Inhibition of touch cell fate by egl-44 and egl-46 in C. elegans.
In wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans, six cells develop as receptors for gentle touch. In egl-44 and egl-46 mutants, two other neurons, the FLP cells, express touch receptor-like features. egl-44 and egl-46 also affect the differentiation of other neurons including the HSN neurons, two cells needed for egg laying. egl-44 encodes a member of the transcription enhancer factor family. The product of the egl-46 gene, two Drosophila proteins, and two proteins in human and mice define a new family of zinc finger proteins. Both egl-44 and egl-46 are expressed in FLP and HSN neurons (and other cells); expression of egl-46 is dependent on egl-44 in the FLP cells but not in the HSN cells. Wild-type touch cells express egl-46 but not egl-44. Moreover, ectopic expression of egl-44 in the touch cells prevents touch cell differentiation in an egl-46-dependent manner. The sequences of these genes and their nuclear location as seen with GFP fusions indicate that they repress transcription of touch cell characteristics in the FLP cells.
Wu
J
J
Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
Duggan
A
A
Chalfie
M
M
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D015723:Gene Library; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014110:Touch / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C104613:egl protein, Drosophila; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins