title: MAP kinase signaling specificity mediated by the LIN-1 Ets/LIN-31 WH transcription factor complex during C. elegans vulval induction.
abstract: The let-23 receptor/mpk-1 MAP kinase signaling pathway induces the vulva in C. elegans. We show that MPK-1 directly regulates both the LIN-31 winged-helix and the LIN-1 Ets transcription factors to specify the vulval cell fate. lin-31 and lin-1 act genetically downstream of mpk-1, and both proteins can be directly phosphorylated by MAP kinase. LIN-31 binds to LIN-1, and the LIN-1/LIN-31 complex inhibits vulval induction. Phosphorylation of LIN-31 by MPK-1 disrupts the LIN-1/LIN-31 complex, relieving vulval inhibition. Phosphorylated LIN-31 may also act as a transcriptional activator, promoting vulval cell fates. LIN-31 is a vulval-specific effector of MPK-1, while LIN-1 acts as a general effector. The partnership of tissue-specific and general effectors may confer specificity onto commonly used signaling pathways, creating distinct tissue-specific outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lackner
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000502:physiology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017405:Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65 / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D009154:Mutation; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019076:Transgenes; D014844:Vulva / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D017405:Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65; C097533:Lin-1 protein, C elegans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C081464:lin-31 protein, C elegans; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C085873:let-23 protein, C elegans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; C085697:mpk-1 protein, C elegans