Asymmetric distribution of the C. elegans HAM-1 protein in neuroblasts enables daughter cells to adopt distinct fates.
One mechanism of generating cellular diversity is to distribute developmental potential asymmetrically to daughter cells at mitosis. Two observations described in this report suggest that the C. elegans HAM-1 protein functions in dividing neuroblasts to produce daughter cells that adopt distinct fates. First, HAM-1 is asymmetrically distributed to the periphery of certain mitotic cells, ensuring that it will be inherited by only one daughter cell. Second, ham-1 mutations disrupt the asymmetric divisions of five neuroblasts. In one of these divisions, loss of ham-1 function causes the daughter cell that does not inherit HAM-1 to adopt the fate of the daughter cell that normally inherits HAM-1. We propose that asymmetric distribution of HAM-1 enables daughter cells to adopt distinct fates.
Guenther
C
C
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720-3204, USA.
Garriga
G
G
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008938:Mitosis; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C103072:HAM-1 protein, C elegans; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012701:Serotonin