The pie-1 and mex-1 genes and maternal control of blastomere identity in early C. elegans embryos.
During C. elegans embryogenesis an 8-cell stage blastomere, called MS, undergoes a reproducible cleavage pattern, producing pharyngeal cells, body wall muscles, and cell deaths. We show here that maternal-effect mutations in the pie-1 and mex-1 genes cause additional 8-cell stage blastomeres to adopt a fate very similar to that of the wild-type MS blastomere. In pie-1 mutants one additional posterior blastomere adopts an MS-like fate, and in mex-1 mutants four additional anterior blastomeres adopt an MS-like fate. We propose that maternally provided pie-1(+) and mex-1(+) gene products may function in the early embryo to localize or regulate factors that determine the fate of the MS blastomere.
Mello
C C
CC
Department of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98104.
Draper
B W
BW
Krause
M
M
Weintraub
H
H
Priess
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000166:cytology; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D009132:Muscles / Q000196:embryology; D009154:Mutation; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development; D010614:Pharynx / Q000196:embryology