PMID: 8265668.
BibTeX
@article{daigle1993-8265668,
author = {Daigle, I. and Li, C.},
title = {{apl-1, a Caenorhabditis elegans gene encoding a protein related to the human beta-amyloid protein precursor}},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
year = {1993},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.90.24.12045},
pmid = {8265668},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.90.24.12045}
}
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