The daf-4 gene encodes a bone morphogenetic protein receptor controlling C. elegans dauer larva development.
The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family is a conserved group of signalling molecules within the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. This group, including the Drosophila decapentaplegic (dpp) protein and the mammalian BMPs, mediates cellular interactions and tissue differentiation during development. Here we show that a homologue of human BMPs controls a developmental switch in the life cycle of the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Starvation and overcrowding induce C. elegans to form a developmentally arrested, third-stage dauer larva. The daf-4 gene, which acts to inhibit dauer larva formation and promote growth, encodes a receptor protein kinase similar to the daf-1, activin and TGF-beta receptor serine/threonine kinases. When expressed in monkey COS cells, the daf-4 receptor binds human BMP-2 and BMP-4. The daf-4 receptor is the first to be identified for any growth factor in the BMP family.
Estevez
M
M
Molecular Biology Program, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211.
Attisano
L
L
Wrana
J L
JL
Albert
P S
PS
Massagué
J
J
Riddle
D L
DL
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D006128:Growth / Q000235:genetics; D000882:Haplorhini; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C083704:daf-4 protein, C elegans; D004247:DNA; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases