mab-3, a gene required for sex-specific yolk protein expression and a male-specific lineage in C. elegans.
The gene mab-3 appears to regulate a subset of sex-specific events in C. elegans male development. Mutations in mab-3 have no apparent effect on hermaphrodites, but cause synthesis of yolk proteins and a limited lineage alteration in males. We infer that mab-3 has at least two distinct male-specific functions. First, mab-3 activity prevents yolk protein production by males, without affecting stage or tissue specificity of expression. Second, mab-3 activity is required for expression of the male V ray cell lineage. Epistasis analysis is most consistent with a model in which mab-3 is controlled by tra-1, the last switch gene known to act in the somatic sex determination pathway. We discuss how genes such as mab-3 might generate sexual dimorphism.
D000818:Animals; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D013234:Stem Cells
D004527:Egg Proteins