glp-1 and lin-12, genes implicated in distinct cell-cell interactions in C. elegans, encode similar transmembrane proteins.
Genomic DNA closely related in sequence to lin-12, a gene that specifies certain cell fates during C. elegans development, was isolated from a C. elegans library by low stringency hybridization. DNA sequencing of genomic and cDNA clones predicts the new sequence to encode an integral membrane protein that shares three repeated amino acid sequence motifs with the lin-12 product and the Drosophila Notch product: an epidermal growth factor-like motif, the "lin-12/Notch Repeat," and a motif present in two yeast gene products that have cell cycle dependent functions. Austin and Kimble (see accompanying paper) present evidence that this sequence corresponds to glp-1, a gene implicated in cell-cell interactions distinct from those involving lin-12. Possible implications of the predicted structure of the glp-1 product with respect to these cell-cell interactions are discussed.
Department of Biology, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544-1003.
J
J
Yochem
I
I
Greenwald
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002450:Cell Communication; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005796:Genes; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C060620:Glp-1 protein, C elegans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D004247:DNA