UNC-40, a C. elegans homolog of DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer), is required in motile cells responding to UNC-6 netrin cues.
UNC-6 netrin, a laminin-related protein secreted from neuroglia and neurons along the ventral midline, orients migrating cells and pioneering growth cones on the nematode epidermis. UNC-5, a cell surface protein expressed on motile cells and pioneer axons, orients movements away from UNC-6 sources. UNC-40, a homolog of the cell surface proteins DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) and neogenin, is also expressed on motile cells and pioneer neurons. UNC-40 acts cell autonomously to orient movement toward UNC-6 sources. For cells coexpressing UNC-5, it helps orient movement away from UNC-6 sources. Finally, UNC-40 helps determine the dorsoventral position of cells undergoing purely longitudinal migrations. Together with the recent report that DCC is a netrin receptor in vertebrates, our results suggest that UNC-40 is a component of UNC-6 receptors on motile cells.
Chan
S S
SS
Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Zheng
H
H
Su
M W
MW
Wilk
R
R
Killeen
M T
MT
Hedgecock
E M
EM
Culotti
J G
JG
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D000075388:Netrin-1; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018510:RNA, Helminth; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C102174:UNC-40 protein, C elegans; C091279:neogenin; D000075388:Netrin-1