sur-2, a novel gene, functions late in the let-60 ras-mediated signaling pathway during Caenorhabditis elegans vulval induction.
We describe here a new gene acting downstream of let-60 ras in the vulval signaling pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans. The sur-2 (suppressor of ras) gene is defined by eight mutations identified in a genetic screen for suppressors of the Multivulva phenotype of let-60(n1046), an activated let-60 ras mutation. sur-2 mutations result in pleiotropic, incompletely penetrant phenotypes that include a Vulvaless phenotype in hermaphrodites, defects in development of the male tail, gonadal abnormalities, and larval lethality, indicating a role for the sur-2 gene product in multiple developmental events. Genetic epistasis analyses suggest that sur-2 is required late in the vulval signaling pathway, downstream of let-60 Ras, and is likely to act downstream of the Raf/MAP Kinase cascade. We cloned the sur-2 gene by DNA-mediated transformation and have shown that it encodes a novel protein. We also show that a sur-2::lacZ transgene is expressed in the vulval precursor cells at the time of vulval determination.
Singh
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Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder 80309-0347, USA.
Han
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007438:Introns; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D013489:Suppression, Genetic; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014844:Vulva / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; C095846:Sur-2 protein, C elegans; D014157:Transcription Factors; C066646:let-60 protein, C elegans; D018631:ras Proteins