Nuclear hormone receptor CHR3 is a critical regulator of all four larval molts of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
CHR3 (nhr-23, NF1F4), the homologue of Drosophila DHR3 and mammalian ROR/RZR/RevErbA nuclear hormone receptors, is important for proper epidermal development and molting in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Disruption of CHR3 (nhr-23) function leads to developmental changes, including incomplete molting and a short, fat (dumpy) phenotype. Here, we studied the role of CHR3 during larval development by using expression assays and RNA-mediated interference. We show that the levels of expression of CHR3 (nhr-23) cycle during larval development and reduction of CHR3 function during each intermolt period result in defects at all subsequent molts. Assaying candidate gene expression in populations of animals treated with CHR3 (nhr-23) RNA-mediated interference has identified dpy-7 as a potential gene acting downstream of CHR3. These results define CHR3 as a critical regulator of all C. elegans molts and begin to define the molecular pathway for its function.
Kostrouchova
M
M
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 116 36 Prague, Czech Republic.
Krause
M
M
Kostrouch
Z
Z
Rall
J E
JE
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D019476:Insect Proteins; D007814:Larva; D018978:Molting; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013696:Temperature; D015534:Trans-Activators
C104701:CHR3 protein, Choristoneura fumiferana; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide; D015534:Trans-Activators