egl-17 encodes an invertebrate fibroblast growth factor family member required specifically for sex myoblast migration in Caenorhabditis elegans.
The proper guidance of the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite sex myoblasts (SMs) requires the genes egl-15 and egl-17. egl-15 has been shown to encode the C. elegans orthologue of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR). Here we clone egl-17 and show it to be a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family, one of the first functional invertebrate FGFs known. egl-17 shares homology with other FGF members, conserving the key residues required to form the distinctive tertiary structure common to FGFs. Genetic and molecular evidence demonstrates that the SM migration defect seen in egl-17 mutant animals represents complete loss of egl-17 function. While mutations in egl-17 affect only SM migration, mutations in egl-15 can result in larval arrest, scrawny body morphology, and the ability to suppress mutations in clr-1. We propose that EGL-17 (FGF) acts as a ligand for EGL-15 (FGFR) specifically during SM migration and that another ligand(s) activates EGL-15 for its other functions.
Burdine
R D
RD
Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8005, USA.
Chen
E B
EB
Kwok
S F
SF
Stern
M J
MJ
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D010058:Oviposition; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; C105157:Egl-17 protein, C elegans; D006133:Growth Substances; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors