Axial patterning of C. elegans male sensilla identities by selector genes.
The fan and rays of the C. elegans male tail constitute a compound sensory organ essential for mating. Within this organ, the individual sensilla, known as rays, have unique identities. We show that ray identities are patterned by a selector gene mechanism in a manner similar to other serially homologous axial structures. One selector gene that promotes the identities of a subset of the rays is the Hox gene egl-5. Within EGL-5-expressing rays, further patterning is provided by a Pax-6 homolog and a signal of the TGFbeta family. These genes and pathway coordinately specify multiple ray properties affecting all three terminal ray cell types. These properties include complex patterns of FMRFamide-like (FaRP) neuropeptides, serotonin (5HT) and dopamine expression, and ray morphology. Differences in these differentiated characteristics give each sensillum a unique identity and potentially endow the compound ray organ with a higher-order information gathering capacity.
Lints
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Department of Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
Jia
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Kim
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Li
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Emmons
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D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013623:Tail / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C117509:Dbl-1 protein, C elegans; C477318:Egl-5 protein, C elegans; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D012701:Serotonin