Establishment of POP-1 asymmetry in early C. elegans embryos.
In Caenhorabtidis elegans embryos, the nuclei of sister cells that are born from anterior/posterior divisions show an invariant high/low asymmetry, respectively, in their level of the transcription factor POP-1. Previous studies have shown that POP-1 asymmetry between the daughters of an embryonic cell called EMS results in part from a Wnt-like signal provided by a neighboring cell, called P(2). We identify here additional signaling cells that play a role in POP-1 asymmetry for other early embryonic cells. Some of these cells have signaling properties similar to P(2), whereas other cells use apparently distinct signaling pathways. Although cell signaling plays a critical role in POP-1 asymmetry during the first few cell divisions, later embryonic cells have an ability to generate POP-1 asymmetry that appears to be independent of prior Wnt signaling.
Park
Frederick D
FD
Division of Basic Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
Priess
James R
JR
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C108315:Mom-5 protein, C elegans; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C096787:pop-1 protein, C elegans